SYSLOG.CONF(5)

NAME
syslog.conf - syslogd(8) configuration file

DESCRIPTION
The syslog.conf file is the configuration file for the syslogd(8) program. It consists of lines with two fields: the selector field which specifies the types of messages and priorities to which the line applies, and an action field which specifies the action to be taken if a message syslogd receives matches the selection criteria. The selector field is separated from the action field by one or more tab characters.

The Selectors function are encoded as a facility, a period (``.''), and a level, with no intervening white-space. Both the facility and the level are case insensitive.

The facility 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 routines.

The level describes the severity of the message, and is a keyword from the following ordered list (higher to lower): emerg, alert, crit, err, warning, notice, info 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 facility and level keywords and their significance.

If a received message matches the specified facility and is of the specified level (or a higher level), the action specified in the action field will be taken.

Multiple selectors may be specified for a single action by separating them with semicolon (``;'') characters. It is important to note, however, that each selector can modify the ones preceding it.

Multiple facilities may be specified for a single level by separating them with comma (``,'') characters.

An asterisk (``*'') can be used to specify all facilities or all levels.

The special facility ``mark'' receives a message at priority ``info'' every 20 minutes (see syslogd(8)). This is not enabled by a facility field containing an asterisk.

The special level ``none'' disables a particular facility.

The action field of each line specifies the action to be taken when the selector field selects a message. There are four forms:

•   A pathname (beginning with a leading slash). Selected messages are appended to the file.

•   A hostname (preceded by an at (``@'') sign). Selected messages are forwarded to the syslogd program on the named host.

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

•   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.

EXAMPLES

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

FILES
/etc/syslog.conf
    The syslogd(8) configuration file.

BUGS
The effects of multiple selectors are sometimes not intuitive. For example ``mail.crit,*.err'' will select ``mail'' facility messages at the level of ``err'' or higher, not at the level of ``crit'' or higher.

SEE ALSO
syslog(3), syslogd(8)

HISTORY
The syslog.conf file appeared in 4.3BSD, along with syslogd(8).