Cleanup of Exec Inputs documentation - redux

Hi @sparrc

(Sorry for the noise - new pr)

closes #853

Please find some improvements to readability including the \n for the exec/telegraf line-protocol input.

I hope you (and others) find it easier to read.

/Mark

This is an ammend

plugins/inputs/exec/README.md

@@ -1,28 +1,20 @@
 # Exec Input Plugin
 
-The exec plugin can execute arbitrary commands which output:
+Please also see: [Telegraf Input Data Formats](https://github.com/influxdata/telegraf/blob/master/docs/DATA_FORMATS_INPUT.md)
 
-* JSON
-* InfluxDB [line-protocol](https://docs.influxdata.com/influxdb/v0.9/write_protocols/line/)
+The exec input plugin can execute arbitrary commands which output:
+
+* JSON [javascript object notation](http://www.json.org/)
+* InfluxDB [line-protocol](https://docs.influxdata.com/influxdb/v0.10/write_protocols/line/) 
 * Graphite [graphite-protocol](http://graphite.readthedocs.org/en/latest/feeding-carbon.html)
 
-> Graphite understands messages with this format:
 
-> ```
-metric_path value timestamp\n
-```
+### Example 1 - JSON
 
-> __metric_path__ is the metric namespace that you want to populate.
+#### Configuration
 
-> __value__ is the value that you want to assign to the metric at this time.
-
-> __timestamp__ is the unix epoch time.
-
-
-If using JSON, only numeric values are parsed and turned into floats. Booleans
-and strings will be ignored.
-
-### Configuration
+In this example a script called ```/tmp/test.sh``` and a script called ```/tmp/test2.sh``` 
+are configured for ```[[inputs.exec]]``` in JSON format.
 
 ```
 # Read flattened metrics from one or more commands that output JSON to stdout
@@ -64,8 +56,6 @@ Other options for modifying the measurement names are:
 name_prefix = "prefix_"
 ```
 
-### Example 1
-
 Let's say that we have the above configuration, and mycollector outputs the
 following JSON:
 
@@ -85,10 +75,16 @@ The collected metrics will be stored as fields under the measurement
 ```
 exec_mycollector a=0.5,b_c=0.1,b_d=5 1452815002357578567
 ```
+If using JSON, only numeric values are parsed and turned into floats. Booleans
+and strings will be ignored.
 
-### Example 2
+### Example 2 - Influx Line-Protocol
 
-Now let's say we have the following configuration:
+In this example an application called ```/usr/bin/line_protocol_collector```
+and a script called ```/tmp/test2.sh``` are configured for ```[[inputs.exec]]``` 
+in influx line-protocol format.
+
+#### Configuration
 
 ```
 [[inputs.exec]]
@@ -103,7 +99,7 @@ Now let's say we have the following configuration:
   data_format = "influx"
 ```
 
-And line_protocol_collector outputs the following line protocol:
+The line_protocol_collector application outputs the following line protocol:
 
 ```
 cpu,cpu=cpu0,host=foo,datacenter=us-east usage_idle=99,usage_busy=1
@@ -118,15 +114,18 @@ cpu,cpu=cpu6,host=foo,datacenter=us-east usage_idle=99,usage_busy=1
 You will get data in InfluxDB exactly as it is defined above,
 tags are cpu=cpuN, host=foo, and datacenter=us-east with fields usage_idle
 and usage_busy. They will receive a timestamp at collection time. 
+Each line must end in \n, just as the Influx line protocol does.
 
 
-### Example 3
+### Example 3 - Graphite
 
 We can also change the data_format to "graphite" to use the metrics collecting scripts such as (compatible with graphite):
 
 * Nagios [Mertics Plugins] (https://exchange.nagios.org/directory/Plugins)
 * Sensu [Mertics Plugins] (https://github.com/sensu-plugins)
 
+In this example a script called /tmp/test.sh and a script called /tmp/test2.sh are configured for [[inputs.exec]] in graphite format.
+
 #### Configuration
 ```
 # Read flattened metrics from one or more commands that output JSON to stdout
@@ -161,6 +160,17 @@ We can also change the data_format to "graphite" to use the metrics collecting s
     "measurement*"
   ]
 ```
+Graphite messages are in this format:
+
+```
+metric_path value timestamp\n
+```
+
+__metric_path__ is the metric namespace that you want to populate.
+
+__value__ is the value that you want to assign to the metric at this time.
+
+__timestamp__ is the unix epoch time.
 
 And test.sh/test2.sh will output: