Agent Builder Trace logging

If you encounter an issue, IBM Software Support might request that you obtain the trace logs, to review the information. Here Trace logging is introduced with an explanation on how to locate the appropriate files.

Trace logging captures information about the operating environment when the code fails to operate as intended.

The Tivoli® Monitoring Agent Builder supports tracing through the Java™ Logging (JLog) Toolkit. The trace logger is configurable through the Eclipse plug-in preferences. For more information about configuration of the Trace logging, see (Logging configuration).

Agent Builder Trace logging overview

Trace logs capture information about the operating environment when component code fails to operate as intended. These logs are in the English language only. IBM Software Support uses the information that is captured by trace loggers to trace a problem to its source or to determine why an error occurred. Generally, this information is not enabled by default, but logging can be enabled without stopping the application.

Trace log location

Trace logging is kept in a configurable number of rotating log files. The log file names follow the format traceKQZ.log, traceKQZ1.log… where traceKQZ.log is the most recent log file.

You can retrieve trace logs in the following location:

workspace_directory/.metadata/tivoli/KQZ/logs

Where:

workspace_directory

Identifies the workspace directory that you specified when you initially ran the Agent Builder, see (Starting the Agent Builder).

To save the log data, you must select the Enable Trace logging to files option on the Output page of the Tivoli Monitoring Agent Builder preferences. For information about the Output page, see (Customize trace file settings).

Trace log format

[Date]-Level-Server-Thread-FileName.Method-LogText Exception(StackTrace)

Where:

Date

Time the log was produced specified in milliseconds, since January 1st 1970, for example, 1015343592000.

Server

host name on which the program is running.

Level

The level of detail the trace represents, which can be one of the following options:

ERROR

error message.

WARN

Warning.

INFO

Informational message.

MIN

The minimum level of tracing provides some information about the program state with only a minimal affect on the performance of the program.

MID

The medium level of tracing follows the paths of some high-level APIs and their parameters.

MAX

The maximum level of tracing follows the paths of most of the code and provide a detailed program flow. This level includes minimum and medium levels of tracing as well.

For more information about setting these levels, see (Configuration by using the IBM Java Logging Toolkit).

FileName

Name of the file or class to which the trace refers.

Method

The method in the class to which the trace refers.

Thread

Thread to which the trace refers. Thread element that refers to the operating system-specific notion of a thread.

LogText

A description of the error

Exception

Exception element depends upon the specific language or platform. For Java, it is a stack trace.

Trace log example

The following text shows an example of a trace that is recorded in the trace log:

[2007-08-17T17:50:17.527-04:00] -  MIN  - myhost - main - AgentXMLDocument.parseAgent
 - begin parsing document

Where:

2007-08-17

Specifies the date that the log entry was produced.

17:50:17.527

Specifies the time that the log entry was produced.

-04:00

Specifies the Coordinated Universal Time offset.

MIN

Specifies the level of detail the trace entry represents, in this case, minimum debug level.

myhost

Specifies the host name of the system that produced the trace entry.

main

Specifies name of the thread to which the trace entry refers.

AgentXMLDocument

Specifies name of the file or class to which the trace refers.

parseAgent

Specifies the method in the class to which the trace refers.

begin parsing document

Specifies the description of the condition or error.