Running log window for MB3 - option gone in 5441.2

[dcauger 3]

I upgraded to Version 3.0.5441.2 this morning.

 

I've lost the logging window that used to exist in 5441.1.  I know you are supposed to be able to right click on the MB icon in the task bar, and that should present an option to open the logging window. That does not exist in 2012 server. I assume the same is true for Win 8. What I used to do is edit system.xml and change the logging window from 'false' to 'true'. This option seems to be gone in ). system.xml in the latest release. I assume I can add it, but am unsure of the exact language or where I can add that back in? If I can not, can we get that added back in? I really liked that option.

 

Thanks,

Dean

[ebr 14904]

This is gone for now.  Hopefully, it will be back in the future.

[dcauger 3]

Thank you - Ill anxiously await its return!

[dcauger 3]

CBW ,

 

I'm fighting a problem with roku and MB3 server (see post in roku section - I'm about to update it with questions). My temporary solution was to uninstall the beta MB3 and re-install at the 5441 release to get the logging window back. Last night, a new non-beta release of MB came out (5445), and I am back to no logging window. I've tried adding <ShowLogWindow>true</ShowLogWindow> back into the correct place in the new version of system.xml and it did not work (not that I expected it to, I suspect the underlying code was removed). I can not co-ordinate events quite as easily without the log window (I am using the log window as a trigger to capture events in various other tools). 

 

I know I am only I guy asking... Could we put it back in and only enable it via system.xml?

 

Thanks,

Dean

[Luke 37015]

can't do it because i'm working to unify the tray icon for multiple operating systems as well as separate it into it's own executable. so if it's going to come back it's going to have to be re-done in a platform independent way.

[dcauger 3]

How by default the logging window spawns. Put a tick box in the web delivered UI to disable the logging window for those that don't want it?

 

Just forget the entire right-click on the icon to open option?

[Luke 37015]

i think you're missing what we're saying. it's a windows-only component, which in turn limits the tray icon to only function on windows, which in turn makes our build process a lot more difficult.  i appreciate that you want it, but as you saw we now have the server on about 10 operating systems, so if cutting the log window makes that easier then that's just how it goes. if it's going to come back it will have to be rebuilt with new technology. the best thing would be for someone else to create a standalone log viewer that uses the log files rather then embedding itself into the application. then if they want to just support it on windows only, they can make that choice.

[dcauger 3]

Here a temporary answer. I know it works on server 2012, I also tested it on Windows 7. From the desktop, Click start, then type powershell. Don't run the ISE, just powershell. Do the next few steps with mediabrowser server running. Below are 4 lines to paste into powershell. If your running windows 7 or better, you have powershell (I think its actually included in all versions starting at xp, but I am unsure).

 

change 'xxxxx' to your username in the first line of the below powershell commands. Then paste those 4 lines into the powershell window (from above) and away you go.

 

Older version of powershell wont understand the "-tail" part of the 4th line . if you get a red error, remove the '-Tail 5' from the last line and you should be set. it will take a while to scroll through the active log file to get to the end (-Tail 5 = start displaying from tail of the log file 5 lines in). Once done, this will look real similar to the logging window we all knew and loved. The format is off a bit off, but still functional.

 

Powershell commands:

$MBpath = "C:\users\xxxxx\appdata\roaming\MediaBrowser-Server\logs"

$MBlogname = gci $MBpath | sort LastWriteTime | select -last 1

$MBpath = $MBpath + "\" + $MBlogname

Get-Content $MBpath -Tail 5 -Wait

 

 

Neat little bonus.. If you change the first line from your local drive to a remote host, as long as you have rights and a network path, you can run the logging window on your local machine to remotely monitor your MB server.  I did this to monitor my win 2012 server running the MB3 server from a windows 7 desktop.

 

Here are the modified commands to access a remote MB3 server (I removed the '-Tail 5' already):

$MBpath = "\\server\C$\users\XXXXX\appdata\roaming\MediaBrowser-Server\logs"

$MBlogname = gci $MBpath | sort LastWriteTime | select -last 1

$MBpath = $MBpath + "\" + $MBlogname

Get-Content $MBpath -Wait

 

In the first line, change the name 'server' to whatever your remote computer's host name is as well as the 'xxxxx' to your user name.

 

regardless of which one you choose, I suggest you change some of the properties a bit. To do this, right click on the title bar of the powershell window, select properties, then click the layout tab. Change the height buffer to 1000 (or whatever you want). I changed both my width buffer and width window size to 250 too.

 

I put this in a .ps1 script - Lots of pain to explain that as there is a security layer that you have to navigate with powershell that did not really exist with batch files. You can do this if you want, but I wont provide it. Dr. Google can walk you through that one.

 

I have used something like this in the past for other program's log files. I needed to add the component that looks for a newly created log file whenever MB server restarts. By changing the path, you could use this to monitor any program that dumps to a text file.

 

If neither of these work, try running powershell as administrator. Do the same thing as above, start -> type powershell -> right click powershell (without the ISE) -> run as administrator -> paste in the 4 lines..

 

DCA

[Luke 37015]

well done!

[berrick 28]

I too was wondering what had happened to these logs so hope they will return!

Thanks @dcauger saved me some time

Just for clarification PowerShell -wait is only available from version 3. If you want to check your version of PS use $PSVersionTable.PSVersion.

 

I guess if you have updates turned on you will have the latest version? it's KB2819745