2.11BSD#431 - /usr/man/cat8/syslogd.0

SYSLOGD(8)	    UNIX Programmer's Manual	       SYSLOGD(8)


NAME
     syslogd - log systems messages

SYNOPSIS
     syslogd [ -fconfigfile ] [ -mmarkinterval ] [ -d ]

DESCRIPTION
     Syslogd reads and logs messages into a set of files
     described by the configuration file /etc/syslog.conf.  Each
     message is one line.  A message can contain a priority code,
     marked by a number in angle braces at the beginning of the
     line.  Priorities are defined in <sys/syslog.h>.  Syslogd
     reads from the UNIX domain socket /dev/log, from an Internet
     domain socket specified in /etc/services, and from the spe-
     cial device /dev/klog (to read kernel messages).

     Syslogd configures when it starts up and whenever it
     receives a hangup signal.	Lines in the configuration file
     have a selector to determine the message priorities to which
     the line applies and an action.  The action field are
     separated from the selector by one or more tabs.

     Selectors are semicolon separated lists of priority specif-
     iers.  Each priority has a facility describing the part of
     the system that generated the message, a dot, and a level
     indicating the severity of the message.  Symbolic names may
     be used.  An asterisk selects all facilities.  All messages
     of the specified level or higher (greater severity) are
     selected.	More than one facility may be selected using com-
     mas to separate them.  For example:

	  *.emerg;mail,daemon.crit

     Selects all facilities at the emerg level and the mail and
     daemon facilities at the crit level.

     Known facilities and levels recognized by syslogd are those
     listed in syslog(3) without the leading ``LOG_''.	The addi-
     tional facility ``mark'' has a message at priority LOG_INFO
     sent to it every 20 minutes (this may be changed with the -m
     flag).  The ``mark'' facility is not enabled by a facility
     field containing an asterisk.  The level ``none'' may be
     used to disable a particular facility.  For example,

	  *.debug;mail.none

     Sends all messages except mail messages to the selected
     file.

     The second part of each line describes where the message is
     to be logged if this line is selected.  There are four
     forms:


Printed 11/26/99	November 16, 1996			1


SYSLOGD(8)	    UNIX Programmer's Manual	       SYSLOGD(8)


     o+	A filename (beginning with a leading slash).  The file
	will be opened in append mode.

     o+	A hostname preceeded by an at sign (``@'').  Selected
	messages are forwarded to the syslogd on the named host.

     o+	A comma separated list of users.  Selected messages are
	written to those users if they are logged in.

     o+	An asterisk.  Selected messages are written to all
	logged-in users.

     Blank lines and lines beginning with `#' are ignored.

     For example, the configuration file:

	 kern,mark.debug	/dev/console
	 *.notice;mail.info	/usr/spool/adm/syslog
	 *.crit                 /usr/adm/critical
	 kern.err		@ucbarpa
	 *.emerg		*
	 *.alert		eric,kridle
	 *.alert;auth.warning	ralph

     logs all kernel messages and 20 minute marks onto the system
     console, all notice (or higher) level messages and all mail
     system messages except debug messages into the file
     /usr/spool/adm/syslog, and all critical messages into
     /usr/adm/critical; kernel messages of error severity or
     higher are forwarded to ucbarpa.  All users will be informed
     of any emergency messages, the users ``eric'' and ``kridle''
     will be informed of any alert messages, and the user
     ``ralph'' will be informed of any alert message, or any
     warning message (or higher) from the authorization system.

     The flags are:

     -f   Specify an alternate configuration file.

     -m   Select the number of minutes between mark messages.

     -d   Turn on debugging.

     Syslogd creates the file /var/run/syslog.pid, if possible,
     containing a single line with its process id.  This can be
     used to kill or reconfigure syslogd.

     To bring syslogd down, it should be sent a terminate signal
     (e.g. kill `cat /var/run/syslog.pid`).

FILES
     /etc/syslog.conf	     the configuration file


Printed 11/26/99	November 16, 1996			2


SYSLOGD(8)	    UNIX Programmer's Manual	       SYSLOGD(8)


     /var/run/syslog.pid     the process id
     /dev/log		     Name of the UNIX domain datagram log socket
     /dev/klog		     The kernel log device

SEE ALSO
     logger(1), syslog(3)


Printed 11/26/99	November 16, 1996			3