Log Viewer
The AdminTool's Log Viewer module allows the administrators to examine, backup and download the SmartFoxServer logs, which are the main source of information to understand what is going on in case of server or Extension issues. This module allows accessing the logs without using external tools (or direct remote access) to execute those tasks.
The module is divided into two sections, corresponding to two separate tabs.
Runtime log inspection
The Runtime Log tab is used to access the main SmartFoxServer log, which is constantly updated during the server functioning. Unless the logging configuration is modified, the log entries are appended to the logs/smartfox.log file following a daily rolling policy. By selecting a value in the Log entries dropdown and clicking the Load button, a maximum of 300 entries (starting from the most recent and going backward) of the current log can be retrieved and displayed in the table.
Each log entry shows the date and time in which it occurred, its relevance (through the TRACE, DEBUG, INFO, WARN and ERROR levels), the thread and class that generated it and the logged message. The message contains a maximum of 100 lines; if the actual number of lines is bigger, a note is displayed and the log should be downloaded (see below) for further inspection.
Clicking on the Filter button opens a collapsible panel where you can use the Level and Class dropdowns and the Message search field to filter the log entries (for example to show errors and warnings only). The Clear button removes the filters without the need to reload the whole log.
The Export button can be used to save a local copy of the information currently displayed in the table (filters are applied too). Click the button, select the destination folder on your device and hit the Save button. The saved file can be opened using any text editor.
Log pattern
The Runtime Log tab works if the encoder → pattern parameter of the FILE appender in the SmartFoxServer logging system – Logback – is set to its default value only. If you need to modify the log structure, please add a new appender to the Logback configuration (file config/logback.xml) instead of changing the default one.
Logs download
The Logs Download tab allows administrators to backup and download the runtime log or the full logs directory from the SmartFoxServer installation folder. The backup is provided as a compressed file created by a separate process on the server (so that its generation doesn't compromise SmartFoxServer performance).
By clicking on the Download buttons you can get the latest backup file available for each type. This requires the SmartFoxServer internal web server to be active. When the backup generation is in progress, no other backup operation can be launched by any administrator. This allows saving system resources, as the backup is a consuming operation.
The table at the bottom of the page lists all the backup files available on the server, including those accessible through the buttons above. When an item is selected, the Download and Delete buttons can be used to retrieve the backup file and remove it from the server respectively.