# /var/log/messages not rotating



## dvl@ (Aug 6, 2014)

I just noticed that /var/log/messsages is not rotating:


```
$ ls -l /var/log/messages*
-rw-r--r--  1 root  wheel  82062911 Aug  6 20:52 /var/log/messages
-rw-r--r--  1 root  wheel    764658 Jan  1  2014 /var/log/messages.0.bz2
-rw-r--r--  1 root  wheel     30269 Nov  6  2013 /var/log/messages.1.bz2
-rw-r--r--  1 root  wheel     30996 Nov  5  2013 /var/log/messages.2.bz2
-rw-r--r--  1 root  wheel     23589 Nov  4  2013 /var/log/messages.3.bz2
-rw-r--r--  1 root  wheel     19007 Nov  3  2013 /var/log/messages.4.bz2
-rw-r--r--  1 root  wheel     22681 Nov  2  2013 /var/log/messages.5.bz2
-rw-r--r--  1 root  wheel     25929 Nov  1  2013 /var/log/messages.6.bz2
-rw-r--r--  1 root  wheel     34719 Oct 31  2013 /var/log/messages.7.bz2
-rw-r--r--  1 root  wheel     22581 Oct 30  2013 /var/log/messages.8.bz2
-rw-r--r--  1 root  wheel     20368 Oct 29  2013 /var/log/messages.9.bz2
```

I wonder if it's because of this /etc/newsyslog.conf entry:


```
$ grep /var/log/messages /etc/newsyslog.conf
# logfilename          [owner]    mode count size when  flags [/pid_file] [sig_num]
/var/log/messages			644  10	   *	@0101T  JC
```

Clues please.  I'm missing it.  FreeBSD 9.2-RELEASE-p10


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## qsecofr (Aug 6, 2014)

I think your "when" column may be the issue.  Looks like Jan 1 at a default time of day (maybe start of day?).  newsyslog.conf() offers some examples.  If you wanted rotation on the first day of every month, then "@01T00" would do it.


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## dvl@ (Aug 6, 2014)

And @0101T is the default value, but I have removed the size factor.

Thank you.


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