Here is a small BASH script I wrote for root users to easily enable/disable MySQL general query logging.  It will show status, create a log file, and replace the file with a symbolic link to /dev/null when disabling logging.  A good place for the script is “/root/bin/”.

You will need to add the following to “/etc/my.cnf” and then either restart MySQL or give it a SIGHUP:
log=/var/log/mysql-generalquery.log

Download at: http://wp.css-solutions.net/dl/mysqllog

#!/bin/bash
# mysqllog - Enable/Disable MySQL logging - By Joe C

if [ -z "$1" ] ;then # No option given
 if [ -f /var/log/mysql-generalquery.log ] ;then echo "MySQL general query logging is enabled to /var/log/mysql-generalquery.log"
  else
   if [ -h /var/log/mysql-generalquery.log ] ;then echo "MySQL general query logging is disabled"; fi
 fi
 echo "USAGE: mysqllog <on|off>"
  else # Option present
  if [[ "$1" = [Oo][Nn] ]] ;then
   if [ -f /var/log/mysql-generalquery.log ] ;then echo "MySQL general query logging is already enabled to /var/log/mysql-generalquery.log"
    else
     rm -f /var/log/mysql-generalquery.log
     touch /var/log/mysql-generalquery.log
     chown 0:mysql /var/log/mysql-generalquery.log
     chmod 664 /var/log/mysql-generalquery.log
     kill -SIGHUP `cat /var/lib/mysql/$(hostname).pid` > /dev/null 2>&1
     echo "MySQL general query logging is now enabled to /var/log/mysql-generalquery.log"
   fi
   else
   if [[ "$1" = [Oo][Ff][Ff] ]] ;then
    if [ -h /var/log/mysql-generalquery.log ] ;then echo "MySQL general query logging is already disabled"
     else
      rm -f /var/log/mysql-generalquery.log
      ln -s /dev/null /var/log/mysql-generalquery.log
      chown -h 0:mysql /var/log/mysql-generalquery.log
      echo "MySQL general query logging is now disabled"
    fi
   fi
  fi
fi