SYSLOGD(8)SYSLOGD(8)NAMEsyslogd - system logging daemon.
SYNOPSISsyslogd [ -d ] [ -f config file ] [ -m interval ] [ -p port ] [ -v ]
DESCRIPTION
System logging is provided by a version of syslogd(8) derived from the
stock BSD sources. Syslogd provides the kind of logging that many mod‐
ern programs use. Every logged message contains at least a time, a
hostname field and a program name field, but that depends on how trusty
the logging program is.
While the syslogd sources have been heavily modified a couple of notes
are necessary. First of all there has been a systematic attempt to
insure that syslogd follows the default, standard BSD behavior. The
second important concept to note is that this version of syslogd inter‐
acts transparently with the version of syslog found in the standard
libraries, so you must insure that the correct versions are installed.
The main configuration file /etc/syslog.conf or an alternative file,
given with the -f option, is read at startup. Any line that begins
with the hash mark (``#'') and empty lines are ignored. If an error
occurs during parsing the whole line is ignored.
OPTIONS-d Turns on debug mode. When using debug mode, the daemon will
not proceed to fork(2) to set itself in the background, but
will stay in the foreground and write much debug information
on the current tty. See the DEBUGGING section for more infor‐
mation.
-f config file
Specify an alternative configuration file instead of /etc/sys‐
log.conf, which is the default.
-m interval
The syslogd logs a mark timestamp regularly. The default
interval between two -- MARK -- lines is 20 minutes. This can
be changed with this option.
-p port You can specify an alternative port instead of syslog/udp
default service.
-v Print version and exit.
SIGNALS
Syslogd reacts to a set of signals. You may easily send a signal to it
using the following:
kill -SIGNAL `cat /usr/run/syslogd.pid`
SIGHUP This lets syslogd perform a re-initialization. All open files
are closed, the configuration file (default is '/etc/sys‐
log.conf') will be reread.
SIGTERM The syslogd will die.
SIGINT SIGQUIT
If debugging is enabled these are ignored, otherwise syslogd
will die.
SIGALRM Every time syslogd receives this signal it will log the mark
line. Normally this is done by alarm(2).
CONFIGURATION FILE SYNTAX DIFFERENCES
Syslogd uses a slightly different syntax for its configuration file
than the original BSD sources. Originally all messages of a specific
priority and above were forwarded to the log file.
For example see the following sample file
## Sample syslog.conf
## Emergency messages (system may be unusable)
*.emerg *
*.alert /dev/log
## High severity errors
*.alert;*.crit /usr/adm/syslog
## every other message (errors/warning and informational)
*.info;*.notice;*.warning;*.err /usr/adm/messages
*.debug /usr/adm/debug
SUPPORT FOR REMOTE LOGGING
Not implemented.
OUTPUT TO NAMED PIPES (FIFOs)
Not implemented.
INSTALLATION CONCERNS
There is probably one important consideration when installing this ver‐
sion of syslogd. This version of syslogd is dependent on proper for‐
matting of messages by the syslog function.
Syslogd should be started by the rc sequence.
DEBUGGING
When debugging is turned on using -d option and syslogd is compiled
with debug=1 then syslogd will be very verbose by writing much of what
it does on stdout. Whenever the configuration file is reread and re-
parsed you'll see a tabular, corresponding to the internal data struc‐
ture. This tabular consists of four fields:
number This field contains a serial number starting by zero. This num‐
ber represents the position in the internal data structure (i.e.
the array). If one number is left out then there might be an
error in the corresponding line in /etc/syslog.conf.
pattern
This field is tricky and represents the internal structure
exactly. Every column stands for a facility (refer to sys‐
log(3)). As you can see, there are still some facilities left
free for former use, only the left most are used. Every field in
a column represents the priorities (refer to syslog(3)).
action This field describes the particular action that takes place
whenever a message is received that matches the pattern. Refer
to the syslog.conf(5) manpage for all possible actions.
arguments
This field shows additional arguments to the actions in the last
field. For file-logging this is the filename for the logfile;
for user-logging this is a list of users; for remote logging
this is the hostname of the machine to log to; for console-log‐
ging this is the used console; for tty-logging this is the spec‐
ified tty; wall has no additional arguments.
Note that if syslogd is compiled with debug=0 only a subset is printed.
FILES
/etc/syslog.conf Configuration file for syslogd. See sys‐
log.conf(5) for exact information.
/dev/log The log device (console) for Minix.
/usr/run/syslogd.pid The file containing the process id of sys‐
logd.
BUGS
If an error occurs in one line the whole rule is ignored. Syslogd
doesn't change the filemode of opened logfiles at any stage of process.
If a file is created it is world readable. If you want to avoid this,
you have to create it and change permissions on your own.
SEE ALSOsyslog.conf(5), logger(1), syslog(3).
Jan. 23, 2000 SYSLOGD(8)
