System Log
The System Log is Curator’s primary application log, recording system events, errors, warnings, and debug information. This log mirrors much of the same information found in the Event Log, but writes directly to disk rather than the database.The System Log can be particularly useful when the Event Log is unavailable (such as during database
connectivity issues) or when troubleshooting errors that may not appear in the Event Log. In some cases,
database transaction rollbacks can prevent Event Log entries from being saved, but the corresponding
System Log entries will still be present.
Log File Location
The default System Log locations are:These paths may vary based on your installation. Central Dispatch installations, custom installation
directories, or different Windows drive letters will affect the actual location. The log files are
always located in the
storage/logs/ directory relative to your Curator installation root.Log File Format
By default, Curator uses daily log rotation, creating files namedsystem-YYYY-MM-DD.log. For example:
system-2025-01-15.logsystem-2025-01-14.log
Redacted Values
Curator automatically removes sensitive values before they are written to the System Log. Passwords, password reset keys, session cookies, API keys, and authorization headers are written as[redacted],
whether they appear in the log message itself or in the context data recorded alongside it.
The same redaction is applied to the Event Log, so
a value hidden in one log is hidden in the other. Seeing [redacted] in place of a value is expected and
does not indicate a problem.
Redaction was added in Curator 2026.08-03. Log files written before you upgraded may still contain
sensitive values.
Log Rotation Configuration
File-based log retention is configured separately from the database log retention settings. The number of log files retained and other logging behavior is controlled by theconfig/logging.php configuration file.
If your log files are consuming excessive disk space or not rotating properly, refer to the
Updating Curator Logging guide for
configuration instructions.
PHP Error Log
The PHP error log captures PHP runtime errors, warnings, and notices that occur outside of Curator’s application logging. This can include syntax errors, memory issues, and extension-related problems that may prevent Curator from starting properly.Log File Location
The PHP error log location depends on your server configuration:The actual location may vary based on your PHP and web server configuration. To find the exact path,
check the
php_ini_path field returned by the
/portal/info endpoint.Common PHP Errors
Viewing PHP Configuration
To find your PHP error log location and other settings:Apache Error Log
The Apache error log records web server errors, including failed requests, configuration issues, and module errors. This log is essential for diagnosing issues with SSL certificates, URL rewrites, and server connectivity.Log File Location
The location varies based on your Linux distribution. RHEL/CentOS typically use
/var/log/httpd/,
while Debian/Ubuntu use /var/log/apache2/.Apache Access Log
In addition to the error log, Apache maintains an access log that records all HTTP requests to the server. This can be useful for:- Tracking request patterns
- Identifying slow requests
- Debugging authentication issues
- Monitoring for suspicious activity
Common Apache Errors
Troubleshooting Workflow
When troubleshooting issues with Curator, check logs in this order:- Event Log - Start with the backend Event Log for application-level errors
- System Log - Check for entries that may not have been saved to the Event Log
- PHP Error Log - Look for PHP runtime errors that prevent Curator from functioning
- Apache Error Log - Check for web server configuration or connectivity issues