need help to rotate a log file manually

[abhijeet]

plse tell me the steps about how to rotate the log file(logrotate)

[redhead]

Usualy what logrotate does, is renaming a certain logfile ie: messages to messages.1, then it compresses it and renames any previous messages.1.gz to messages.2.gz and so on, to make sure theres atleast the last 4 previous messages files residing.

Ususaly it is easier to add the files you want to have logrotate look out for, than it is to manualy do it.

[abhijeet]

dear redhead(mod),thnks for replying but can u tell me the exact steps about how to create manually do it???? i hav tried doin it but getting confused!!!

[redhead]

The manual steps are controled by a small script like

#!/bin/sh
FILENAME="/your/location/your-file"


if [ -f "$FILENAME".4.gz ]; then
    rm -f "$FILENAME".4.gz
fi
if [ -f "$FILENAME".3.gz ]; then
    mv -f "$FILENAME".3.gz "$FILENAME".4.gz
fi

if [ -f "$FILENAME".2.gz ]; then
    mv -f "$FILENAME".2.gz "$FILENAME".3.gz
fi

if [ -f "$FILENAME".1.gz ]; then
    mv -f "$FILENAME".1.gz "$FILENAME".2.gz
fi
if [ -f "$FILENAME" ]; then
    gzip -c "$FILENAME" > "$FILENAME".1.gz
    echo -n "" > "$FILENAME"
fi

But for a more simple way as I said, let logrotate handle it, create a file in /etc/logrotate.d with a section like:

/your/location/your-file {
   rotate 4  # create upto .4.gz
   compress  # gzip compresses the file
   missingok  # its OK if it's not there
   monthly    # could be weekly or daily
   notifempty # if file is empty dont rotate it
}

You can look at logrotate(8) for more info on which settings to give it.

[abhijeet]

thnks redhead .....bbye

[martyall]

plse tell me the steps about how to rotate the log file(logrotate)

Hi. I am also in trouble with mine about rotating the log file. I hope that we can find some good ideas here.