---
name: "clog"
section: "1"
platform: "linux"
package: "clog"
version: "1.3.0+dfsg-1"
release: "Debian 13 (Trixie)"
platforms: ["linux"]
url: "https://new.carta.tech/clog"
---

# clog(1)

colorized log filter

## NAME

clog - colorized log filter

## SYNOPSIS

**clog \[\<options\>\] \[\<section\> ...\]**

  \-h\|--help       Show this usage\
   \-v\|--version    Show this version\
   \-d\|--date       Prepend all lines with the current date\
   \-t\|--time       Prepend all lines with the current time\
   \-f\|--file       Override default ~/.clogrc

## DESCRIPTION

Clog is a filter command, and therefore copies its input to its output.  But if lines in the input match certain patterns, actions are taken, which are defined as 'rules'.

The rules are defined in ~/.clogrc as text patterns or regular expressions, and the actions are specified, to colorize either the line or matching pattern, or perhaps to suppress the line.

If --date is specified the current date, YYYY-MM-DD, is prepended to all lines.

If --time is specified the current time, HH:MM:SS, is prepended to all lines.

If --file is specified, an alternate configuration rc file may be specified. Default is to ~/.clogrc

One or more section arguments may be specified.  If none are provided, 'default' is assumed.  A section corresponds to a named rule set defined in ~/.clogrc. and allows the use of one .clogrc file to serve multiple different uses of clog. If more than one section is specified, the rules sets are combined, in the sequence found.

## CONFIGURATION FILE AND OVERRIDE OPTIONS

Clog reads its configuration from a file in the user's home directory: ~/.clogrc.

The format of the rules is:

\<section\> rule /\<pattern\>/ --\> \<color\> \<action\>\
 \<section\> rule "\<pattern\>" --\> \<color\> \<action\>

If the pattern is surrounded by / characters, it is interpreted as a regular expression.  If the pattern is surrounded by " characters, it is interpreted as a string fragment.

The section is simply a way to allow multiple rules sets, so that one .clogrc file can serve multiple uses.  The pattern may be any supported Standard C Library regular expression.  Action must be one of 'line', 'match', 'suppress' or 'blank'.

Note that there is a default section, called 'default'.  Putting rules in the default section means that no section need be specified on the command line.

Any color can be used, in both the 16- and 256-color space.  Some examples are:

bold\
 underline\
 bold blue\
 underline on green\
 black on white\
 bold red on bright white\
 rgb200 on grey4

Instead of coloring the whole line, specifying 'match' instead will only color the parts of the line that match.

## EXAMPLE Rulesets

Here is an example ~/.clogrc file.

\# Standard syslog entries.\
 default rule /warn\|debug/   --\> yellow line\
 default rule /error\|severe/ --\> red line\
 default rule /critical/     --\> bold red line\
 default rule /critical/     --\> blank\
 default rule /ignore/       --\> suppress\

\# Apache access.log status codes\
 apache rule / 2\[0-9\]\[0-9\] / --\> green match\
 apache rule / 3\[0-9\]\[0-9\] / --\> yellow match\
 apache rule / 4\[0-9\]\[0-9\] / --\> red match\
 apache rule / 5\[0-9\]\[0-9\] / --\> bold red match

## CREDITS & COPYRIGHTS

Copyright (C) 2006 - 2016 P. Beckingham, F. Hernandez.\
 Copyright (C) 2006 - 2016 Goteborg Bit Factory.

Clog is distributed under the MIT license. See http://www.opensource.org/licenses/mit-license.php for more information.

## SEE ALSO

For more information, see:

- The official site at

  \<http://tasktools.org/clog.html\>

- The official code repository at

  \<https://git.tasktools.org/scm/ut/clog.git\>

- You can contact the project by emailing

  \<support@taskwarrior.org\>

## REPORTING BUGS

- Bugs in Taskwarrior may be reported to the issue-tracker at

  \<https://bug.tasktools.org/\>