win_eventlog – Manage Windows event logs

New in version 2.4.

Synopsis

  • Allows the addition, clearing and removal of local Windows event logs, and the creation and removal of sources from a given event log. Also allows the specification of settings per log and source.

Parameters

Parameter Choices/Defaults Comments
category_file
path
For one or more sources specified, the path to a custom category resource file.
maximum_size
-
The maximum size of the event log.
Value must be between 64KB and 4GB, and divisible by 64KB.
Size can be specified in KB, MB or GB (e.g. 128KB, 16MB, 2.5GB).
message_file
path
For one or more sources specified, the path to a custom event message resource file.
name
- / required
Name of the event log to manage.
overflow_action
-
    Choices:
  • OverwriteOlder
  • OverwriteAsNeeded
  • DoNotOverwrite
The action for the log to take once it reaches its maximum size.
For OverwriteOlder, new log entries overwrite those older than the retention_days value.
For OverwriteAsNeeded, each new entry overwrites the oldest entry.
For DoNotOverwrite, all existing entries are kept and new entries are not retained.
parameter_file
path
For one or more sources specified, the path to a custom parameter resource file.
retention_days
integer
The minimum number of days event entries must remain in the log.
This option is only used when overflow_action is OverwriteOlder.
sources
list
A list of one or more sources to ensure are present/absent in the log.
When category_file, message_file and/or parameter_file are specified, these values are applied across all sources.
state
-
    Choices:
  • absent
  • clear
  • present ←
Desired state of the log and/or sources.
When sources is populated, state is checked for sources.
When sources is not populated, state is checked for the specified log itself.
If state is clear, event log entries are cleared for the target log.

Examples

- name: Add a new event log with two custom sources
  win_eventlog:
    name: MyNewLog
    sources:
      - NewLogSource1
      - NewLogSource2
    state: present

- name: Change the category and message resource files used for NewLogSource1
  win_eventlog:
    name: MyNewLog
    sources:
      - NewLogSource1
    category_file: C:\NewApp\CustomCategories.dll
    message_file: C:\NewApp\CustomMessages.dll
    state: present

- name: Change the maximum size and overflow action for MyNewLog
  win_eventlog:
    name: MyNewLog
    maximum_size: 16MB
    overflow_action: DoNotOverwrite
    state: present

- name: Clear event entries for MyNewLog
  win_eventlog:
    name: MyNewLog
    state: clear

- name: Remove NewLogSource2 from MyNewLog
  win_eventlog:
    name: MyNewLog
    sources:
      - NewLogSource2
    state: absent

- name: Remove MyNewLog and all remaining sources
  win_eventlog:
    name: MyNewLog
    state: absent

Return Values

Common return values are documented here, the following are the fields unique to this module:

Key Returned Description
entries
integer
 success
The count of entries present in the event log.

Sample:
50
exists
boolean
 success
Whether the event log exists or not.

Sample:
True
maximum_size_kb
integer
 success
Maximum size of the log in KB.

Sample:
512
name
string
 always
The name of the event log.

Sample:
MyNewLog
overflow_action
string
 success
The action the log takes once it reaches its maximum size.

Sample:
OverwriteOlder
retention_days
integer
 success
The minimum number of days entries are retained in the log.

Sample:
7
sources
list
 success
A list of the current sources for the log.

Sample:
['MyNewLog', 'NewLogSource1', 'NewLogSource2']
sources_changed
list
 always
A list of sources changed (e.g. re/created, removed) for the log; this is empty if no sources are changed.

Sample:
['NewLogSource2']


Status

Authors

  • Andrew Saraceni (@andrewsaraceni)

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