Output Debug View

Output Debug Pane

The Output debug pane (shown below) contains detailed information about a running task and usually provides the best indication of why a task failed. As a task executes, information about each step is logged to the Output tab in real-time, including:

Step number
Action being performed
Completion or failure status of each step
Extended information on task failure (if a step fails)

Furthermore, each step may have its own debugging information that is written to the Output tab. For example, the Copy Files action outputs the name of each file being copied while it is executing. The Output tab is a very useful debugging tool because it can contain invaluable information about what a task is doing at any given time.

Right-click anywhere inside the Output pane to view the following items.

Menu Item	Description
Copy	Copies the highlighted data to the clipboard.
Select All	Selects all data that appears in the Output tab.
Clear	Clears the data that currently appears in the Output tab.
Save As	Saves output data as the specified file type/name (usually saved as a text file).
Stay On Top	If enabled, after undocking this panel, it will stay on top of all other undocked panels. This option is disabled by default.
Dockable	If enabled, allows the panel to be docked to its base once it is undocked. If disabled, you will not be able to re-dock the panel once it is undocked. This option is enabled by default. You can undock a panel by holding down and dragging its title bar away from the main window or double-clicking the title bar.

Managing Output Data

The contents of the Output window can be handled in several different ways. New output can be appended to the existing data in the Output window, or the window can be cleared before additional data is entered. Output data can be copied to the clipboard, and the contents can then be pasted into any application or window that accepts standard text. You can also save the contents of the Output tab to a standard text file.

To copy the contents of the Output tab:

Right-click anywhere in the Output window and select Copy. Then open the application of your choice (usually a text file) and use the Paste function.

To clear the contents of the Output tab:

Right-click anywhere in the Output window and select Clear.

- or -

On the Task Builder ribbon, click the Application button and navigate to Editor Options. Then click the Debugger tab and ensure Clear Output tab on run is selected. This will clear the Output window at the start of running any task. This option is enabled by default.

To save output data to a text file:

Right-click anywhere in the Output window and select Save As. Then select a file location (usually a text file), enter a file name, and click Save. The contents are saved as a standard Windows text file.