[Bug 1040900] Re: syslog messages truncated to 256 chars during debian-installer run

[Javier P.L.]

I've tested both versions of the package, precise & quantal and it works
as expected:

$ cat /etc/issue
Ubuntu 12.04.1 LTS \n \l

Nov 21 01:50:00 precise syslog.info syslogd started: BusyBox v1.18.5
Nov 21 01:50:09 precise user.notice chilicuil: watch runs command repeatedly, displaying its output and errors (the first screenfull). This allows you to watch the program output change over time. By default, the program is run every 2 seconds; use -n or --interval to sp

$ apt-cache policy busybox
busybox:
  Installed: 1:1.18.5-1ubuntu4.1
  Candidate: 1:1.18.5-1ubuntu4.1
  Version table:
 *** 1:1.18.5-1ubuntu4.1 0
        500 http://us.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ precise-proposed/universe i386 Packages
        100 /var/lib/dpkg/status
     1:1.18.5-1ubuntu4 0
        500 http://us.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ precise/universe i386 Packages

$ sudo stop rsyslog

$ sudo busybox syslogd -n

$ logger "watch runs command repeatedly, displaying its output and
errors (the first screenfull). This allows you to watch the program
output change over time. By default, the program is run every 2 seconds;
use -n or --interval to specify a different interval. Normally, this
interval is interpreted as the amout of time between the completion of
one run of command and the beginning of the next run. However, with the
-p or --precise option, you can make watch attempt to run command every
interval seconds. Try it with ntptime and notice how the fractional
seconds stays (nearly) the same, as opposed to normal mode where they
continuously increase."

$  vim /var/log/messages

-- With busybox ubuntu4
Nov 21 01:50:00 precise syslog.info syslogd started: BusyBox v1.18.5
Nov 21 01:50:09 precise user.notice chilicuil: watch runs command repeatedly, displaying its output and errors (the first screenfull). This allows you to watch the program output change over time. By default, the program is run every 2 seconds; use -n or --interval to sp

-- With busybox ubuntu4.1 (this patch)
Nov 21 01:45:18 precise syslog.info syslogd started: BusyBox v1.18.5
Nov 21 01:46:07 precise user.notice chilicuil: watch runs command repeatedly, displaying its output and errors (the first screenfull). This allows you to watch the program output change over time. By default, the program is run every 2 seconds; use -n or --interval to specify a different interval. Normally, this interval is interpreted as the amout of time between the completion of one run of command and the beginning of the next run. However, with the -p or --precise option, you can make watch attempt to run command ever

It doubles the capacity to hold number of characters in a line, the same
behavior is for Quantal, I didn't provide the outputs for it, however
they're the same (except for the versions involved), however if it's
needed I'd be happy to add them.

I'm modifying the tag to verification-done

Greetings.

--------------------------
Ubuntu Bug Squad volunteer triager
http://wiki.ubuntu.com/BugSquad

** Tags removed: bot-comment lucid verification-needed
** Tags added: quantal verification-done

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https://bugs.launchpad.net/bugs/1040900

Title:
  syslog messages truncated to 256 chars during debian-installer run

Status in BusyBox:
  New
Status in “busybox” package in Ubuntu:
  Fix Released
Status in “busybox” source package in Precise:
  Fix Committed
Status in “busybox” source package in Quantal:
  Fix Committed
Status in “busybox” source package in Raring:
  Fix Released

Bug description:
  [Impact]
  Users relying on busybox within their environment and attempting to do any sort of debugging of logs.

  [Test Case]
  Run the installer, parse logs from syslogd packaged within busybox.

  [Regression]
  Minimal, only doubling buffer size for syslogd within busybox.

  
  We're seeing syslog messages during installers runs truncated to 256 chars. This is annoying.

  Digging into the debian-installer source, its calling /sbin/syslogd
  from the initrd - this is a busybox binary. In the busybox source,
  there's a config variable CONFIG_FEATURE_SYSLOGD_READ_BUFFER_SIZE that
  defaults to 256. From the code, that looks to be the problem.

  Can we either -
  1. fix busybox to use a dynamic buffer, or
  2. bump the config variable up to 1024 or so?

  I'm perfectly happy with solution 2 :)

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