### 4.2 Logging conversion events

Whenever you convert a document, by default DITA2Go records conversion events in a plain ASCII log file located in the project directory. This event log lists files opened and any error messages or warnings that are produced during conversion. At the start of the next conversion run, DITA2Go appends the finished event log to a history file before starting a new log.

To disable logging, or to change the name or location of the log file, history file, or log text editor:

    [Logging]
    ; UseLog = Yes (default, log as specified in this section) or No
    UseLog = No
    ; LogFileName = name with path (absolute, or relative to project dir)
    LogFileName = d2g_log.txt
    ; EditorFileName = text editor executable to display log if errors
    EditorFileName = notepad.exe
    ; ShowLog = Yes (default, display log in text editor if errors or
    ; warnings) or No
    ShowLog = Yes
    ; HistoryFileName = name with path of cumulative log history, to which
    ; the contents of LogFileName are appended.
    HistoryFileName = _d2g_history.txt

The default name of the log file is _d2g_log.txt, and the default name of the history file is _d2g_history.txt. Unless you specify a different path for LogFileName or for HistoryFileName, DITA2Go writes the log file and history file to the project directory. If you specify a relative path, that path is relative to the project directory.

At the start of a conversion DITA2Go appends the contents of any existing log file (named by LogFileName) to the history file named by HistoryFileName, then deletes the contents of the old log file. Because the purpose of the log is to make diagnosing problems easier, the DITA2Go Project Manager appends log entries to the history file for successive conversions. A key diagnostic approach is to compare entries from successive conversion runs, and not necessarily just the last two runs.

When ShowLog=Yes, if you are running the conversion from the DITA2Go Project Manager, if any warnings or errors occur, the Project Manager pops up the log file in the editor named by EditorFileName. The default editor is notepad.exe. If you specify a text editor that is not on the system execution path, you must include its full path in the value for EditorFileName. If you are running DITA2Go from the command line, each DITA2Go DLL pops up the log file if errors or warnings are encountered.

When UseLog=Yes, you can specify the type and the importance (or level of severity) of events DITA2Go reports in the log file:

    [Logging]
    ; These take severity values, 1 (greatest) to 9 (least),
    ; or 0 to prevent logging (except for LogInfo)
    ; LogErrors = 1 (default, log events that terminate a process)
    LogErrors = 1
    ; LogWarnings = 1 (default, log problems with workarounds that might
    ; result in undesired output)
    LogWarnings = 1
    ; LogQuerys = 1 (default, log possible ambiguities)
    LogQuerys = 1
    ; LogInfo = 1 (default, log process information; 0 is ignored)
    LogInfo = 1
    ; LogDebug = 0 (default, do not log possible programming issues)
    LogDebug = 0

Log entry types are as follows:

E | Error: process terminated
W | Warning: problem with a workaround
Q | Query: possible ambiguity
I | Information only
D | Debug: possible programming issue

By default, DITA2Go logs only the most important or severe events (level 1), but not less important or less severe events (levels 2 through 9). At level 1 only the most important processing events are logged, such as the start of processing for each DITA file and the identity of the software module doing the processing. Unless you specify otherwise DITA2Go does not log events classified as debugging issues.

Note: When UseLog=Yes, process information is always logged, even if you set LogInfo=0.

Each log entry appended to the log file includes the following information:

- timestamp (if different from the previous entry), on a line by itself
- event type (E, W, Q, I, or D)
- severity level or importance (from 1 = most severe or important to 9 = least severe or important)
- event description.

Flagging undefined formats

By default, DITA2Go logs a warning about any format that is referenced but not defined. If you get tired of seeing warnings about undefined formats:

    [Logging]
    ; ShowUndefinedFormats = Yes (default) or No
    ShowUndefinedFormats = No

Recording configuration chains

In addition to logging conversion events, you can have DITA2Go include in the event log all the chains of configuration files and templates referenced by your project:

    [Logging]
    ; LogIniChains = No (default) or Yes, list all chains
    LogIniChains = Yes

When LogIniChains=Yes, before listing events, DITA2Go shows the full path of every configuration file and template used in processing, in the order they are referenced by settings in the [Templates] section. For example:

    I1: Ini chain for Configs:
    I1:   _d2omnihelp.ini
    I1:   ..\_config\d2gug_htm_document.ini
    I1:   ..\_config\d2gug_document.ini
    I1:   g:\omnisys\d2g\local\config\local_d2omnihelp_config.ini
    I1:   g:\omnisys\d2g\system\config\d2omnihelp_config.ini
    I1:   g:\omnisys\d2g\local\config\local_d2help_config.ini
    I1:   g:\omnisys\d2g\system\config\d2help_config.ini
    I1:   g:\omnisys\d2g\local\config\local_d2htm_config.ini
    I1:   g:\omnisys\d2g\system\config\d2htm_config.ini
    I1:   g:\omnisys\d2g\local\config\local_d2g_config.ini
    I1:   g:\omnisys\d2g\system\config\d2g_config.ini
    I1:   g:\omnisys\common\local\config\local_omsys.ini
    I1:   g:\omnisys\common\system\config\omsys.ini
    I1: Ini chain for Languages:
    I1:   g:\omnisys\d2g\local\lang\local_d2g_lang_en.ini
    I1:   g:\omnisys\d2g\system\lang\d2g_lang_en.ini
    I1: Ini chain for Formats:
    I1:   ..\_config\d2gug_htm_formats.ini
    I1:   g:\omnisys\d2g\local\formats\local_d2htm_formats.ini
    I1:   g:\omnisys\d2g\system\formats\d2htm_formats.ini
    I1: Ini chain for SubFormats:
    I1:   ..\_config\d2gug_htm_subformats.ini
    I1:   g:\omnisys\d2g\local\formats\local_d2htm_subformats.ini
    I1:   g:\omnisys\d2g\system\formats\d2htm_subformats.ini

This output shows the chain of general configuration files and templates referenced from starting configuration file _d2omnihelp.ini, for a project to generate OmniHelp from DITA.

Previous Topic: 4.1.10 Specifying how to treat cases, spaces, and wildcards

Next Topic: 4.3 Identifying files and elements

Parent Topic: 4. Setting basic conversion options

Sibling Topics:

4.1 Specifying operating settings

4.3 Identifying files and elements

4.4 Processing graphics