Posting Logs
Frequently, when attempting to resolve a problem, users will be asked for logfiles. Uploading the logs and suppling the address is a good way to provide that data when using a mailing list or on IRC.
Contents
Quick start
pastebinit <logfileName>
That simple command returns:
http://paste.ubuntu.com/1405788/
which can be cut and pasted to the #mythtv-users IRC channel or to a response on the mythtv-users mailing list.
It would be wise to check the size of a logfile before doing this. If the file has days/months of data in it, edit the file. Go to the end and search backwards for a string that looks similar to this.
mythbackend version: master [v0.27-pre2-278-g3eef99e]
and chop off everything above it.
Note: This method is not to be used when posting logfiles
for trouble tickets in Trac. Use its Attach file button to logs
and --version
output.
Where are the logfiles stored?
This depends on the distribution and or personal configurations.
Typical locations are /var/log/syslog
and files under
/var/log/mythtv
. If necessary, typing ps ax | grep mythProgramName | grep -v grep
will display the options used by a running MythTV program. Most likely
that will be mythbackend
. See Logging for more detail.
If running a command manually, the logfile can be placed in /tmp
. For example:
mythshutdown --lock -v general --loglevel info --logpath /tmp
.
Why bother?
Providing an entire logfile gives the person attempting to diagnose a problem the MythTV version information. It also provides events leading up to an error. Also, be it a terminal, email client or some pastebins, long lines from logfiles frequently get folded. Which is easier to read, this:
2012-12-02 08:56:09.859586 C [3008/3008] thread_unknown mythcommandlineparser.cpp: 2545 (ConfigureLogging) - mythbackend version: master [v0.27-pre2-278-g3eef99e-dirty] www.mythtv.org 2012-12-02 08:56:09.859608 C [3008/3008] thread_unknown mythcommandlineparser.cpp:2547 (ConfigureLogging) - Qt version: compile: 4.8.1, runtime: 4.8.1 2012-12-02 08:56:09.859613 N [3008/3008] thread_unknown mythcommandlineparser.cpp:2549 (ConfigureLogging) - Enabled verbose msgs: general 2012-12-02 08:56:09.859699 N [3008/3008] thread_unknown logging.cpp:852 (logStart) - Setting Log Level to LOG_INFO 2012-12-02 08:56:09.860504 I [3008/3008] thread_unknown signalhandling.cpp:194 (SetHandlerPrivate) - Setup Interrupt handler 2012-12-02 08:56:09.860514 I [3008/3008] thread_unknown signalhandling.cpp:194 (SetHandlerPrivate) - Setup Terminated handler 2012-12-02 08:56:09.860522 I [3008/3008] thread_unknown signalhandling.cpp:194 (SetHandlerPrivate) - Setup Segmentation fault handler 2012-12-02 08:56:09.860529 I [3008/3008] thread_unknown signalhandling.cpp:194 (SetHandlerPrivate) - Setup Aborted handler 2012-12-02 08:56:09.860536 I [3008/3008] thread_unknown signalhandling.cpp:194 (SetHandlerPrivate) - Setup Bus error handler 2012-12-02 08:56:09.860543 I [3008/3008] thread_unknown signalhandling.cpp:194 (SetHandlerPrivate) - Setup Floating point exception handler ...
or this:
2012-12-02 08:56:09.859586 C [3008/3008] thread_unknown mythcommandlineparser.cpp:2545 (ConfigureLogging) - mythbackend version: master [v0.27-pre2-278-g3eef99e-dirty] www.mythtv.org 2012-12-02 08:56:09.859608 C [3008/3008] thread_unknown mythcommandlineparser.cpp:2547 (ConfigureLogging) - Qt version: compile: 4.8.1, runtime: 4.8.1 2012-12-02 08:56:09.859613 N [3008/3008] thread_unknown mythcommandlineparser.cpp:2549 (ConfigureLogging) - Enabled verbose msgs: general 2012-12-02 08:56:09.859699 N [3008/3008] thread_unknown logging.cpp:852 (logStart) - Setting Log Level to LOG_INFO 2012-12-02 08:56:09.860504 I [3008/3008] thread_unknown signalhandling.cpp:194 (SetHandlerPrivate) - Setup Interrupt handler 2012-12-02 08:56:09.860514 I [3008/3008] thread_unknown signalhandling.cpp:194 (SetHandlerPrivate) - Setup Terminated handler 2012-12-02 08:56:09.860522 I [3008/3008] thread_unknown signalhandling.cpp:194 (SetHandlerPrivate) - Setup Segmentation fault handler 2012-12-02 08:56:09.860529 I [3008/3008] thread_unknown signalhandling.cpp:194 (SetHandlerPrivate) - Setup Aborted handler 2012-12-02 08:56:09.860536 I [3008/3008] thread_unknown signalhandling.cpp:194 (SetHandlerPrivate) - Setup Bus error handler 2012-12-02 08:56:09.860543 I [3008/3008] thread_unknown signalhandling.cpp:194 (SetHandlerPrivate) - Setup Floating point exception handler ...
What if pastbinit
isn't on a system?
If the program doesn't exist, it will be necessary to use the distributions package manager to get a copy. Readers are encouraged to update this Wiki with their distribution's method.
For *buntu:
sudo apt-get install pastebinit
A quick note on customization
By adding a file like this, users can save their
pastebinit
preferences: