Android system log file location

Question

In Ubuntu, there is a /var/log/syslog file. What is the equavalent file of the ubuntus syslog in android? I have a rooted Android phone.

Answer 1

There are a few ways to view the System-Log - but finding the location of the log files is considerabaly harder. I will list 3 options that will allow you to view the logs (either on a device or computer), but I do not know where they are kept. I may be wrong, but from what I have gather, the Android System does not keep a "Log File". Rather, there is a buffer that contains the "Log" (again I may be wrong on this)!

You first option is to install an app from the play-store called aLogCat. This app is very useful for both viewing and sending logs from your device. It can be setup to Email you the "Log Files" from your device. This method works best with root.

The second method works by using the Android SDK. Connect your device (with USB-Debugging enabled) and, at a Terminal enter the following:

    $ adb logcat -d > logcat.txt

The -d option tells adb to copy the entire File Log from the Android System. Because you seem to know how UNIX Systems work, I won't explain the rest of the command.

A third option (if you are rooted, that is) is to install a Terminal Emulator on your Android device. Open the Terminal Emulator and enter the command:

    $ logcat -d > /sdcard/my-log-file.txt

This will do the same as above (except you don't need a computer, and the file saves on your device/SDcard. Feel free to change the "/sdcard/my-log-file.txt" part to anything you like, but I strongly recommend you save it to either your external or internal storage - so in short: Save it to a location you can accsess without # (superuser) permission!

Answer 2

Just to clarify further:

• in Ubuntu, the syslog POSIX function in Ubuntu writes to /var/log/syslog
• in Android NDK, syslog outputs to logcat: What is the Log API to call from an Android JNI program?
• the Java analogue is android.util.Log: How do I write outputs to the Log in Android? but this one is hard to compare with Ubuntu since this API does not exist in Ubuntu

Answer 3

I have a Motorola Droid 4GLTE, which is run by android. I usually access the system log, and event log by this sequence: 1) open any page online, notice the three dots in upper right corner of screen. Cluck on those dots.

2) scroll down to "help and feedback" click it

3)then scroll down to "send feedback" click it

4) then scroll down to "account and system info" usually highlighted in blue. Click it

5) then scroll down to "system log" or "event log"

   NOTE:  THIS WILL ONLY ACCESS THE LOG INFO FOR THE DEVICE YOU ARE USING TO VIEW THE LOGS. I do not think you can view log info for another device. Even if its synced to the same email, or added as another device on your account.