Log Management

Description

Automate Desktop can maintain a log file that documents various events and messages. Automate Desktop provides External Database Logging which can instruct remote Automate Desktop clients (also known as Runtime components) to log events to an external database such as MySQL or Oracle. This section allows users to set preferences pertaining to Automate Desktop's logging capabilities, including storage location, external datasource configuration and the ability to trim the log at a specific value.

To access Log Management settings, from the Task Administrator, navigate to Options > System Settings > Log Management.

Related Topics

Parameters

Property Description
Enable text logging If enabled, Automate Desktop logs task, audit, and system events in separate text files (enabled by default). Automate Desktop Runtime components also log an audit log file. These files can then be viewed using the Automate Desktop Event Log located in the Task Administrator, or using any standard text editor.
Location for Task Log file Specifies where task events are logged. The default location (C:\ProgramData\Automate Desktop\Automate Desktop 2024\Logs\AutoMate11TaskEvents.txt) is dependent on the operating system that Automate Desktop is installed on.

To select a different location, click the folder icon and browse to the desired location or manually enter the path and file name in the provided text box. Entering a custom location automatically overrides the default log file location. This parameter is active only if the Enable text logging parameter is enabled.
Task log information Specifies what data to include in the task log file. This parameter is active only if the Enable text logging parameter is enabled. The available options are:

  • Task start - If enabled, task start date/time is logged (enabled by default).

  • Task end - If enabled, task end date/time is logged (enabled by default).

  • Step start - If enabled, start date/time of individual task steps is logged (enabled by default).

  • Step detail - If enabled, detailed information regarding each step is logged (enabled by default).

  • Step end - If enabled, end date/time of individual task steps is logged (enabled by default).
Location for Audit log file Specifies where audit events are logged. The default location is C:\ProgramData\Automate Desktop\Automate Desktop 2024\Logs\Automate Desktop11TaskEvents.txt.

To select a different location, click the folder icon and browse to the desired location or manually enter the path and file name in the provided text box. Entering a custom location automatically overrides the default log file location. This parameter is active only if the Enable text logging parameter is enabled.
Location for System log file Specifies where system events should be logged. The default location is C:\ProgramData\Automate Desktop\Automate Desktop 2024\Logs\Automate Desktop11TaskEvents.txt.

To select a different location, click the folder icon and browse to the desired location or manually enter the path and file name in the provided text box. Entering a custom location automatically overrides the default log file location. This parameter is active only if the Enable text logging parameter is enabled.
System log information Specifies the data to include in the system log file. This parameter is active only if the Enable text logging parameter is enabled. The available options are:
  • Verbose information - If enabled, detailed system events information are logged (enabled by default).
  • Brief information - If enabled, brief system events information are logged (enabled by default).
  • Warnings - If enabled, warnings are logged (enabled by default).
  • Errors - If enabled, errors are logged (enabled by default).
Trim log at Specifies the size (in KB) or percentage the log file should reach before being automatically trimmed. Trimming starts at the specified size and is performed on a regular basis to maintain that size. The default value is 5000 KB or 25%. Use the up/down arrows to modify the value or manuall enter the desired value in the provided text box. This parameter is active only if the Enable text logging parameter is enabled.
Enable Database Logging If selected, Automate Desktop events are written to an external datasource (disabled by default). Select Configure to configure the datasource, which presents a standard OLEDB connection string dialog. Automate Desktop automatically creates and maintains the tables in this database when logging starts. The Automate Desktop events are then viewed using the Automate Desktop Event Viewer of the Task Administrator, or queried against like any other database in your database server.
Configure Allows configuration of the external datasource string. The database must already be present before Automate Desktop starts in order for database logging to work correctly. This parameter is active only if the Enable Database Logging parameter is enabled.
Automatically trim Automate Event Log If selected, allows automatic trimming of the database log. The available trim options are days or months. Trimming starts at the specified date value and is performed on a regular basis to maintain that size. The default setting is 6 months. This parameter is active only if the Enable Database Logging parameter is enabled.