Logging to syslogd from Python

On Unix there is a syslog service that handles centralized logging. Using it for logging from your daemons has the advantage of putting control of the logging options in the hands of the system administrator, without involving you, the developer. If they want certain log rotations, or there is a preferred directory, or if the logs are sent over the network to a central logging server, it has nothing to do with you, as long as you are logging to syslog.

First off, you need a config file something like this:

[loggers]
keys=mysyslogger_l


[handlers]
keys=mysyslogger_h


[formatters]
keys=mysyslogger_f

[logger_mysyslogger_l]

level=NOTSET

handlers=mysyslogger_h

propagate=0

[handler_mysyslogger_h]

# Add this line to syslog.conf

# local1.*         /var/log/distributor.log

level=NOTSET

formatter=mysyslogger_f

class=handlers.SysLogHandler

args=('/dev/log', handlers.SysLogHandler.LOG_LOCAL1)

[formatter_mysyslogger_f]

format=%(message)s

Then, you'll need to read that config file with your Python program:

import logging

import logging.config

logging.config.fileConfig("logging.conf")

log = logging.getLogger("mysyslogger_l")

log.info("This an info message.")

log.error("This is an error message.")

Then you'll probably need to configure your syslog to write the messages somewhere. Add this line to /etc/syslog.conf and run /etc/init.d/syslog restart:

local1.*         /var/log/mysyslog_file.log