SYSLOG.CONF(5) BSD Programmer's Manual SYSLOG.CONF(5) NNAAMMEE ssyysslloogg..ccoonnff - syslogd(8) configuration file DDEESSCCRRIIPPTTIIOONN The ssyysslloogg..ccoonnff file is the configuration file for the syslogd(8) pro- gram. It consists of lines with two fields: the _s_e_l_e_c_t_o_r field which specifies the types of messages and priorities to which the line applies, and an _a_c_t_i_o_n field which specifies the action to be taken if a message syslogd receives matches the selection criteria. The _s_e_l_e_c_t_o_r field is separated from the _a_c_t_i_o_n field by one or more tab characters. The _S_e_l_e_c_t_o_r_s function are encoded as a _f_a_c_i_l_i_t_y, a period (``.''), and a _l_e_v_e_l, with no intervening white-space. Both the _f_a_c_i_l_i_t_y and the _l_e_v_e_l are case insensitive. The _f_a_c_i_l_i_t_y describes the part of the system generating the message, and is one of the following keywords: auth, authpriv, cron, daemon, kern, lpr, mail, mark, news, syslog, user, uucp and local0 through local7. These keywords (with the exception of mark) correspond to the similar ``LOG_'' values specified to the openlog(3) and syslog(3) library rou- tines. The _l_e_v_e_l describes the severity of the message, and is a keyword from the following ordered list (higher to lower): emerg, alert, crit, err, warning, notice and debug. These keywords correspond to the similar (LOG_) values specified to the syslog library routine. See syslog(3) for a further descriptions of both the _f_a_c_i_l_i_t_y and _l_e_v_e_l keywords and their significance. If a received message matches the specified _f_a_c_i_l_i_t_y and is of the speci- fied _l_e_v_e_l _(_o_r _a _h_i_g_h_e_r _l_e_v_e_l_), the action specified in the _a_c_t_i_o_n field will be taken. Multiple _s_e_l_e_c_t_o_r_s may be specified for a single _a_c_t_i_o_n by separating them with semicolon (``;'') characters. It is important to note, howev- er, that each _s_e_l_e_c_t_o_r can modify the ones preceding it. Multiple _f_a_c_i_l_i_t_i_e_s may be specified for a single _l_e_v_e_l by separating them with comma (``,'') characters. An asterisk (``*'') can be used to specify all _f_a_c_i_l_i_t_i_e_s or all _l_e_v_e_l_s. The special _f_a_c_i_l_i_t_y ``mark'' receives a message at priority ``info'' ev- ery 20 minutes (see syslogd(8)). This is not enabled by a _f_a_c_i_l_i_t_y field containing an asterisk. The special _l_e_v_e_l ``none'' disables a particular _f_a_c_i_l_i_t_y. The _a_c_t_i_o_n field of each line specifies the action to be taken when the _s_e_l_e_c_t_o_r field selects a message. There are four forms: ++oo A pathname (beginning with a leading slash). Selected messages are appended to the file. ++oo A hostname (preceded by an at (``@'') sign). Selected messages are forwarded to the syslogd program on the named host. ++oo A comma separated list of users. Selected messages are written to those users if they are logged in. ++oo An asterisk. Selected messages are written to all logged-in users. Blank lines and lines whose first non-blank character is a hash (``#'') character are ignored. EEXXAAMMPPLLEESS A configuration file might appear as follows: # Log all kernel messages, authentication messages of # level notice or higher and anything of level err or # higher to the console. # Don't log private authentication messages! *.err;kern.*;auth.notice;authpriv.none /dev/console # Log anything (except mail) of level info or higher. # Don't log private authentication messages! *.info;mail.none;authpriv.none /var/log/messages # The authpriv file has restricted access. authpriv.* /var/log/secure # Log all the mail messages in one place. mail.* /var/log/maillog # Everybody gets emergency messages, plus log them on another # machine. *.emerg * *.emerg @arpa.berkeley.edu # Root and Eric get alert and higher messages. *.alert root,eric # Save mail and news errors of level err and higher in a # special file. uucp,news.crit /var/log/spoolerr FFIILLEESS /etc/syslog.conf The syslogd(8) configuration file. BBUUGGSS The effects of multiple selectors are sometimes not intuitive. For exam- ple ``mail.crit,*.err'' will select ``mail'' facility messages at the level of ``err'' or higher, not at the level of ``crit'' or higher. SSEEEE AALLSSOO syslog(3), syslogd(8) 4.4BSD June 9, 1993 2