[logging] Is it possible to run one logrotate check manually?

Is it possible to run one iteration of logrotate manually without scheduling it on some interval?

This question is related to logging logrotate

The answer is


If you want to force-run a single specific directory or daemon's log files, you can usually find the configuration in /etc/logrotate.d, and they will work standalone.

Keep in mind that global configuration specified in /etc/logrotate.conf will not apply, so if you do this you should ensure you specify all the options you want in the /etc/logrotate.d/[servicename] config file specifically.

You can try it out with -d to see what would happen:

logrotate -df /etc/logrotate.d/nginx

Then you can run (using nginx as an example):

logrotate -f /etc/logrotate.d/nginx

And the nginx logs alone will be rotated.


Created a shell script to solve the problem.

https://antofthy.gitlab.io/software/#logrotate_one

This script will run just the single logrotate sub-configuration file found in "/etc/logrotate.d", but include the global settings from in the global configuration file "/etc/logrotate.conf". You can also use other otpions for testing it...

For example...

  logrotate_one -d syslog

You may want to run it in verbose + force mode.

logrotate -vf /etc/logrotate.conf


Edit /var/lib/logrotate.status (or /var/lib/loglogrotate/logrotate.status) to reset the 'last rotated' date on the log file you want to test.

Then run logrotate YOUR_CONFIG_FILE.

Or you can use the --force flag, but editing logrotate.status gives you more precision over what does and doesn't get rotated.


Issue the following command,the way to run specified logrotate:

logrotate -vf /etc/logrotate.d/custom

Options:

-v :show the process

-f :forcing run

custom :user-defined log setting

eg: mongodb-log

# mongodb-log rotate

/data/var/log/mongodb/mongod.log {
    daily
    dateext
    rotate 30
    copytruncate
    missingok
}

logrotate -d [your_config_file] invokes debug mode, giving you a verbose description of what would happen, but leaving the log files untouched.


The way to run all of logrotate is:

logrotate -f /etc/logrotate.conf

that will run the primary logrotate file, which includes the other logrotate configurations as well