ERRFILE(5,F)                AIX Technical Reference                ERRFILE(5,F)



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errfile



PURPOSE

Contains system event log.

SYNOPSIS

#include <sys/erec.h>

DESCRIPTION

When a system event occurs and logging is active, it generates an event record
and passes the record to the event-logging daemon to be recorded in the event
log.  The /etc/rasconf file specifies the files where the events are to be
logged.  The default event log file is /usr/adm/ras/errfile.

Every record has a header.  See "error" for the structure of a header.  Each
type of event record has its own format.  The /usr/include/sys/erec.h file
shows the format of the events currently logged.  The error daemon process
gathers the records from memory and writes them in the files on disk.  The
event log file is opened (if existing) or created.  Next, the process opens the
/dev/error special file, formats and writes the non-volatile random access
memory (NVRAM), which can contain up to 16 bytes of information, and reads the
events logged in memory.  An analysis routine is called before an event is
written to the errfile.  For an error, this routine returns a buffer of
probable cause information to aid in problem determination.  This buffer is
appended to the error entry, the length of the entry is adjusted, and then the
entire entry is written to the file.

Some records in the event file are administrative.  These include the startup
record entered when logging is activated, the stop record written if the daemon
is terminated gracefully, and the time-change record that accounts for changes
in the system time of day.

FILES

/usr/adm/ras/errfile
/dev/error
/etc/rasconf

RELATED INFORMATION

In this book:  "rasconf" and "error."

The errdemon in AIX Operating System Commands Reference.






Processed November 7, 1990       ERRFILE(5,F)                                 1