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SYSLOG.CONF(5)                             BSD File Formats Manual                            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.  Legacy facility names are: 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.

     Apple System Log messages, sent using the asl(3) library routines permit the facility name to be an
     arbitrary string, although users of the system are encouraged to use a ``reverse ICANN'' naming conven-tion, convention,
     tion, for example ``com.apple.system.syslog''.  Since these facility names may contain dot characters,
     the names may be enclosed in either singe quote or double quote characters.

     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 signifi-cance. significance.
     cance.

     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 (``;'') char-acters. characters.
     acters.  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 (``,'') charac-ters. characters.
     ters.

     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 mes-sage. message.
     sage.  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 pro-gram program
         gram 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
     asl(3), syslog(3), syslogd(8)

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

BSD                                             June 9, 1993                                             BSD