Parameters

ident

The string ident is added to each message.

option

The option argument is used to indicate what logging options will be used when generating a log message.

openlog() Options

Constant	Description
LOG_CONS	if there is an error while sending data to the system logger, write directly to the system console
LOG_NDELAY	open the connection to the logger immediately
LOG_ODELAY	(default) delay opening the connection until the first message is logged
LOG_PERROR	print log message also to standard error
LOG_PID	include PID with each message

You can use one or more of this options. When using multiple options you need to OR them, i.e. to open the connection immediately, write to the console and include the PID in each message, you will use: LOG_CONS | LOG_NDELAY | LOG_PID

facility

The facility argument is used to specify what type of program is logging the message. This allows you to specify (in your machine's syslog configuration) how messages coming from different facilities will be handled.

openlog() Facilities

Constant	Description
LOG_AUTH	security/authorization messages (use LOG_AUTHPRIV instead in systems where that constant is defined)
LOG_AUTHPRIV	security/authorization messages (private)
LOG_CRON	clock daemon (cron and at)
LOG_DAEMON	other system daemons
LOG_KERN	kernel messages
LOG_LOCAL0 ... LOG_LOCAL7	reserved for local use, these are not available in Windows
LOG_LPR	line printer subsystem
LOG_MAIL	mail subsystem
LOG_NEWS	USENET news subsystem
LOG_SYSLOG	messages generated internally by syslogd
LOG_USER	generic user-level messages
LOG_UUCP	UUCP subsystem

Note:

LOG_USER is the only valid log type under Windows operating systems