Super-ExMerge produces both reports and logs that can be used to troubleshoot issues and to report on statistics and progress. This document will outline the various reports and logs produced, where to access them, and what each contains and how to interpret and use them.
Log Formats
XML Trace Logs
Most of the log files produced are XML trace logs. This is a common log format used by the .NET framwork and by many of Microsoft’s tools, applications, and services. The XML trace log format is an UNROOTED xml file. This essentially is to say that it is a list of XML fragments and is not a well formed XML file with a document declaration and a root node. This format was likely chosen to provide the structure of XML for the data, but with an easy way to quickly add new records at the end of the file. This detail is mentioned here in case attempts to parse this file are made with a standard XML parsing algorithm or library. If such a need exists, wrapping the contents of the log file in a custom XML root tag should allow for standard XML parsing and XPath selections. However, do NOT add the root tag to the file directly as it will break the ability to log to the file.
XML Trace Logs are easily opened, viewed, and analyzed with the Microsoft Service Trace Log Viewer application. A copy of this utility is installed with Super-ExMerge and is associated with the .svclog file extension. As such, double-clicking such a file will open it in the log viewer.
For information about the viewer and trace logs, please review the following Microsoft article: Service Trace Viewer Tool.
Simple Text Logs
Super-ExMerge may produce some simple plain text logs for cases where structured logging is unavailable or inappropriate. Such logs would be found in the application and module installation folders on the computer. One such file that can be produced is an “UnhandledExceptions.txt” file. This file, if one exists, contains .NET exceptions that could occur during executions and indicate an unexpected issue. Priasoft support may ask for such files if working a support case with a customer.
Windows Event Logs
Super-ExMerge does not directly log data to any of the Windows event logs. However, PowerShell and the Windows service controller may log entries indirectly about SuperExMerge. Such logs are outside of the control of Priasoft and the data in such logs are often simple “start/stop” messages or other informative “state” messages.
Report Formats
Super-ExMerge produces a few reports which are currently all created as CSV (comma-separated-values) files. Priasoft may add more reporting formats as the product evolves, and if so this document will be updated accordingly.
Specific Logs and Reports
Use the navigator on the left to review detail about specific logs and reports produced by Super-ExMerge.
