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TLDR: SYSTEMD-CAT (tldr-pages)

Connect a pipeline or program's output streams with the systemd journal.

  • Write the output of the specified command to the journal (both output streams are captured)
    systemd-cat {{command}}
  • Write the output of a pipeline to the journal (`stderr` stays connected to the terminal)
    {{command}} | systemd-cat
  • Use the specified identifier (default: `cat` when reading from a pipeline, executable name otherwise)
    {{command}} | systemd-cat {{-t|--identifier}} {{id}}
  • Use the specified default priority level for all logged messages
    systemd-cat {{-p|--priority}} {{emerg|alert|crit|err|warning|notice|info|debug}} {{command}}
  • Use the specified default priority level for the logged messages from the command's `stderr`
    systemd-cat --stderr-priority {{emerg|alert|crit|err|warning|notice|info|debug}} {{command}}
SYSTEMD-CAT(1)                               systemd-cat                              SYSTEMD-CAT(1)



NAME
       systemd-cat - Connect a pipeline or program's output with the journal

SYNOPSIS
       systemd-cat [OPTIONS...] [COMMAND] [ARGUMENTS...]

       systemd-cat [OPTIONS...]

DESCRIPTION
       systemd-cat may be used to connect the standard input and output of a process to the journal,
       or as a filter tool in a shell pipeline to pass the output the previous pipeline element
       generates to the journal.

       If no parameter is passed, systemd-cat will write everything it reads from standard input
       (stdin) to the journal.

       If parameters are passed, they are executed as command line with standard output (stdout) and
       standard error output (stderr) connected to the journal, so that all it writes is stored in
       the journal.

OPTIONS
       The following options are understood:

       -h, --help
           Print a short help text and exit.

       --version
           Print a short version string and exit.

       -t, --identifier=
           Specify a short string that is used to identify the logging tool. If not specified, no
           identification string is written to the journal.

       -p, --priority=
           Specify the default priority level for the logged messages. Pass one of "emerg", "alert",
           "crit", "err", "warning", "notice", "info", "debug", or a value between 0 and 7
           (corresponding to the same named levels). These priority values are the same as defined
           by syslog(3). Defaults to "info". Note that this simply controls the default, individual
           lines may be logged with different levels if they are prefixed accordingly. For details,
           see --level-prefix= below.

       --stderr-priority=
           Specifies the default priority level for messages from the process's standard error
           output (stderr). Usage of this option is the same as the --priority= option, above, and
           both can be used at once. When both are used, --priority= will specify the default
           priority for standard output (stdout).

           If --stderr-priority= is not specified, messages from stderr will still be logged, with
           the same default priority level as stdout.

           Also, note that when stdout and stderr use the same default priority, the messages will
           be strictly ordered, because one channel is used for both. When the default priority
           differs, two channels are used, and so stdout messages will not be strictly ordered with
           respect to stderr messages - though they will tend to be approximately ordered.

       --level-prefix=
           Controls whether lines read are parsed for syslog priority level prefixes. If enabled
           (the default), a line prefixed with a priority prefix such as "<5>" is logged at priority
           5 ("notice"), and similar for the other priority levels. Takes a boolean argument.

EXIT STATUS
       On success, 0 is returned, a non-zero failure code otherwise.

EXAMPLES
       Example 1. Invoke a program

       This calls /bin/ls with standard output and error connected to the journal:

           # systemd-cat ls

       Example 2. Usage in a shell pipeline

       This builds a shell pipeline also invoking /bin/ls and writes the output it generates to the
       journal:

           # ls | systemd-cat

       Even though the two examples have very similar effects the first is preferable since only one
       process is running at a time, and both stdout and stderr are captured while in the second
       example, only stdout is captured.

SEE ALSO
       systemd(1), systemctl(1), logger(1)



systemd 249                                                                           SYSTEMD-CAT(1)
SYSTEMD-CAT(1)
NAME SYNOPSIS
systemd-cat [OPTIONS...] [COMMAND] [ARGUMENTS...] systemd-cat [OPTIONS...]
DESCRIPTION OPTIONS
-h, --help --version -t, --identifier= -p, --priority= --stderr-priority= --level-prefix=
EXIT STATUS EXAMPLES
Example 1. Invoke a program Example 2. Usage in a shell pipeline
SEE ALSO

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