Index: logrotate.8
===================================================================
--- logrotate.8	(revision 277)
+++ logrotate.8	(working copy)
@@ -217,6 +217,11 @@
 The default value is -%Y%m%d. Note that also the character separating log
 name from the extension is part of the dateformat string. The system clock
 must be set past Sep 9th 2001 for %s to work correctly.
+Note that the datestamps generated by this format must be lexically sortable
+(i.e., first the year, then the month then the day. e.g., 2001/12/01 is ok,
+but 01/12/2001 is not, since 01/11/2002 would sort lower while it is later).
+This is because when using the \fBrotate\fR option, logrotate sorts all
+rotated filenames to find out which logfiles are older and should be removed.
 
 .TP
 \fBdelaycompress\fR
@@ -336,7 +341,8 @@
 \fBnosharedscripts\fR
 Run \fBprerotate\fR and \fBpostrotate\fR scripts for every log file which
 is rotated (this is the default, and overrides the \fBsharedscripts\fR
-option). If the scripts exit with error, the remaining actions will
+option). The absolute path to the log file is passed as first argument 
+to the script. If the scripts exit with error, the remaining actions will
 not be executed for the affected log only.
 
 .TP
@@ -359,36 +365,44 @@
 .TP
 \fBpostrotate\fR/\fBendscript\fR
 The lines between \fBpostrotate\fR and \fBendscript\fR (both of which
-must appear on lines by themselves) are executed after the log file is
-rotated. These directives may only appear inside a log file definition.
+must appear on lines by themselves) are executed (using \fB/bin/sh\fR) 
+after the log file is rotated. These directives may only appear inside 
+a log file definition. Normally, the absolute path to the log file is 
+passed as first argument to the script. If \fBsharedscripts\fR is specified, 
+whole pattern is passed to the script.
 See also \fBprerotate\fR. See \fBsharedscripts\fR and \fBnosharedscripts\fR
 for error handling.
 
 .TP
 \fBprerotate\fR/\fBendscript\fR
 The lines between \fBprerotate\fR and \fBendscript\fR (both of which
-must appear on lines by themselves) are executed before the log file is
-rotated and only if the log will actually be rotated. These directives
-may only appear inside a log file definition.  See also \fBpostrotate\fR.
+must appear on lines by themselves) are executed (using \fB/bin/sh\fR) before 
+the log file is rotated and only if the log will actually be rotated. These 
+directives may only appear inside a log file definition. Normally, 
+the absolute path to the log file is passed as first argument to the script.
+If  \fBsharedscripts\fR is specified, whole pattern is passed to the script.
+See also \fBpostrotate\fR.
 See \fBsharedscripts\fR and \fBnosharedscripts\fR for error handling.
 
 .TP
 \fBfirstaction\fR/\fBendscript\fR
 The lines between \fBfirstaction\fR and \fBendscript\fR (both of which
-must appear on lines by themselves) are executed once before all log
-files that match the wildcarded pattern are rotated, before prerotate script
-is run and only if at least one log will actually be rotated. These directives
-may only appear inside a log file definition. If the script exits
-with error, no further processing is done. See also \fBlastaction\fR.
+must appear on lines by themselves) are executed (using \fB/bin/sh\fR) once 
+before all log files that match the wildcarded pattern are rotated, before 
+prerotate script is run and only if at least one log will actually be rotated. 
+These directives may only appear inside a log file definition. Whole pattern is
+passed to the script as first argument. If the script exits with error, 
+no further processing is done. See also \fBlastaction\fR.
 
 .TP
 \fBlastaction\fR/\fBendscript\fR
 The lines between \fBlastaction\fR and \fBendscript\fR (both of which
-must appear on lines by themselves) are executed once after all log
-files that match the wildcarded pattern are rotated, after postrotate script
-is run and only if at least one log is rotated. These directives may only
-appear inside a log file definition. If the script exits with
-error, just an error message is shown (as this is the last
+must appear on lines by themselves) are executed (using \fB/bin/sh\fR) once 
+after all log files that match the wildcarded pattern are rotated, after 
+postrotate script is run and only if at least one log is rotated. These 
+directives may only appear inside a log file definition. Whole pattern is
+passed to the script as first argument. If the script exits 
+with error, just an error message is shown (as this is the last
 action). See also \fBfirstaction\fR.
 
 .TP
@@ -408,10 +422,12 @@
 .TP
 \fBsharedscripts\fR
 Normally, \fBprerotate\fR and \fBpostrotate\fR scripts are run for each
-log which is rotated, meaning that a single script may be run multiple
+log which is rotated and the absolute path to the log file is passed as first 
+argument to the script. That means a single script may be run multiple
 times for log file entries which match multiple files (such as the 
-\fI/var/log/news/*\fR example). If \fBsharedscript\fR is specified, the scripts
-are only run once, no matter how many logs match the wildcarded pattern.
+\fI/var/log/news/*\fR example). If \fBsharedscripts\fR is specified, the scripts
+are only run once, no matter how many logs match the wildcarded pattern, 
+and whole pattern is passed to them.
 However, if none of the logs in the pattern require rotating, the scripts
 will not be run at all. If the scripts exit with error, the remaining
 actions will not be executed for any logs. This option overrides the