How to change configuration settings and access log files
This how-to guide will show you how to change configuration settings for Memgraph and check the log files.
Continue reading if you are using Memgraph with Docker, or skip to the Linux chapter if you are using MemgraphDB with WSL, Ubuntu, Debian, or RPM package.
Docker
Below you will find instructions on configuring Memgraph and checking logs if you are using Memgraph with Docker.
Configuring Memgraph
If you want a custom configuration to be in effect every time you run Memgraph, change the main configuration file.
If you want a certain configuration setting to be applied during this run only,
pass the configuration option within the docker run command.
Changing the configuration file
Begin with starting Memgraph and finding out the CONTAINER ID:
1. Start Memgraph with a docker run command but be sure to include the
following flag -v mg_etc:/etc/memgraph.
2. Open a new terminal and find the CONTAINER ID of the Memgraph Docker
container using the following command:
docker ps
Now, you can choose to either modify the main configuration file outside of Docker, or within Docker with a command-line text editor (such as vim).
- Changing configuration outside the container
- Changing configuration inside the container
To change the configuration file outside the Docker container continue with the following steps:
3. Place yourself in the directory where you want to copy the configuration file.
4. Copy the file from the container to your current directory with the command:
docker cp <CONTAINER ID>:/etc/memgraph/memgraph.conf memgraph.conf
Be sure to replace the <CONTAINER ID> parameter.
The example below will copy the configuration file to the user's Desktop:
C:\Users\Vlasta\Desktop>docker cp bb3de2634afe:/etc/memgraph/memgraph.conf memgraph.conf
5. Open the configuration file with a text editor.
6. Modify the configuration file and save the changes.
7. Copy the file from your current directory to the container with the command:
docker cp memgraph.conf <CONTAINER ID>:/etc/memgraph/memgraph.conf
Be sure to replace the <CONTAINER ID> parameter.
The example below will replace the configuration file with the one from the user's Desktop:
C:\Users\Vlasta\Desktop>docker cp memgraph.conf bb3de2634afe:/etc/memgraph/memgraph.conf
8. Restart Memgraph.
9. You can check the current configuration by running the SHOW CONFIG; query.
To change the configuration file inside the Docker container continue with the following steps:
3. Enter the Docker container with the following command:
docker exec -it <CONTAINER ID> bash
4. Install the text editor of your choice.
5. Edit the configuration file located at /etc/memgraph/memgraph.conf
6. Restart Memgraph.
7. You can check the current configuration by running the SHOW CONFIG; query.
Passing configuration options within the docker run command
Select the image you are using to find out how to customize the configuration by
passing configuration options within the docker run command.
- memgraph-platform image
- Other images
If you are working with the memgraph-platform image, you should pass
configuration options with environment variables.
For example, if you want to limit memory usage for the whole instance to 50 MiB
and set the log level to TRACE, pass the configuration like this:
docker run -it -p 7687:7687 -p 3000:3000 -p 7444:7444 -e MEMGRAPH="--memory-limit=50 --log-level=TRACE" memgraph/memgraph-platform
When you are working with memgraph or memgraph-mage images, you should pass
configuration options as arguments.
For example, if you want to limit memory usage for the whole instance to 50 MiB
and set the log level to TRACE, pass the configuration argument like this:
docker run -it -p 7687:7687 -p 7444:7444 memgraph/memgraph --memory-limit=50 --log-level=TRACE
You can check the current configuration by running the SHOW CONFIG; query.
Accessing logs
To access the logs of a running instance:
1. Open a new terminal and find the CONTAINER ID of the Memgraph Docker
container:
docker ps
2. Run the following command:
docker exec -it <CONTAINER ID> bash
Be sure to replace the <CONTAINER ID> parameter.
3. Position yourself in the /var/log/memgraph directory.
cd /var/log/memgraph
4. List all the log files with ls.
5. List the content of the log with the cat <memgraph_date>.log command.
For example, if the ls command returned memgraph_2022-03-04.log you would
list the contents using the following command:
cat memgraph_2022-03-04.log
6. If you want to save the log to your computer, exit the container with
CTRL+D, place yourself in a directory where you want to save the copy and run
the following command:
docker cp <memgraph_date>.log <CONTAINER ID>:/var/log/memgraph/<memgraph_date>.log
For example, the following command will make a copy of the
memgraph_2022-03-04.log file on the user's desktop:
C:\Users\Vlasta\Desktop>docker cp memgraph_2022-03-04.log bb3de2634afe:/var/log/memgraph/memgraph_2022-03-04.log.log
Linux
This section of the how-to guide will explain how to change the configuration file and access logs if you are using MemgraphDB with WSL, Ubuntu, Debian or RPM package.
Configuring Memgraph
1. Install and run Memgraph.
2. Open the configuration file available at /etc/memgraph/memgraph.conf.
3. Modify the configuration file and save the changes.
4. Restart Memgraph.
5. You can check the current configuration by running the SHOW CONFIG; query.
Accessing logs
Logs can be found in the /var/log/memgraph directory.