Developing usage and error logging extensions

The usage and error logging extensions are open framework applications. These reference implementations log the information that the BIRT iHub monitoring framework captures to files. A developer can customize the way the DLL or shared library handles the usage and error log information. For more information about these usage and error log extensions, refer to the readme files in
<BIRT iHub Integration Technology install folder>/ServerIntTech3
/User Activity Logging Extension and Error Logging Extension.

BIRT iHub installs compiled versions of the usage and error logging extensions in AC_SERVER_HOME/bin. In Windows, the DLL applications files are UsrActivityLoggingExt.dll and ErrorLoggingExt.dll. In Linux and UNIX, the shared library applications files are libUsrActivityLoggingExt.so and libErrorActivityLoggingExt.so.

A usage or error log file is a comma-separated values (CSV) file. The default name for a usage log file is usage_log_1.csv. The default name for an error log file is error_log_1.csv.

In Actuate Release 10, the usage and error logs for each volume were written to separate directories. In Release 11 and iHub, the usage and error logs for all volumes are consolidated in one directory, AC_SERVER_HOME
/UsageErrorLogs/primary, and written to one usage and one error log. The directory for the usage and error log files is not configurable.

Configuring usage and error logging

The administrator sets up usage and error logging by configuring property attributes of the <UsageAndErrorLogging> element in acserverconfig.xml. Each property attribute name starts with the name of the log type.

Usage logs consist of the following types:

Admin

Deletion

Eii (Data Integration)

Generation (Factory)

Printing

Viewing

There is only one type of error log, Error.

The <UsageAndErrorLogging> element contains the following properties for each log type:

LogLevel

For usage logs, the possible values for LogLevel are Standard or Detail. For deletion, printing, and viewing logging, Standard and Detail provide the same level of information. For Factory logging, detailed information includes report parameters. Logging detailed Factory information, instead of standard Factory information, causes performance degradation.

For the error log, the possible values are:

Information

Logs informational messages to help track BIRT iHub behavior.

Warning

Logs warning errors that typically do not impact normal BIRT iHub operation.

Severe

Logs errors that can cause BIRT iHub to abort execution if you do not rectify the cause of the error. A severe error does not typically cause BIRT iHub to abort execution immediately.

Fatal

Logs critical errors from which BIRT iHub cannot recover. A fatal error typically causes BIRT iHub to abort execution immediately.

LogEnabled

The possible values for LogEnabled are true or false. True enables logging, false disables logging.

LoggingExtensionName

Name of the logging extension. The default usage logging extension is UsrActivityLoggingExt. The default error logging extension is ErrorLoggingExt.

Use the example shown in Listing 30‑1 to configure the logging properties in acserverconfig.xml

Listing 30‑1 Configuring logging properties in acserverconfig.xml

<System

...

CustomEventServiceConnectionTimeout="300">

<UsageAndErrorLogging

EiiLogLevel="Standard"

AdminLogLevel="Standard"

EiiLogEnabled="true"

ErrorLogLevel="Information"

AdminLogEnabled="true"

ErrorLogEnabled="true"

ViewingLogLevel="Standard"

DeletionLogLevel="Standard"

PrintingLogLevel="Standard"

ViewingLogEnabled="true"

DeletionLogEnabled="true"

GenerationLogLevel="Standard"

PrintingLogEnabled="true"

GenerationLogEnabled="true"

ErrorLoggingExtensionName="ErrorLoggingExt"

UsageLoggingExtensionName="UsrActivityLoggingExt"/>

</System>