AUTOLOG(1L) Linux AUTOLOG(1L)
Administrative Utilities
NAME
autolog - Log out idle users
SYNOPSIS
autolog [ options ]
DESCRIPTION
The program reads the utmp file, entry by entry. The username for
each 'user process' is compared to the entries in the configuration
file (see autoconf(5) ). The first entry to match both the name, the
group, and the tty line of the process will be used to conduct the
automatic logout.
OPTIONS
-a (all processes) Print information on ALL utmp entries--not just
user processes.
-d (debug mode) This is helpful in setting up your configuration
file. The program runs in foreground rather than forking and it
prints out verbose messages about what it is doing.
-n (nokill) Use this to prevent autolog from actually "killing"
anyone. Use -d and -n together when setting up a new
configuration file.
-f config_file_name
Use this to override the default: "/etc/autolog.conf"
-l log_file_name
Use this to override the default: "/var/log/autolog.log". Note
that if this file doesn't exist, no logging will happen. Create
the file (with touch) to enable logging.
-t idle_time
Use this to override the internal default idle time (minutes)
-g grace_period
Use this to override the internal default grace period (seconds)
-m yes/no
Use this to override the internal mailing switch. If "yes" the
program will send mail to the users right after killing them.
-c yes/no
Use this to override the internal "pre-clear" switch. If "yes"
the program will clear the terminal screen before warning the
user.
-w yes/no
Do timeouts based on total session time--not idle time. (hard)
- 1 - Formatted: October 26, 2025
AUTOLOG(1L) Linux AUTOLOG(1L)
Administrative Utilities
-L yes/no
If set to "yes" activities will be written to the logfile if
present.
AUTHOR
Kyle Bateman <kyle@actarg.com>
- 2 - Formatted: October 26, 2025
