esp-link/syslog/syslog.md

syslog
======

The lib (tries to )implement a RFC5424 compliant syslog interface for ESP8266. syslog
messages are send via UDP. Messages are send in the following format:

```
PRI VERSION SP TIMESTAMP SP HOSTNAME SP APP-NAME SP PROCID SP MSGID SP MSG
  PRI:          msg priority: facility * 8 + severity
  TIMESTAMP:    dash (no timestamp) or ISO8601 (2015-12-14T17:26:32Z)
  HOSTNAME:     flashConfig.hostname
  APP-NAME:     tag - (e.g. MQTT, mySQL, REST, ...)
  PROCID:       dash or ESP system tick (µseconds since reboot)
  MSGID:        counter - # syslog messages since reboot
  MSG:          the syslog message
```

The meaning of TIMESTAMP, HOSTNAME, PROCID and MSGID is hardcoded, all others are parameters for the syslog function.

syslog messages are queued on heap until the Wifi stack is fully initialized.
If the remaining heap size reaches a given limit, syslog will add a final obituary
and stop further logging until the queue is empty and sufficient heap space is
available again.

The module may be controlled by flashconfig variables:

* **syslog_host: host[:port]**

    **host** is an IP-address or DNS-name. **port** is optional and defaults to 514.
DNS-Resolution is done as soon as the Wifi stack is up and running.

* **syslog_minheap: 8192**

    **minheap** specifies the minimum amount of remaining free heap when queuing up
syslog messages. If the remaining heap size is below **minheap**, syslog will insert
an obituary message and stop queuing. After processing all queued messages, the
logging will be enabled again.

* **syslog_filter: 0..7**

    **syslog_filter** is the minimum severity for sending a syslog message. The filter
is applied against the message queue, so any message with a severity numerical higher
than **syslog_filter** will be dropped instead of being queued/send.

* **syslog_showtick: 0|1**

    If **syslog_showtick** is set to **1**, syslog will insert an additional timestamp
(system tick) as "PROCID" field (before the users real syslog message).
The value shown is in seconds, with 1µs resolution since (re)boot or timer overflow.

* **syslog_showdate: 0|1**

    If **syslog_showdate** is set to **1**, syslog will insert the ESPs NTP time
into the syslog message. If "realtime_stamp" (NTP 1s ticker) is **NULL**, the
time is derived from a pseudo-time based on the absolute value of systemticks.

    Some syslog servers (e.g. Synology) will do crazy things if you set **syslog_showdate** to **1**


The syslog module exports two functions:

```
syslog_init(char *server_name);
syslog(uint8_t facility, uint8_t severity, const char *tag, const char *fmt, ...);
```

syslog_init
-----------
usage: `syslog_init(char *server_name);`

**syslog_init** expects a server name in format "host:port" (see **syslog_host** flashconfig).

If **server_name** is **NULL**, all dynamic allocated memory (buffers, queues, interfaces)
are released and the syslog state is set to "SYSLOG_HALTED".

If **server_name** is **""**, syslog state is set to "SYSLOG_HALTED", without clearing
the queue.

Otherwise, syslog_init will allocate all required structures (buffers, interfaces) and
send all collected syslog messages.

syslog is self-initializing, meaning the syslog_init(server_name) is called on first
invocation. The syslog_init function is only for convenience if you have to stop or disable syslog functions.


syslog
------
usage: `syslog(uint8_t facility, uint8_t severity, const char *tag, const char *fmt, ...);`

* **facility**

    the message facility (see syslog.h, **enum syslog_facility**).

* **severity**

    the message severity (see syslog.h, **enum syslog_severity**)

* **tag**

    user defined tag (e.g. "MQTT", "REST", "UART") to specify where the message belongs to

* ** const char *fmt, ...**

    the desired message, in printf format.

Examples
========
    hostname="ems-link02", showtick=0, showdate=0
    Syslog message: USER.NOTICE:  - ems-link02 esp_link - 20 syslog_init: host: 192.168.254.216, port: 514, lport: 28271, rsentcb: 40211e08, state: 4\n

    hostname="ems-link02", showtick=1, showdate=0
    Syslog message: USER.NOTICE:  - ems-link02 esp_link 3.325677 8 syslog_init: host: 192.168.254.216, port: 514, lport: 19368, rsentcb: 40211e08, state: 4\n

    hostname="ems-link02", showtick=1, showdate=1, NTP not available
    Syslog message: USER.NOTICE:  1970-01-01T00:00:03.325668Z ems-link02 esp_link 3.325668 8 syslog_init: host: 192.168.254.216, port: 514, lport: 36802, rsentcb: 40211e08, state: 4\n

    hostname="ems-link02", showtick=1, showdate=1, NTP available
    Syslog message: USER.NOTICE:  2015-12-15T11:15:29+00:00 ems-link02 esp_link 182.036860 13 syslog_init: host: 192.168.254.216, port: 514, lport: 43626, rsentcb: 40291db8, state: 4\n

Notes
=====
+ The ESP8266 (NON-OS) needs a delay of **at least 2ms** between consecutive UDP packages. So the syslog throughput is restricted to approx. 500EPS.

+ If a syslog message doesn't have the timestamp set ( **syslog_showdate** == 0), the syslog _server_ will insert _it's own receive timestamp_ into the log message.

+ If **syslog_showdate** == 1, the syslog _server_ MAY replace it's own receive timestamp with the timestamp sent by the syslog client.

+ Some syslog servers don't show the fractional seconds of the syslog timestamp

+ Setting **syslog_showdate** will send timestamps from 1970 (because of using the internal ticker) until the **SNTP-client** got a valid NTP datagram. Some syslog servers (for example _Synology_) will roll over their database if they get such "old" syslog messages. In fact, you won't see those messages in your current syslog.

+ Some servers (e.g. _Synology_) won't show the syslog message if you set **facility** to **SYSLOG_FAC_SYSLOG**.