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Logging in HexSight

Johnny Tang
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Question

 How can I log information and events from HexSight?

Answer

There is a way to generate a log file in HexSight, reporting all the events that occur in all the HexSight controls.

 

To generate a log file, two environment variables are necessary. Environment variables can be added in the Control Panel > System and Security > System > Advanced system settings > Environment Variables > System variables. These variables are the following:

  • HEXSIGHT_LOG_LEVEL = TRACE
  • HEXSIGHT_LOG_FILE = C:\HexSightLogs\hs.log

Note that the folder C:\HexSightLogs must already exists, or any folder that is specified by the HEXSIGHT_LOG_FILE variable.

 

The log file generated will look like this:

2017/03/06 12:16:58.785 02080	Event	HexSight: Version:	5,0,1,16 (debug)
2017/03/06 12:16:58.785 02080	Event	HexSight: FileName:	c:\HS.log
2017/03/06 12:16:58.786 02080	Event	HexSight: Level:	1
2017/03/06 12:16:58.786 02080	Event	HexSight: MaxSize:	209715200
2017/03/06 12:16:58.786 02080	Event	HexSight: Module:	
2017/03/06 12:16:58.786 02080	Event	HexSight: Console:	0
2017/03/06 12:16:58.787 02080	Debug	(HSAdFsiGocatorFunctions.cpp, 201)	HSAcquisitionDevice: Looking for P:\Gocator\4.5.4.120\GO_SDK\bin\win64\kApi.dll
2017/03/06 12:16:58.815 02080	Debug	(HSAdFsiGocatorFunctions.cpp, 206)	HSAcquisitionDevice: Module loaded
2017/03/06 12:16:58.815 02080	Debug	(HSAdFsiGocatorFunctions.cpp, 201)	HSAcquisitionDevice: Looking for P:\Gocator\4.5.4.120\GO_SDK\bin\win64\GoSdk.dll
2017/03/06 12:16:58.836 02080	Debug	(HSAdFsiGocatorFunctions.cpp, 206)	HSAcquisitionDevice: Module loaded
2017/03/06 12:16:58.927 02080	Debug	(HSAdFsiGocatorFunctions.cpp, 149)	HSAcquisitionDevice: GoSystem Initialized
2017/03/06 12:17:00.303 02080	Warn	(HSAdImniProcess.cpp        , 140)	HSClassLibrary: HSException
2017/03/06 12:17:00.641 02080	Info	(hsdpycontrol.cpp           , 9860)	HSDisplay: DirectX Enabled
2017/03/06 12:17:00.641 02080	Trace	(hsdpycontrol.cpp           , 9872)	HSDisplay: DirectX Surface creation
2017/03/06 12:17:00.666 02080	Trace	(hsdpycontrol.cpp           , 9888)	HSDisplay: Surface created
2017/03/06 12:17:00.668 02080	Info	(hsdpycontrol.cpp           , 9860)	HSDisplay: DirectX Enabled
2017/03/06 12:17:00.668 02080	Trace	(hsdpycontrol.cpp           , 9872)	HSDisplay: DirectX Surface creation
2017/03/06 12:17:00.668 02080	Trace	(hsdpycontrol.cpp           , 9888)	HSDisplay: Surface created
2017/03/06 12:17:00.758 02080	Debug	(HSAdGiProcess.cpp          , 171)	HSAcquisitionDevice: GigE: Finding PvSystem.
2017/03/06 12:17:02.807 02080	Debug	(HSAdGiProcess.cpp          , 192)	HSAcquisitionDevice: GigE: Interface: 0.
2017/03/06 12:17:02.807 02080	Debug	(HSAdGiProcess.cpp          , 201)	HSAcquisitionDevice: GigE: 0 Devices on Interface: 0.
...
The HEXSIGHT_LOG_LEVEL can be set to any of the following settings, depending on the level required. For example, during runtime execution, it is recommended to use the level Warn or higher, to limit the log file accesses. The higher the level, the smaller the log file, but also  less information 
 
  • 1. Event
  • 2. Trace
  • 3. Debug
  • 4. Info
  • 5. Warn
  • 6. Error
  • 7. Fatal

 

Other variables can be set to control the output of the logs.
 
 
HEXSIGHT_LOG_SIZE

HEXSIGHT_LOG_SIZE is the maximum number of bytes written in the logs. When the initial log file reaches half of this number, the log file is rolled and renamed (name + "_rolled"), and a second file is created. Once the new file also reaches half of this number, the old _rolled file is removed and replaced with the new file, and the cycle restarts. With this method, the logs can never exceed the HEXSIGHT_LOG_SIZE, and it guarantees that at least half of the amount specified is kept in the logs.

The default value for this variable is 200MB, meaning it will create a maximum of 2 files of 100MB each.

  • Ex: HEXSIGHT_LOG_SIZE = 200000000

 

HEXSIGHT_LOG_MODULE

HEXSIGHT_LOG_MODULE allows the user to specify a single module to report. Setting this variable will block any other control to stop reporting. This is useful to keep the log files scoped to a single module, in case of an issue specific to this module. This is the prefix of the description in the log file. The default is set to no module, in order to log information for all modules.

  • Ex: To see only reports of events such as HSClassLibrary: HSException, use HEXSIGHT_LOG_MODULE = HSClassLibrary

 

HEXSIGHT_LOG_CONSOLE

The HEXSIGHT_LOG_CONSOLE allows the user to see the events in an additional console, for quick investigation. The log file is still generated, but the console can show the events at runtime.

  • Ex: HEXSIGHT_LOG_CONSOLE = TRUE

 

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