How can I create a log file for debugging purposes?

[Rockxyzzy]

For debugging purposes I need to create some sort of logging capability that I can deploy at a client site to catch an intermittent problem that I can't track down.

I've created a variable that concatenates the suspect variables, date, time, record number, and script step. I've successfully used the Export Field Contents to export this concatenated string to a text file. The problem is, I need to export this string hundreds of times during a session to catch the anomalous values and see what's going on and the way I have it done now, each export overwrites the external text file exported by the previous execution of the command.

Is there an elegant way to make this Export command export to a single, ever growing text file, or capture a large quantity of this concatenated string internally for my analysis later? I'd like to do something that would be little or no effort for the non-technical client to email back to me for analysis.

[Colin Keefe]

I assume there are reasons you don't want to just create a log table in FileMaker and write to that?

[Rockxyzzy]

Uh, log table? Didn't know there was such a beast. Poking around the FMP Help doesn't reveal much about creating a log table. How would I go about that?

Edited February 8, 2008 by Guest

[Colin Keefe]

The same way you create any other table I'm not advocating any special "hidden log file" features.

Just build a table - called Log, if you want - with fields matching the log data you want to capture, and have your log event script write a new record to that table every time you need to capture the data.

The user can then export that log, if necessary.

[Rockxyzzy]

Aha! I see what you mean now. I was fixated on some sort of external text file solution and didn't even think of this approach. Thank you.

[Lee Smith]

You need to upgrade your Profile to reflect the current version of FileMaker you are using. ([color:blue]MY PRFILE >> [color:blue]Control Panel » [color:blue]FileMaker Questions (bottom of the list)

Here is an example of a log file, there are a couple of them out there Night Wing Enterprises

HTH

LEE

[Rockxyzzy]

I updated my profile. Thanks! I'll take a look at these logs.