"-Log" feature shot? (Client)

[Sandtrooper]

I was trying to find out how many objects exist in Sol System Expanded, but the logging feature does not appear to work via the shortcut addition of "-log" after the target in the shortcut... Frontier.log is blank.

[NiteHawk]

Aye.. I've seen this as well. It's to do with some experimental thing they added... Not sure why exactly. Have to take a look at it.

[NiteHawk]

I have to rewrite the log coding.

Either it was borked while they did changes to it (It generates alot of useless logs that I've never seen before.) or the new compiler does not like there coding.

In terms a good amount of there coding wasn't happy with VC++, I think this is to do with partically both, the coding, and the compiler.

They define the log file multiple times, I'm not sure why, this will confuse the compiler. Ends up crashing if I change it around. Have to recode the main piece of the logging.

Doesn't work on Server either. Gonna be a day or two to fix but this acts as a good debugger for myself as well, and I do wish to use it before release.

[NiteHawk]

I ended up recoding the whole log feature, took nearly most of the day..

Basicly, removed the garbage logs that spawn in the dat file, (COuld of been the issue, never seen this in older RC versions..) and frontier.log and server.log work properly now.

client: -log will create the frontier.log and add to it when you create a game or join one.
server: -lognone will spawn no log, as the others will spawn log with data, depending on what you select.

Additional things.
The server.log is the debugger type, much like frontier.log.
There is also a new file, console.log, which can log the console log file. So all the commands in server.conf should work properly now. To the changes, the default is now -logscreen, which logs only the console, which is a nice addition.

So:

-logall: Log both debug information and console information.
-logscreen: Log console only.
-logfile: Log debug information only.
-lognone: Logs none.

I also solved it from creating useless frontier.log and server.log files when no log is selected.

[Darius]

I like your new logging, especially how you split the console log off. There are some things I have to suggest, though. Most importantly, logs don't append. Instead, a new log is created that deletes the old one. This is fine for server.log, as it's only relevant for debugging one game at a time, but console.log should append every time. This is the most important.

Another problem is that clients can't log the console. At all. The only log they get is debug, which doesn't even include the console anymore. Shouldn't the client get the same four log options as the server?

Lastly, I think that it would be useful to separate logs by port; e.g. 20001_server.log and 20001_console.log. This way, if one machine is logging two servers it can log both with no conflict.

[NiteHawk]

I like your new logging, especially how you split the console log off. There are some things I have to suggest, though. Most importantly, logs don't append. Instead, a new log is created that deletes the old one. This is fine for server.log, as it's only relevant for debugging one game at a time, but console.log should append every time. This is the most important.

Another problem is that clients can't log the console. At all. The only log they get is debug, which doesn't even include the console anymore. Shouldn't the client get the same four log options as the server?

Lastly, I think that it would be useful to separate logs by port; e.g. 20001_server.log and 20001_console.log. This way, if one machine is logging two servers it can log both with no conflict.

Well I will try adding console logging for clients, it's a good idea. I'll see if its difficult to add, it may just be too meh to add at this point. I had to redo the whole logging for some reason!

Definatly about the ports, that is a great idea. Possibly PORT_server_Date.log .. or something like that might be better for server logging.

[NiteHawk]

Okay, I just did it the way you stated, seem better since debugger takes up alot of space.

So now if you run more then one server it will use the port for the log..

20001_console.log
20001_server.log
etc

And added the console log appending rather then overwriting, so you always keep the console log file. As for client side, we'll add it in the future. I just did the above as a quick fix but client logging will need a tinch of coding and probably another argument to allow console logging/ debugging/ or both.

[Darius]

I appreciate it a lot!