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I've created a systemd service unit file, and since systemd version 240+, we can just set the STDOUT + STDERR outputs to go directly into files, like this:

StandardOutput=append:/tmp/my-service.log
StandardError=append:/tmp/my-service.log

Is there a way for me to add in the current timestamp of when the service was started into these filenames?

e.g. instead of /tmp/my-service.log, each time the service starts, it's something like: /tmp/my-service.2022-07-07_114035.log

If it was similar to a shell script, I could do something like:

StandardOutput=append:/tmp/my-service.$(date +%Y-%m-%d_%H%M%S).log
StandardError=append:/tmp/my-service.$(date +%Y-%m-%d_%H%M%S).log

...but that doesn't work in systemd config files.

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  • Tried calling /bin/date? Commented Jul 7, 2022 at 12:53
  • @stoney Well yeah that's exactly what I'm trying to do, as shown under "If it was similar to a shell script, I could do something like:". I'm asking how to dynamically call it inside a systemd config file (every time the service restarts) and set it in the StandardOutput= and StandardError= fields? Commented Jul 8, 2022 at 0:21
  • I meant calling it with full path Commented Jul 19, 2022 at 11:46
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    @stoney Ah ok. Yeah that doesn't work either. Systemd unit files don't support $() in the first place. Commented Jul 20, 2022 at 6:56

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