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P4 CLI Documentation | 2026.1

# p4 journals

Display history of checkpoint and journal activity for the server.

## Syntax

    p4 [g-opts] journals [-F filter] [-T fields] [-m max]

Syntax and naming conventions

## Description

The `p4 journals` command displays information from the `db.ckphist` table, which holds historical information about checkpoint and journal activity. A server uses this table to record the following checkpoint and journal events:

- the server takes a checkpoint
- the server rotates a journal
- the server replays a journal
- a replica schedules a checkpoint

Each server in a multi-server installation has its own, unique `db.ckphist` table that is not replicated to replicas. This table is not part of the main server database, is not journaled, does not need to be backed up, and is not included in checkpoints. If anything goes wrong, it can be thrown away.

Here’s an example of the output from `p4 journals`.

Copy

    maria:~ mgonzales$ p4 -p server1:1666 journals
    ... start 1381278576
    ... startDate 2013/10/08 17:29:36
    ... end 1381278576
    ... endDate 2013/10/08 17:29:36
    ... pid 19960
    ... type checkpoint
    ... flags
    ... jnum 19
    ... jfile checkpoint.19
    ... jdate 1381278576
    ... jdateDate 2013/10/08 17:29:36
    ... jdigest E4EB1FF5B589D05E9F5A8EE1F8183A86
    ... jsize 27183115
    ... jtype text
    ... failed 0
    ... errmsg

    ... start 1381278576
    ... startDate 2013/10/08 17:29:36
    ... end 1381278576
    ... endDate 2013/10/08 17:29:36
    ... pid 19960
    ... type checkpoint
    ... flags
    ... jnum 18
    ... jfile journal.18
    ... jdate 1381278575
    ... jdateDate 2013/10/08 17:29:35
    ... jdigest 00000000000000000000000000000000
    ... jsize 15737
    ... jtype text
    ... failed 1
    ... errmsg

    ... start 1374629669
    ... startDate 2013/07/23 18:34:29
    ... end 1374629669
    ... endDate 2013/07/23 18:34:29
    ... pid 14700
    ... type replay
    ... flags -r . -j r
    ... jnum -1
    ... jfile basis.ckp
    ... jdate 1366076427
    ... jdateDate 2013/04/15 18:40:27
    ... jdigest 00000000000000000000000000000000
    ... jsize 27181640
    ... jtype text
    ... failed 1
    ... errmsg

Checkpoints and journals use Unix epoch time. See the Timestamp and Unix epoch information.

This command displays full error message text for a failed checkpoint.

Use the global `-F` option to format the output from the `p4 journals`. For example:

`p4 -F "%jfile% %jnum%" journals -F type=checkpoint`

The output lists from newest event to oldest event.

### Fields in the output of p4 journals

Option | Description
--- | ---
Field | Meaning
`start` | Starting Unix timestamp of the command that ran. See type field to determine which command was executed.
`startDate` | Human-readable form of start value.
`end` | Ending Unix timestamp of the command that ran.
`endDate` | Human-readable form of end value.
`pid` | The process id of the command whose execution produced this record. This value can be useful in searching for related entries in other logs.
`type` | Indicates the command whose execution produced this record. Types include the following: journal: refers to the `p4 -J` command or the `p4 admin journal` command. checkpoint: refers to the `p4 -jc` command or `p4 admin checkpoint` command. `checkpoint-parallel-multifile`: refers to parallel checkpoint and dump operations. See the `jdigest` field. replay: refers to the `p4d -jr` command schedule: refers to taking a checkpoint on a replicated server. This produces two records: one for the checkpoint and another for the schedule.
`flags` | Flags passed to the command implied by the type filed.
`jnum` | The checkpoint number. A value of `-1` indicates that the journal number is unknown.
`jfile` | The name of a journal or checkpoint file that was input to the command implied by the type field.
`jdate` | Unix timestamp when the filed specified by `jfile` was created.
`jdateDate` | Human-readable format of `jdate` value.
`jdigest` | The digest of the checkpoint file. For `checkpoint-parallel-multifile`, the `jdigest` field is expected to be all zeros. The md5 file generated for a `checkpoint-parallel-multifile` is an aggregate checksum that contains one line for each checkpoint file. That line contains the name and the md5 sum for that file. To learn more, see Parallel checkpointing, dumping and recovery in the P4 Server Administration Documentation.
`jsize` | The size of the file specified by `jfile`.
`jtype` | The type of the file specified by `jtype`.

## Options

`-F filter` | List only the records that satisfy the filter expression. For instructions on constructing the filter expression, see Job Views.
`-m max` | Limit output to the specified number of records.
`-T fields` | Limit output to the specified fields. Separate fields using a comma or a space.
`g-opts` | See Global options.

## Usage notes

Can File Arguments Use Revision Specifier? | Can File Arguments Use Revision Range? | Minimal Access Level Required
--- | --- | ---
N/A | N/A | `super` available to an operator user

## Related commands

To create a checkpoint. | `p4 admin checkpoint`>
To create a journal. | `p4 admin journal`

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