Working with the logging configuration file

Setting the trace level in the API log to DEBUG trace setting can greatly increase the speed with which you resolve the problem. The dklog.log file is generated any time IBM® Content Manager is used. Almost every IBM Content Manager application uses the APIs, such as the system administration client.

The cmblogconfig.properties file contains the following default settings:

• It uses the default log manager.
• The default log file name is dklog.log.
• The dklog.log file is placed in the IBMCMROOT/log/connectors directory, where IBMCMROOT is the installation path for IBM Content Manager.
• Logging priority is set to Error.
• The maximum number of exceptions of the same error message ID to allow is 5.

You can find the location of the cmblogconfig.properties file by viewing the console information for the application. If the properties file is found on the machine where the application is installed and the ICMFORCECONSOLELOG environment variable is set to true or TRUE, then the path of the properties file is added to the console log after the application starts. If the properties file is not found, then a message stating that the file is not found is added to the console log. A similar message is also added for the icmcmconfig.properties file. The path information for the icmcmconfig.properties file varies depending upon whether the application is a Java™ or C++ application. For a Java application, the console displays only that the file is found because it does not resolve the part of the path contained in the CLASSPATH environment variable. For a C++ application, the entire path is displayed.

Performance tips

• When the trace setting of the API log is set higher than ERROR, the overall performance is greatly reduced while the system is providing extensive information to the log file. When debugging is complete, reset the API log trace setting to the default level of ERROR or less.
• Delete old IBM Content Manager logs (dklog.log). When debugging, you can focus on the current error and events just before it if you keep the API log file size and content to a minimum. This step can help you to avoid searching a large file and can increase the speed to resolution.

Modifying the API trace level

To modify the API trace level, you need to edit the cmblogconfig.properties file.

1. Open the cmblogconfig.properties file that is located in IBMCMROOT in a text editor.
   Tip: Make a backup of the cmblogconfig.properties file before you modify it.
2. In section 0 (global settings), specify a maximum exception count. The default value is 5.
3. In section 1 (log manager factory setting), choose between using the default log manager or log4j.
4. In section 2.1 (specify log priority), choose a log priority. Priorities range from DISABLE to DEBUG. The log priority parameter is defined at the end of the section in a key-value pair. If you are using the default logger, the default log priority setting is DKLogPriority=ERROR. If you are using the log4j logging framework, the default log priority setting is DKAPIJavaLogLevel=ERROR. The priorities are:

   DISABLE

   Disables logging.

   FATAL

   Provides information that the program encountered unrecoverable errors and must cease operating immediately. Stopping the program is done separately, not from the logging facility.

   ERROR

   Provides information that the program encountered recoverable or unrecoverable errors, but is able to continue operating.

   PERF

   Used to collect output information for measuring performance.

   INFO

   Provides significant event messages, such as successful logon.

   TRACE_NATIVE_API

   Used for logging before and after a native call. This setting provides parameters and return data information.

   TRACE_ENTRY_EXIT

   Used for signaling entries and exits of program modules (or code blocks).

   TRACE

   Used to output additional diagnostic information, such as program state changes, function parameter information, and function return value information.

   DEBUG

   Used to output information for debugging errors.

5. In section 2.2 (log output destination setting), specify where to log information. The log output destination parameter is defined in a key-value pair. You can choose from three options for DKLogOutputSetting:

   1

   Log to a file.

   2

   Log to Standard Error.

   3

   Log to Standard Console.

   The default setting is DKLogOutputSetting=1.

6. If you chose to log to a file (DKLogOutputSetting=1), you must also specify the log file name and log file size settings in section 2.3. Section 2.3 contains two key-value pairs, which define the log file name and output size (in megabytes).
   • The default file name is DKLogOutputFileName=dklog.log.
   • The default output size is DKLogOutputFileSize=5.