Log messages in the data model

The data model redirects certain messages to the log files. These log files help you to identify the problems in IBM® Product Master and take any corrective action.

You can use the user-defined logs (UDLs) to log specific kinds of Product Information Management (PIM) events that IBM Product Master does not log by default.

A user-defined log (UDL) is an object that can be associated with a hierarchy or a catalog for storing custom content related to categories and items.

The UDL is available under Product Manager > Catalogs > Catalog console menu. You must have an existing catalog to choose. Click Attrs. and then Logs. Then click New, enter a name in the Log name field, and click +.

The custom content for an individual item or category is stored in a user defined log entry (UDLE). The custom content for a UDLE is in the form of a string which can be large. Do not store strings larger than fifteen to thirty characters in a UDLE.

Types of UDLs

Regular Log
You can store only one UDLE for each item or category. A new UDLE replaces an existing UDLE.
Running Log
All the UDLEs for a item or category are stored in the same order in which they are received.

Valid uses of UDLs

You can use UDLs as custom logs and for data staging.
Custom logs:
You can use UDLs to log specific kinds of PIM events that Product Master does not log by default. For example, you can use UDLs for audit-specific data updates.
Data staging:
You can use UDLs as a staging area. For example, you can copy data into a working storage area at one stage of an export process to do some additional manipulation of the data before the export. You can use a UDL to hold the temporary data that you want to modify.

Incorrect uses of user-defined logs

Do not use UDLs as an alternative to item catalogs to boost performance. Never use UDLs for storing core item data. Item data must always be stored in catalogs. The drawbacks to managing item data within UDLs include:
  • Limited ready-to-use access to PIM core functionality
  • No support for the Product Master native workflow
  • UDLs are completely outside Product Master security model
  • No version management or control exists
  • Inheritance must be custom built
  • All core PIM capabilities that rely on UDLs fall outside of any support warranty
  • Cost of implementation, maintenance, and migration from one release to another are high because of the level of custom coding that is required