ExSyslog
======
ExSyslog is custom backend for `Elixir Logger` that logs to syslog by wrapping [erlang-syslog](https://github.com/Vagabond/erlang-syslog/).
## Requirements
* Elixir ~> 1.0
## Features
* Logs to syslog
* Allows adding multiple backends with different configurations (e.g. each backend logs to a different facility with different log level)
* Custom log formatter
* Built-in JSON formatter
## Installation
Add `:exsyslog` and `:syslog` as a dependency in your `mix.exs` file
```elixir
defp deps do
[
{:exsyslog, "~> 0.1.0"}
]
end
```
## Configuration
ExSyslog is a Logger custom backend, as such, it relies on [:logger](http://elixir-lang.org/docs/stable/logger/) application.
On your `config.exs` file tell `Logger` that it should add `ExSyslog` backend
```
config :logger,
backends: [
{ExSyslog, :exsyslog_error},
{ExSyslog, :exsyslog_debug}
{ExSyslog, :exsyslog_json}
]
```
With the configuration above, `logger` application will add three `ExSyslog` backend with the name `{ExSyslog, :exsyslog_error}`, `{ExSyslog, :exsyslog_debug}` and `{ExSyslog, :exsyslog_json}`.
You might notice that instead of just passing the Module name, we're passing a tuple with `{Module name, backend configuration name}`. This allow us to have multiple backends with different configuration. Let's configure the backends:
```
config :logger, :exsyslog_error,
level: :error,
format: "$date $time [$level] $levelpad$node $metadata $message",
metadata: [:module, :line, :function],
ident: "MyApplication",
facility: :local0,
option: [:pid, :cons]
config :logger, :exsyslog_debug,
level: :debug,
format: "$date $time [$level] $message",
ident: "MyApplication",
facility: :local1,
option: [:pid, :perror]
config :logger, :exsyslog_json,
level: :debug,
format: "$message",
formatter: ExSyslog.JsonFormatter,
metadata: [:module, :line, :function],
ident: "MyApplication",
facility: :local1,
option: :pid
```
### Backend configuration properties
* __level__ (optional): the logging level. It defaults to `:info`
* __format__ (optional): Same as `:console` backend ([Logger.Formatter](http://elixir-lang.org/docs/stable/logger/)). It defaults to `"\n$date $time [$level] $levelpad$node $metadata $message\n"`
* __formatter__ (optional): Formatter that will be used to format the log. It default to Logger.Formatter
* __metadata__ (optional): Same as `:console` backend [Logger.Formatter](http://elixir-lang.org/docs/stable/logger/). It defaults to `[]`
* __ident__ (optional): A string that's prepended to every message, and is typically set to the app name. It defaults to `"Elixir"`
* __facility__ (optional): syslog facility to be used. It defaults to `:local0`. More documentation on [erlang-syslog](https://github.com/Vagabond/erlang-syslog/#syslogopenident-logopt-facility---ok-port)
* __option__ (optional): syslog option to be used. It defaults to `:ndelay`. More documentation on [erlang-syslog](https://github.com/Vagabond/erlang-syslog/#syslogopenident-logopt-facility---ok-port)
## Custom Formatters
ExSyslog by default uses [Logger.Formatter](http://elixir-lang.org/docs/stable/logger/Logger.Formatter.html). However, it comes with a [JSON formatter](http://hexdocs.pm/exsyslog/0.1.0) that formats a given log entry to a JSON string. __NOTE__: `ExSyslog.JsonFormatter` can be use as an example if one wants to build his own formatter.
To build a custom formatter the formatter needs to implement the following functions:
`compile(str)` Compiles a format string
```
compile(binary | nil) :: [Logger.Formatter.pattern | binary]
compile({atom, atom}) :: {atom, atom}
```
`format(format, level, msg, timestamp, metadata, config_metadata)` Takes a compiled format and transforms it on a string that will be pass to syslog
```
format({atom, atom} | [Logger.Formatter.pattern | binary], Logger.level, Logger.message, Logger.Formatter.time, Keyword.t, [atom]) :: IO.chardata
```
To add the custom formatter you will need to set the `formatter` property on the configuration as exemplified above with `ExSyslog.JsonFormatter`
## Try it
In another shell:
```
$ tail -f /var/log/syslog
```
(Mac users)
```
$ tail -f /var/log/system.log
```
__NOTE__ Mac has a *funny* syslog. Your info logs might not show up. You'll need to configure your Mac syslog.
```
Erlang/OTP 18 [erts-7.0.1] [source] [64-bit] [smp:4:4] [async-threads:10] [hipe] [kernel-poll:false] [dtrace]
Interactive Elixir (1.0.5) - press Ctrl+C to exit (type h() ENTER for help)
iex(1)> require Logger
nil
iex(2)> Logger.error "Hello syslog"
:ok
```
## Authors
* Bruno Tavares (<btavares@22cans.com>)
## License
exsyslog is copyright (c) 2015 22cans Ltd.
The source code is released under the MIT License.
Check [LICENSE](LICENSE) for more information.