같 같같 같같 같같 같같같 같같� 굇 굇 굇 굇 굇 굇 굇 굇 굇 굇 께 께 께 께 께 께께 께께� 굇 굇 굇 굇 굇 굇 굇 굇 굇 굇 같같같 같같 같같� 같같� 같같같 같 같 v3.0 by Colonel Hawk Productions Introduction ------------ Have you ever wondered how much time you've actually spent on every game you have. Now you can get reliable statistics by using Logger. It will tell you the total amount of time spent and also the average length of a single session plus much more! You can view the top 15 lists to get a reliable sorting of your favourite games and programs, intelligent comparison, commentary on sessions, activity tables and much more! And after the installation procedures Logger works completely on its own. And here's how it's all done: Updating from version 1.0 ------------------------- If you use Logger v1.0 you should know that the log files aren't completely compatible. If you have an old log file any efforts by Logger to read it result in an error. But you don't have to delete the log file and start a new one, no way. LOGGER CONFIG command has an updating feature in it so all you have to do is run v3.0 LOGGER CONFIG and answer the questions. After that your log file works fine with Logger v3.0. Version 2.0 works fine with this release. Installation ------------ Logger is really simple to use once everything is set up. First of all, you need to specify a directory where the log file is stored. Assign the path to an enviroment variable LOGGER, ie. add this line to your AUTOEXEC.BAT SET LOGGER=d:\[path] where d: is the drive and [path] the directory. Also needed is the path to save the temporary files. If you have a RAM-drive, assign it in the TEMP variable: SET TEMP=d:\[path] The TEMP variable is also used by many other applications to store temporary files so it's useful to have even if you don't use Logger. If TEMP is not defined, Logger uses the LOGGER variable for its temporary files. If it isn't defined either, the main directory is used all the time. It is assumed that you use a batch file, an alias or similar method to start your programs, as it is the easiest way to use Logger. Assume this is one of your batch files: @echo off cd\games\sherlock sherlock.exe cd\ Now you must have Logger run before and after Sherlock. Add the lines: @echo off cd\games\sherlock \[path]\logger ON <------------ [path] is the directory where sherlock.exe Logger is stored cd\ | \[path]\logger OFF Sherlock <--------/ Once that's done to all your batch files, Logger will work automatically and doesn't bother you at all. ATTENTION! The two Logger-commands must be added to the batch file which runs the final EXE or COM file. If the batch runs another batch file, its execution will be terminated. 4DOS's CALL-command is an exception. Logger functions ---------------- Logger can be run in seven ways: (parameters in brackets are optional) LOGGER ON LOGGER OFF NAME [/NB | /ND] LOGGER ALL [name] [/U | /S] LOGGER [name] LOGGER LASTDEL LOGGER CONFIG LOGGER /? LOGGER ON starts the logging procedure and creates a temporary file in the directory defined in TEMP, or if missing, in LOGGER, or if missing, in the main directory. Logger doesn't stay memory resident to insure total compatibility with all applications - even the size like Windows 3.1, just as long as you exit it before shutting down. LOGGER ON is used right before starting a program. Notice that Logger v3.0 can log several programs simultaneously. For more information, please check chapter 칂imultaneous logging�. LOGGER OFF NAME completes the logging procedure, removes the temporary file after reading it and then updates the info stored in the file LOGGER.LOG. [name] is the name of the application which tells Logger the title under which the info is to be stored. It is very important not to change this name after logs have been made since Logger will start logging under a new name and the statistics won't be correct any more. You can of course change the name in LOGGER.LOG as well - it's perfect ASCII code. During the off-sequence Logger shows all the data you would get with the plain LOGGER command in addition to the info displayed on the program in question and the last session. Note also that sessions that last less than 10 seconds won't be logged since they usually have become that small due to an error of some kind. For detailed information, please check the chapter 칆hat you see with LOGGER OFF�. LOGGER ALL [name] comes handy when your Top 15 boards start having very high numbers and you often can't see all the programs there. The All-Logs list shows a maximum of 500 programs (which is the total capacity of Logger), sorted by a parameter of your choice. You can add '/U' for usage sorting or '/S' for session sorting. Sorting by used time is the default. 18 logs are shown on one screen. LOGGER LASTDEL removes the last log made by LOGGER OFF. This comes in handy for example if you normally play a game for an hour at a time but it for some reason quits after twelve seconds. This might look bad in you log but if you activate the LASTDEL command before another OFF, RUN or CONFIG the twelve seconds are removed. Twelve seconds may not seem important but the number of uses is decreased also so that the length of a session for that program stays correct. Of course this is optional. If you think that twelve second session is as good as any other, let it stay and forget about this command. LOGGER CONFIG initiates the configuration mode. You are asked several questions about how you want your logger configured. All the options are displayed in brackets [] and the one in capitals is the default. After you've answered all the questions you want they will be saved in your log file. When you log your very first log and thus create a new log file these questions are asked automatically. For further information on the question, please check the chapter 츮onfiguring you Logger�. Note that LOGGER CONFIG also updates the log files of Logger v1.0. LOGGER /? gives a brief help in case you've forgotten something but is isn't meant to replace this document, so keep this file stored somewhere. For convenience Logger executes in this mode whenever a question mark (?) is used in the command line, so make sure there are none in your log names. LOGGER [name] shows you the statistics of the log. Current version shows Top 15 boards on total time, number of uses, length of session and program activity. On the right side are bars which show a clarifying view of the log. The percentage numbers show the amount of activity in relation to the base which can be defined in the configuration seperately for each board. Below the 15 top programs are some sums or averages, depending on the board, which show a good general view of the activity. When the top 15 list is full, a dispersion value is added to show the balance between the programs. It shows how well distributed the activity is - the lower the number, the more evenly the activity is distributed among the top 15 programs. For detailed explanations please check the chapter 칂tatistics - a deeper look�. You can optionally define a name in the command line. This name will then be highlighted in the board and its information is also shown separately. If [name] hasn't made it to the board it will be shown just below the 15 programs as the sixteenth program. This is to show you how far from the top it is. If you encounter any errors or problems, refer to the chapter 츿roblem Solving�. If it doesn't help, you can contact the author by writing to the address at the end of this document or you may contact him at various BSSs in the Helsinki area. What you see with LOGGER OFF ---------------------------- When you logoff, the following info is displayed: /-------------------------------------\ | Time used in [name]: 01:20.34 | NOTE! The numbers in this box | Total time used in [name]: 07:38.30 | aren't relative to each other. | Total 7 sessions averaging 01:05:30 | \-------------------------------------/ When the program has been run at least five times and Logger has had time to figure out a more or less reliable average length of a session, the following line will be added: /------------------------------------------------------\ | Last session was 114% of normal length - as expected | \------------------------------------------------------/ It shows the length of the last session in relation to the estimation and a comment on it. The Top 15 boards will be shown after this unless you've chosen otherwise in the configuration. Also shown on red background in the righthand bottom corner is the current time. It's just to show you the time, nothing special. LIMITED DISPLAY ON LOGOFF _-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_ Adding a 'no display' command in the end of the command line will supress all writing on screen, the info explained above and the Top 15 boards that follow. Correct syntax: LOGGER OFF NAME /ND A blank is required between the name and the option as well as between the name and the OFF-command and it must be located after the name. Another option is the 'no boards' command which shows the data normally shown on logoff excluding the boards. This means no keypressing when exiting a program but still some info about how long it took. Correct syntax: LOGGER OFF NAME /NB Same rules apply as above. Simultaneous logging -------------------- Logger v3.0 can log up to 1000 programs simultaneously, that means at the same time. This means for example, that you could start Windows 3.1 and run Word under it and shell to DOS and run a game. Logger v3.0 can keep up with all these programs and log the time they've been used. Note that when you play your game, the time you spend is also considered spent in Word and Windows. All this is automatic, so you don't have to bother with the details. But if you don't use a RAM-drive as your TEMP-drive, rebooting the computer while within a program leaves the temporary log file behind. It doesn't bother Logger in any way but if this happens frequently, you may reach the 1000 log limit. Even this won't confuse Logger unless you are at the moment using simultaneous logging. Of course you can delete the files, but please make sure you don't have any real logs on at the moment as they won't be recorded if the temporary log file is missing. Note that when you run LOGGER ON and some log files already exist, the message line will inform you of the log file number so you can see when you're closing on the limit. And all this can be avoided if you make sure you quit all the programs before shutting down or just use a RAM-drive which most of us probably do. Of course if your computer hangs and you must reboot, the log can't be completed when a RAM-drive is in use but when using a real disk, you can manually type in the LOGGER OFF NAME command. But one log doesn't matter much, so a RAM-drive is definitely recommended if you have one. And it doesn't have to be a big one since each file takes up only 5 bytes. Statistics - a deeper look ---------- You can see four different Top 15 boards with Logger v3.0. First of all is the Top 15 Times board from which you can see those programs with which time really flies as you might get something like several hundred hours in that board. Next is the Top 15 Uses board which shows the most often used programs. You can see that you've played that game twice as many times as that other one - another way of showing program activity. The Top 15 Sessions board follows. It shows the 15 programs which usually take the longest time every time they're started. It's also great if you have only limited time and you want to play something as it shows how long each game probably will take until you're satisfied with it. The last board, the Top 15 Active Programs board is the combination of the three previous boards. It scores each program on total time, number of uses and length of session and gives out an activity analysis that covers everything. Top 15 Times shows the 15 programs that have been used the most. First is shown the name, then the total time used, then the percentage and finally the bar. The percentages show the relation between the each time and the chosen base which is defined in the configuration. 'Top' base defines the first program as the base, thus it having 100% and others less accordingly. 'Chosen Digit' base is a suitable amount of time defined by Logger to give a good range of percentages which may differ greatly. Sum-base defines the sum of all times as the base so the percentages show how large a portion of the total each log contributes. The bars are simply to show a demonstrative view of the times of each program. If the first program has a percentage number of 100%, the bar goes all the way to the right, if 50%, only half-way and so on. If the first log has a percentage number of more than 100%, the bars will be shortened in order for them to fit on the screen, but the proportions are the same. Below the 15 top programs is a sum of all the times. That tells you how long you've all in all spent your time with the programs in the log. Below it is another time, telling how much time the programs that aren't in the board have used. And when you have logged at least 15 different programs, that is, filled the top 15 list, the dispersion value appears next to the sum. It just shows how closely together most of the values are. The lower the value, the more evenly the activity is distributed. A comment is also given. NOTE! When a name is defined after LOGGER or LOGGER OFF command, the program in question will be highlighted in the boards. But if the program isn't in the Top 15 board, it will be shown right below it as the sixteenth log. Note that it isn't counted along with any calculations that affect the boards. It's there just to show you how far off it is. Every time when a name can be added to a command line, you only have to write a few first letters (except with LOGGER OFF, which requires a complete name). Logger will then locate a program that matches those letters. Top 15 Uses shows the 15 programs that have been run the most times. First is shown the name, then the total number of runs, then the percentage and finally the bar. The percentages show the relation between the program in question and the defined base. Top-base assigns the top program as the base thus it having 100% and the others less. Sum-base defines the total number of uses as the base and so each percentage number shows how great a portion it contributes to the total. Everything else is identical to Top 15 Times above. Top 15 Sessions shows which programs have the longest sessions, ie. the programs which are always used two hours at a time score high and those which are used for only a few minutes won't get very high. First is shown the name of the program, then the average length of a session, the the percentage and finally the bar. The percentage works just like that of Top 15 Times and also has a definable base in the configuration. Top value and Chosen digit have been explained previously, Average makes the average length of a session the base to which the percentages are to refer. Everything else is identical to Top 15 Times above. Top 15 Active Programs shows a combination of the three previous boards. It takes into account the scores the programs got and combines them to create this ultimate activity board. For a program to score high here, it needs to have been run many times and for a total of long time, but also the average session has to be relatively long. You also get an Activity Distribution value with a comment, just like the normal dispersion values in other boards. The bars and percentage values refer to the base which can be modified from the configuration. Top-base assigns the first score as the base and Max-base the largest possible score (300). Editing the Log file --------------------- Logger v3.0 now demands the programs to run for at least 10 seconds before logging will occur. This should eliminate the most trivial errors, like wrong directories and the like, from being logged. If something unusual still happens after the ten seconds and you wish to remove it from the log, LOGGER LASTDEL (described earlier) can easily remove the very last log made. If you want to edit the data otherwise, you are free to do so. You can use any text editor that saves the files in pure ASCII code (most text editors can be told to do so if they normally don't, consult your manual). The format used in the log file is kept simple for your convenience: "SHERLOCK",24,16348 All the lines look like this. First is the name of the game which has to be inside double quotes. After a comma follows the number of uses, another comma, and the time used in seconds. And that's it. You are free to modify the values as you see fit, although under normal circumstances you rarely have to worry about them. The very first line contains the info from the configuration and the info for LASTDEL command, so please do not edit them manually (or if you do, be careful). The last line should always be this: "[END]",0,0 At this point Logger stops processing the log file so don't add any entries after it. Version 2.0 and lower do not have this line, but do not worry. In those versions an EOF-marker was required at the end of the file but Logger v3.0 also recognizes it correctly. This means no compatibility problems and Logger automatically adds the ending line to files not containing it allowing for more editors to access the log file. Configuring your Logger ------------------------ All the questions are listed here with explanations: 1. Display Top Ten Times at logoff? [Y/n] Defines whether the Top Ten Times board will be shown every time you finish using a program which is recorded on the log. Yes is the default. 2. Display Top Ten Uses at logoff? [Y/n] Defines whether the Top Ten Uses board will be shown every time you finish using a program which is recorded on the log. Yes is the default. 3. Display Top Ten Sessions at logoff? [Y/n] Defines whether the Top Ten Sessions board will be shown every time you finish using a program which is recorded on the log. Yes is the default. 4. Display Top Ten Active Programs at logoff? [Y/n] Defines whether the Top Ten Active Programs board will be shown every time you finish using a program which is recorded on the log. Yes is the default. 5. Top Ten Times percentages refer to Top time, Chosen digit or Sum? [t/C/s] Defines the base to which the percentages are to refer. The options are explained in Top Ten Times. Chosen Digit is the default. 6. Top Ten Uses percentages refer to Top time or Sum? [T/s] Defines the base to which the percentages are to refer. The options are explained in 칃op Ten Sessions�. Top Time is the default. 7. Top Ten Sessions percentages refer to Top time, Chosen digit or Average? [t/C/s] Defines the base to which the percentages are to refer. The options are explained in Top Ten Sessions. Chosen Digit is the default. 8. Top Ten Active Programs percentages refer to Top value or Maximum? [t/M] Defines the base to which the percentages are to refer. Top value makes the best value the base and Maximum the largest possible value. Maximum is the default 9. Graphic Bars' Length [2/3/4]: Defines to amount of space to reserve for the bars. Press 2 for 20 columns, 3 for 30 or 4 for 40. The last one is the default. The freed space will be given to the name field, allowing for larger program names. Problem solving --------------- Problem: Logger says the program took less than ten seconds even though it actually was much more. Cause: The program in question makes the internal clock run at different speed than normally and to prevent total chaos it changes the time to the one on start-up when exiting. Solution: Add the command 칃IME� in your batch file after the program and before the LOGGER OFF command. Then you'll be asked the time when you finish using the program and the correct time will be logged. This also corrects the time even if you don't use Logger with that program. Problem: Logger doesn't execute the LOGGER OFF command which is in a batch file. Cause 1: The batch file doesn't execute the program directly, but runs another batch file. This will terminate the first batch and LOGGER OFF command is ignored. Solution 1: Place the LOGGER OFF command in the batch file which runs the program directly or combine the two batch files by replacing the second batch file's name with the contents of the batch file in question. Cause 2: The program in itself interrupts the batch processing queue. Solution 2: There is nothing that can be done unless this action can be canceled from within the program. Consult the manual for the program in question. ---- THE FOLLOWING PROBLEM SHOULD ONLY OCCUR IN VERSIONS 2.0 AND LOWER ---- Problem: When I try to run Logger it just outputs "Error 62 has occured". Cause: Error 62 means that Logger tries to read from a file after it has ended. Logger reads the log file sequentially starting from the beginning and stops only when it runs into an End-Of-File character (CTRL-Z). Normally it is always there, but if you've edited the log file with an editor that doesn't add the character, this error occures (like MS-DOS 5.0+ editor). Solution: Just load the invalid log file to an editor which _does_ add the EOF marker (EDLIN for example) and save the file with it. Make sure there are no extra lines in the end of the file as they will surely cause this error. Problem: The Boards show no bars at all. Cause: You're using v3.0 for the first time and haven't run Logger in CONFIG mode. Since a new definable variable has been added in this version concerning the bars, Logger gets a zero reading. Solution: Run Logger in CONFIG mode once. Possible further improvement ---------------------------- - grouped program logs for separate viewing - more advanced editor to replace LOGGER LASTDEL command - anything you might come up with... - and much more, no doubt! Contacting the author --------------------- Logger v3.0 is freeware and under continuous improvement. Any new ideas, bug reports and inquiries about using Logger are welcome at the following address (use english or finnish in your letters): Tarmo Toikkanen Ruusulankatu 19 A 27 00250 Helsinki 25 Finland CH - 03.01.1993