Chapter 28: Access and Error Logging

Helix Universal Server records information about client connections and other events in access and error logs. This chapter discusses variables you can configure to control the amount and type of client statistics gathered in the server access log, and limits to the access and error log files based on time and size. You can configure the locations of the access and error logs using the variables found in "Paths".

For More Information: See the access and error logs chapter of Helix Universal Server Administration Guide. There, you'll learn more about the formatting, and specific client statistics you can gather within access and error logs. If you're interested in designing custom reports to track specific activities on Helix Universal Server, refer to that guide's custom logging chapter.

Sample

Var: LoggingStyle

Logging style determines the amount of clip information gathered in the access log on each access attempt by a client. See Chapter 16 of the Helix Universal Server Administration Guide" for a list of options. At installation, Logging Style is 5.

Tag Syntax

<Var LoggingStyle="value"/>

Possible Values

0, 1, 2, 3, 4, or 5

Example

<Var LoggingStyle="4"/>

Var: LogRollFrequency

Begins, or rolls a new access log at a period specified. The period is indicated in the format xH xD, xW, or xM, where x is a number. For example, 4D will keep 4 days of information in the log file. You can also begin new logs based on size, as shown by Var: LogRollSize. If you include both variables, Helix Universal Server creates log files according to the first limit reached.

Tag Syntax

<Var LogRollFrequency="time increment"/>

Possible Values

0-40: Use H for hours, D for days, W for weeks, or M for months.

Example

<Var LogRollFrequency="2D"/>

Var: LogRollSize

Begins, or rolls a new access log at a file size specified. The size is indicated by a number, in Megabytes. For example, a value of 10 will keep 10 Megabytes of information in the log file. You can also begin new logs based on a time period, as shown by Var: LogRollFrequency. If you include both variables, Helix Universal Server creates log files according to the first limit reached.

Tag Syntax

<Var LogRollSize="value"/>

Possible Values

Use a whole number from 1-9999.

Example

<Var LogRollSize="1"/>

Var: LogDetailLevel

On Windows NT systems, you can send error messages to the Windows Event Viewer. Use this variable to define the NT error level you want to assign to Helix Universal Server error messages.

Tag Syntax

<Var LogDetailLevel="value"/>

Possible Values

• Default
• Emergency
• Alert
• Critical
• Error
• Warning
• Notice
• Info
• Debug

Example

<Var LogDetailLevel="Notice"/>

Var: ErrorLogRollFrequency

Defines the same information as Var: LogRollFrequency, but for a new error log.

You can also implement log rolling of error logs by configuring values for ErrorLogRollFrequency and for Var: ErrorLogRollSize.

Tag Syntax

<Var ErrorLogRollFrequency="time increment"/>

Possible Values

0-40: Use H for hours, D for days, W for weeks, or M for months.

Example

<Var ErrorLogRollFrequency="1M"/>

Var: ErrorLogRollSize

Defines the same information as Var: LogRollSize, but for a new error log.

You can also implement log rolling of error logs by configuring values for ErrorLogRollFrequency and for Var: ErrorLogRollSize.

Tag Syntax

<Var ErrorLogRollSize="value"/>

Possible Values

Use a whole number from 1-9999.

Example

<Var ErrorLogRollSize="2"/>

Var: StatsInterval

Creates a log entry in the access log at every period you specify in seconds. For example, setting the value to 120 causes Helix Universal Server to create a new entry in the access log every two minutes for as long as clients are accessing the server.

Tag Syntax

<Var StatsInterval="value"/>

Possible Values

Use a whole number 15 or greater. The value 0 disables the feature, and is the default at installation.

Example

<Var StatsInterval="60"/>

Var: StatsMask

Gathers optional data about client statistics.

0 -no client stats gathered

1 -statistics type 1

2 - statistics type 2

3 - statistics type 1 and 2

4 - statistics type 3

5 - statistics type 1 and 3

6 - statistics type 2 and type 3

7 - statistics type 1, type 2, type 3

8 -statistics type 4 only

9 -statistics type 1 and type 4

10 -statistics type 2 and type 4

11-statistics type 1, type 2, type 4

12 -statistics type 3 and type 4

13 -statistics type 1, type 3, type 4

14 -statistics type 2, type 3, type 4

15 -statistics type 1, type 2, type 3, type 4

Tag Syntax

<Var StatsMask="value"/>

Possible Values

Use a whole number from 0 to 15. The value 0 disables the feature, and is the default at installation.

Example

<Var StatsMask="7"/>

Var: DisableClientGUID

Helix Universal Server can record a globally unique ID for each media player in the client_ID field of the access log. The default settings for Helix Universal Server and RealNetworks clients record a globally unique ID for each client access attempt. Users can control whether GUIDs are transmitted, however. You can disable the logging of GUIDs regardless of client configurations, by configuring DisableClientGUID to 1. When set to 1, Helix Universal Server ignores all client GUIDs and uses 00000000-0000-0000-0000-000000000000 instead. Refer to the Helix Universal Server Administration Guide, Chapter 16, under "Access Log Fields" to learn more about the client_ID field.

Tag Syntax

<Var DisableClientGUID="boolean"/>

Possible Values

0 - allows Helix Universal Server to collect client GUIDs. This is the default setting at installation.

1 - Helix Universal Server ignores all client GUIDs and uses a series of zeros instead.

Example

<Var DisableClientGUID="0"/>

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