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Old 07-06-2008, 08:40 AM   #1
akudewan
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Registered: Apr 2004
Location: India
Distribution: Ubuntu
Posts: 364

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disable cron from logging to syslog


Hi,

I have a cron job that runs every 10 minutes. Problem is that it clutters my /var/log/syslog file. Can someone help me with a way of disabling this logging ?

So far I have tried the following:

1) Redirected the output of the command to /dev/null. (This solved the problem of the output being mailed to me every time)
Code:
0,10,20,30,40,50 * * * * /usr/local/bin/keeponline.sh >> /dev/null 2>&1
2) Edited /etc/syslog.conf and commented out the lines containing 'cron'. This is what the file looks like:
Code:
#  /etc/syslog.conf     Configuration file for syslogd.
#
#                       For more information see syslog.conf(5)
#                       manpage.

#
# First some standard logfiles.  Log by facility.
#

auth,authpriv.*                 /var/log/auth.log
*.*;auth,authpriv.none          -/var/log/syslog
#cron.*                         /var/log/cron.log
daemon.*                        -/var/log/daemon.log
kern.*                          -/var/log/kern.log
lpr.*                           -/var/log/lpr.log
mail.*                          -/var/log/mail.log
user.*                          -/var/log/user.log

#
# Logging for the mail system.  Split it up so that
# it is easy to write scripts to parse these files.
#
mail.info                       -/var/log/mail.info
mail.warn                       -/var/log/mail.warn
mail.err                        /var/log/mail.err

# Logging for INN news system
#
news.crit                       /var/log/news/news.crit
news.err                        /var/log/news/news.err
news.notice                     -/var/log/news/news.notice

#
# Some `catch-all' logfiles.
#
*.=debug;\
        auth,authpriv.none;\
        news.none;mail.none     -/var/log/debug
*.=info;*.=notice;*.=warn;\
        auth,authpriv.none;\
#       cron,daemon.none;\
        mail,news.none          -/var/log/messages

#
# Emergencies are sent to everybody logged in.
#
*.emerg                         *

#
# I like to have messages displayed on the console, but only on a virtual
# console I usually leave idle.
#
#daemon,mail.*;\
#       news.=crit;news.=err;news.=notice;\
#       *.=debug;*.=info;\
#       *.=notice;*.=warn       /dev/tty8

# The named pipe /dev/xconsole is for the `xconsole' utility.  To use it,
# you must invoke `xconsole' with the `-file' option:
#
#    $ xconsole -file /dev/xconsole [...]
#
# NOTE: adjust the list below, or you'll go crazy if you have a reasonably
#      busy site..
#
daemon.*;mail.*;\
        news.err;\
        *.=debug;*.=info;\
        *.=notice;*.=warn       |/dev/xconsole
However, there's entries in my syslog every 10 minutes:
Code:
Jul  6 17:30:01 ranjandesk /USR/SBIN/CRON[13450]: (akudewan) CMD (/usr/local/bin/keeponline.sh >> /dev/null 2>&1)
Jul  6 17:40:01 ranjandesk /USR/SBIN/CRON[13707]: (akudewan) CMD (/usr/local/bin/keeponline.sh >> /dev/null 2>&1)
Jul  6 17:50:01 ranjandesk /USR/SBIN/CRON[13984]: (akudewan) CMD (/usr/local/bin/keeponline.sh >> /dev/null 2>&1)
Can I make this particular cron job not log to syslog?
 
Old 07-06-2008, 09:54 AM   #2
trickykid
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Registered: Jan 2001
Posts: 24,149

Rep: Reputation: 270Reputation: 270Reputation: 270
You need to edit the line that is outputing *.* to your syslog log file:

Code:
*.*;auth,authpriv.none          -/var/log/syslog
It was the line above your cron log you already edited. I wouldn't totally comment it out, customize it to log what you want. man syslog.conf and or syslog for more details on logging levels, etc.
 
Old 07-06-2008, 10:51 AM   #3
akudewan
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Registered: Apr 2004
Location: India
Distribution: Ubuntu
Posts: 364

Original Poster
Rep: Reputation: 31
Thanks a million trickykid! I managed to solve the problem simply by changing the *.* line to look like this:
Code:
*.*;auth,authpriv,cron.none             -/var/log/syslog
 
1 members found this post helpful.
Old 07-06-2008, 04:41 PM   #4
trickykid
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Registered: Jan 2001
Posts: 24,149

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Quote:
Originally Posted by akudewan View Post
Thanks a million trickykid! I managed to solve the problem simply by changing the *.* line to look like this:
Code:
*.*;auth,authpriv,cron.none             -/var/log/syslog
No problem.
 
Old 07-06-2008, 05:37 PM   #5
Mr. C.
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Registered: Jun 2008
Posts: 2,529

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Why not make your keeponline script do its thing in a loop, sleep for N seconds, and then do its thing again?

Then, just start it either manually, or via your startup scripts.

Disabling cron syslog output will end up biting you some time.
 
Old 07-06-2008, 10:09 PM   #6
trickykid
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Registered: Jan 2001
Posts: 24,149

Rep: Reputation: 270Reputation: 270Reputation: 270
Quote:
Originally Posted by Mr. C. View Post
Why not make your keeponline script do its thing in a loop, sleep for N seconds, and then do its thing again?

Then, just start it either manually, or via your startup scripts.

Disabling cron syslog output will end up biting you some time.
Well, he could turn the cron logging back on that he initially disabled. I don't like the same thing logging to multiple places, kind of annoying.
 
Old 07-07-2008, 10:29 AM   #7
akudewan
Member
 
Registered: Apr 2004
Location: India
Distribution: Ubuntu
Posts: 364

Original Poster
Rep: Reputation: 31
Quote:
Originally Posted by Mr. C. View Post
Why not make your keeponline script do its thing in a loop, sleep for N seconds, and then do its thing again?

Then, just start it either manually, or via your startup scripts.

Disabling cron syslog output will end up biting you some time.
Hmm...that makes a lot of sense. I think I'll implement this when I have some free time on my hands.

Thanks for the suggestion.
 
  


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