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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, and is one of the following key-words: keywords:
     words: 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 speci-fied specified
     fied 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 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:

     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 pro-gram program
         gram 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.

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).

BSD                              June 9, 1993                              BSD