ASLMANAGER(8) BSD System Manager's Manual ASLMANAGER(8)NAMEaslmanager — Apple System Log data life-cycle manager
SYNOPSISaslmanager [-s store_dir] [-a [archive_dir]] [-ttl days]
[-store_ttl days] [-module_ttl days] [-size max_size] [-asldb]
[-module [name]] [-checkpoint] [-d [level]] [-dd [level]]
DESCRIPTIONaslmanager manages rotated files and ASL data written by the syslogd
server. It is started automatically at various times by syslogd. It may
also be invoked from the command line by the superuser (root). It man‐
ages the life-cycle of data in the ASL database, rotated log files, and
ASL directory data stores. Configuration information for aslmanager
comes from the /etc/asl.conf configuration file, any ASL output module
configuration files in the /etc/asl directory, and from command-line
options that may be specified to override some settings found in the con‐
figuration files. In normal operation, it first checks the ASL database
in /var/log/asl, then it checks the files and directories specified by
/etc/asl.conf and each ASL output module.
If the -asldb flag is specified, then only the ASL database will be pro‐
cessed.
If the -module flag is specified, then the ASL database will not be pro‐
cessed. All ASL output modules, or a single module if name is specified,
will be processed.
If -checkpoint is specified, then aslmanager will signal syslogd to
checkpoint files for all modules, or for a single named module, before
processing.
The -d flag causes aslmanager to print debug messages tracing it's
actions as they are performed. An integer value (1, 2, or 3) may follow
the -d flag. Higher values cause more fine-grained messages to be
printed. The default value is 1. The -dd flag directs aslmanager to do
a “dry run”. Debug messages are printed as with -d, but no actions are
actually performed. An optional debug level may follow the -dd flag.
ASL DATABASE MANAGEMENT
aslmanager scans the ASL database in /var/log/asl, or some other path
specified by the setting of the “store_path” parameter in asl.conf, or by
the path supplied following the -s flag. Data files that are older than
the time-to-live for the database are either archived or removed. Files
that contain messages with explicit expire times are removed or archived
monthly after all their contents expire. The default 7 day time-to-live
value may be overridden by the setting of the “store_ttl” parameter in
asl.conf or by supplying a value following the -store_ttl flag or the
-ttl flag (which overrides the time-to-live for both the ASL database and
for all ASL modules). A time-to-live value of zero allows files to
remain in the store with no time limit.
A maximum size for the entire database is provided by the setting of the
“max_store_size” parameter in asl.conf, or as a value following the -size
flag. This will cause aslmanager to archive (if enabled) and remove
files to keep the database size below the specified limit. The default
value is 150000000 bytes. A value of zero means the size is unlimited.
An unlimited size specification should be used with great caution, since
a runaway process could quickly fill all available disk space. Files are
removed in order starting from oldest to newest. Files with the same
date are removed in standard lexicographic sort order by file name.
Files are either removed entirely or copied to an archive directory. If
the -a flag is specified with no argument, files are copied to the
/var/log/asl.archive directory. An alternate directory path may be spec‐
ified following the -a flag. The archive parameter setting in asl.conf
enables or disables archiving. The archive parameter requires a value of
"1" to enable archiving, or a value of "0" to disable it. An option ar‐
chive directory path may follow the "0" or "1".
ASL OUTPUT MODULE MANAGEMENT
For each ASL output module, or a single module specified as an argument
following -module, aslmanager first locates all checkpoint files produced
by syslogd for that module. aslmanager checks all ASL directory data
stores and all rotated log files - those with a “rotate” option in the
module's configuration rules. Checkpoint files are renamed if necessary
to conform to the naming style specified for the file by a “style” option
in the module's configuration file. aslmanager will compress the file if
directed by a “compress” option, and it will move the file to a destina‐
tion directory if a “dest” option is specified for the file. Following
this, aslmanager will delete expired files. The time-to-live for files
is 7 days by default, but may be specified using the “ttl” option for the
file in the module's configuration rules. If -module_ttl or -ttl are
specified command line, then value specified as an argument is used as a
time-to-live instead. -module_ttl specifies time-to-live for module pro‐
cessing. -ttl specifies time-to-live for both the ASL database and for
modules.
Finally, if the “all_max” option is specified for the output file,
aslmanager checks the total size of all the rotated versions, and will
delete them, (oldest first) to limit the total size as specified by
“all_max”. When processing ASL directory data stores, aslmanager will
similarly delete data files after the expiry of their time-to-live, and
will delete data files (oldest first) to limit the total size as speci‐
fied by “all_max”.
SEE ALSOsyslogd(8), syslog(1), asl(3), asl.conf(5), syslog(3).
HISTORY
The aslmanager utility appeared in Mac OS X 10.6. Support for log file
and ASL directory life-cycle management was added in OS X 10.9.
Mac OS X December 7, 2007 Mac OS X
