Overview
Here is an overview over the most important log files of ECTR:
Always start the analysis with the "Console_<create_timestamp>.log". With the API log number or with the time-stamp you can then drill down to more detailed log files as e.g. the "Debug_<create_timestamp>.log".
How can I activate logging and set the loglevel?
SAP ECTR documents all technical processes in the background and saves this information to log files.
These log files enable problems to be analyzed and quickly resolved in the case of errors. In the SAP ECTR settings, you can specify the depth of information to be logged. To do this, open the settings dialog and choose the General tab. In the Tracelevel field, we recommend the setting Debug.
Where can I find log files?
Log files of the current running session
There are several possibilities to find the log files or create a ZIP with all the log files:
- Via the button "Create report" when an issue pops up.
- Since ECTR 5.1 SP13: Via ECTR menu "Help" - "Pack Log Files into a ZIP Archive".
- Via the ECTR Tray Icon in the Windows task bar. Right-click and choose Options → Activate Administrator menu, if this is not already activated. Now choose the Administrator menu → Logfile directory to reach the log files.
- Via the Windows Explorer. Log files are saved in the %appdata% directory of the Windows user if not configured differently. C:\Users\<Username>\AppData\Local\Temp\SAP\ECTR\sap_ectr...\logs
Via the 3rd party software BareTail the log files can be traced with the "Monitor Logfile" button in the ECTR Tray Icon Menu. Just add this environment variable to your local computer:
PLM_LOGFILE_PROGRAM=C:\bin\baretail.exe
Log Files of older sessions
- The log files of older sessions are called "saved-logs". These logs are copied in the shutdown process of SAP ECTR.
- With the settings MAXAGE_USELOGS and MAXAGE_SAVELOGS you can define the storage time.
- Saved-logs are saved in the %appdata% directory of the windows user if not configured differently. => "C:\Users\<username>\AppData\Local\Temp\SAP\ECTR\sap_ectr…\saved-logs".
Some log files are first created / copied after closing the application as for example for NX and Office.
Which log files exist and what do they contain?
There is a collection of the different log files which can exist in the log file folder of ECTR. Not all of them must exist on your installation. Some files are only created in specific function or use cases.
Frontend ECTR / JAVA
Console_JJJJ.MM.TT-HH_MIN_SEC.log
This log contains system information, versions and paths. The depth of the log is determined by the preference "trace". You can set it in System → Options. Important steps are traced when trace level is set to "trace". If trace level is "no trace" only call of backend RFC FMs are traced. This trace level is not recommended.
The console log displays the "computer name" and the path of this computer from which ECTR was started. It also logs whether all necessary drives exist and all set preference variables are read and processed. The preferences of the SAP system and the user system are checked and logged. The status of the frontend and backend are logged as well as the behavior of ECTR and the user interaction.
Debug_JJJJ.MM.TT-HH_MIN_SEC.log
The debug log contains additional details concerning the execution steps. (Parameter and values entered and the output). It also contains information regarding error messages that do not appear in the status row. The debug log file logs all dictionary files that are used first. After that, the DType preferences of ECTR are logged as well as the license test and the user and interface settings. Versions are documented, as well as interactions of functions and components between SAP, ECTR and integrations.
In order to fill the debug log file, the trace level has to be at least "debug". You can choose the trace level by clicking System → Options.
Backend SAP / ABAP
apilog@stateless.txt
In this API log, the input and output of the stateless RFC Function module calls are listed. The API log can exist several times - when this log exists, the others are named differently:
apilog@stateless_JJJJ.MM.TT-HH_MIN_SEC.txt
If an ECTR instance has been started and the log directory wasn't cleaned, this log file is created.
apilog@session-#.txt
This log is created if an state-full SAP session is necessary, e.g. for searches of documents with macros. It only contains limited logs of specific session.
Start up scripts
ECTR_DumpConfigLogfile.log
Logs the copying process of the configuration from the installation directory to the configuration directory.
ECTR_ScriptingLogfile.log
Logs the behavior upon executing the dsc_StartPLM script. It makes it possible to trace what the script does, trace which preferences are assumed and identify any error, should it come to that.
ECTR_ScriptingLogfile_XY.log
Traces the start of applications and the transfer of configurations.
ECTR_SkriptingLogfile_PopWin.log
Traces the behavior of the dsc_popwin script, e.g. popup windows. It is possible to analyse at what times ECTR is in the foreground and active.
ECTR OnExitCleanup.log
Logs the cleanup of the session directory and the archiving of log files as zips.
ECTR_Robocopy_Logfile.txt
Logs the copying of installation files from a global installation.
ECTR PLM Connector
The PLM Connector log files can be found in the folders of the respective application.
PLM_Dyncon_OFFICE_########.log
Logs the initial configuration and overall configuration of the Office integration. For this, the behavior of the dynamic connector and the three connectable Office integrations Excel, PowerPoint and Word are logged. Logs parameters, characteristic values etc.
plm_connector_JJJJ.MM.TT-HH_MIN_SEC.log
Logs the communication and behavior of applications with ECTR. Contains XML protocols, parameters etc.
Integrated Applications
Only actions within applications are logged, as well as the produced files coming from the applications.
PLM_OFFICE_officeapp_#########.log
Logs the processing of actions and data from the Office system. In the respective PLM_OFFICE_officeapp, e.g. PLM_Dyncon_POWERPNT_XXXXXXXX.log, we can trace how ECTR communicates with the integration.
NX Sys-Logs (Integration logs)
Protocols the processing of actions and files in NX and the communication with ECTR. The current status of the NX DLLs can be checked here.
The NX log file comes from NX and is written automatically into the ECTR log file folder upon closing the NX application.
Please set the DEBUG level in the NX syslog in the UGS Application folder in the file default.txt. UGII_D_DEBUG_LEVEL=3.
Conversion of Files during Save
You can find these logs in convlogs\converter_logs.
NX_Create3DViewables 2018_06_15 10.41.21-012124-253045.log
Logs the creation of neutral formats from NX (e.g. JTs from PRT). Creates a conversion log for every DIR. If an error occurs, the log is created anyway. Named after the converted file.
Testing consistency of DTypes
Report_JJJJ-MM-TT_HH-MIN-SEC_r##
Is created if configuration issues exists.
errormessageTT.MM.JJJJ_HH.MIN.SEC.txt
Any popups describing issues are logged separately.
Runtime Environment
plm_env.txt
Lists all preferences in a simple list, this includes Windows preference variables and all preference variables from plm_initialize.bat and plm_setenv.bat
Analysis example - How to trace down an issue
- You need the time stamp when the issue happened:
- Take a look inside the console.log. It shows you the process which is called:
- With the API-Log number you will find the called RFC FM and the parameters of this call:
- With the error information "| E | /DSCSAG/PLM | 094 | The documenttype UGM is not designed to be used with a changemaster. |" you can take a look in the RFC FM what returned the error:
- Now you know that in table TDWA (document type customizing from transaction DC10) the document type is not customized to be used for a change number:
