---
name: "writelog"
section: "8"
platform: "linux"
package: "inn"
version: "2.7.4-4"
release: "Arch Linux 2026-11-01"
platforms: ["linux"]
url: "https://new.carta.tech/writelog/8"
---

# writelog(8)

Write or mail a log entry

## NAME

writelog - Write or mail a log entry

## SYNOPSIS

**writelog** *name* *text*

## DESCRIPTION

The **writelog** script is used to write a log entry or send it as mail.

The *name* parameter specifies the name of the log file where the entry should be written.  If it is the word `"mail"`, then the entry is sent as the subject of a mail to the newsmaster address specified with **--with-news-master** at configure time (the default address is `"usenet"`).

If *name* is `"/dev/null"`, the script does nothing and exits.

The data that is written to a log file consists of the *text* given on the command line, followed by standard input indented by four spaces.  When sent by mail, the subject is *text* and the body is standard input without indentation.

[shlock(8)](/shlock/8.md) is used to avoid simultaneous updates to a single log file.

## HISTORY

Written by Landon Curt Noll \<chongo@toad.com\> and Rich $alz \<rsalz@uunet.uu.net\> for InterNetNews.  Rewritten into POD by Julien Elie.

## SEE ALSO

[innd(8)](/innd/8.md), [innstat(8)](/innstat/8.md), [news.daily(8)](/news.daily/8.md), [newslog(5)](/newslog/5.md), [nnrpd(8)](/nnrpd/8.md), [scanlogs(8)](/scanlogs/8.md).