# The persist-tool tool manual page

persist-tool 1 3.35
persist-tool Display the content of the persist file
`persist-tool` command options

### Description

NOTE: The persist-tool application is distributed with the syslog-ng system logging application, and is usually part of the syslog-ng package. The latest version of the syslog-ng application is available at the official syslog-ng website.

This manual page is only an abstract, for the complete documentation of syslog-ng, see the `The syslog-ng Administrator Guide`.

The `persist-tool` application is a utility that can be used to dump the content of the persist file, and manipulate its content.

Persist-tool is a special tool for syslog-ng experts. Do use the tool unless you know exactly what you are doing. Misconfiguring it will result in irrecoverable damage to the persist file, without any warning.

Limitations:

- The persist-state functions can be used only with syslog-ng PE 5 LTS style persist file (SLP4). Older persist files are not supported.

- Wildcard characters are not supported in file/directory names.

### The dump command

`dump` options persist_file

Use the `dump` command to print the current content of the persist file in JSON format to the console.

The `dump` command has the following options:

`--help` or `-?`

  Display a brief help message.

Example:

    persist-tool dump /opt/syslog-ng/var/syslog-ng.persist

The output looks like:

    run_id = { "value": "00 00 00 00 0C 00 00 00 " }
    host_id = { "value": "00 00 00 00 5F 49 2F 01 " }

### The add command

`add` options input_file

Use the `add` command to add or modify a specified state-entry in the persist file. The state-entry should be in the same format as the `dump` command displays it. If the given state-entry already exists, it will be updated. Otherwise, a new value will be added. If the given persist state is invalid, it will be skipped.

To use the `add` command: use `persist-tool dump` to print the content of the current persist file, and redirect it to a file. Edit the content of this file. Use `persist-tool add` with this file to modify the persist.

The `add` command has the following options:

`--help` or `-?`

  Display a brief help message.

`--output-dir=<directory>` or `-o`

  Required parameter. The directory where the persist file is located at. The name of the persist file stored in this directory must be `syslog-ng.persist`.

Example:

    /opt/syslog-ng/bin/persist-tool add dump_persist -o .

The valid output looks like:

    log_reader_curpos(Application)      OK
    affile_sd_curpos(/var/aaa.txt)        OK

The invalid output looks like:

    log_reader_curpos(Application)      OK
    wrong
            FAILED (error: Invalid entry syntax)
    affile_sd_curpos(/var/aaa.txt)        OK

### Files

`/opt/syslog-ng/bin/persist-tool`

### See also

`syslog-ng.conf`(5)

`syslog-ng`(8)

For the detailed documentation of see `The 3.35 Administrator Guide`

If you experience any problems or need help with syslog-ng, visit the `syslog-ng mailing list`.

For news and notifications about of syslog-ng, visit the `syslog-ng blogs`.

### Author

This manual page was written by the Balabit Documentation Team <documentation@balabit.com>.

### Copyright