New article
Recently updated
Understanding Logging
Who is this article for?Users who want to understand more about logging.
Server Access will be required to complete some of these steps.
This guide explains what logging takes place with Please Review. Note that if we host your
1. Web application (TaraWeb)
Events occurring within the web user interface hold the potential to be recorded in the TaraWeb.log file, located by default under Runtime\log\ where Please Review is installed. Depending on the set level, these events may encompass:
- Errors displayed on screen.
- Login attempts.
- Synchronisation of workgroups linked to external sources initiated in the Workgroup Management then Members screen.
Access to these logs is granted in the Admin section for SYSADMIN users.
Note: The current log is inaccessible due to locking. Only previous logs are accessible. Moreover, on load-balanced servers, logs are viewable from only one server, necessitating login to all servers to access all logs.
2. Service (TaraService)
Events occurring in the background have the potential to be recorded in the TaraService.log file, typically located under Runtime\log\ where Please Review is installed. Depending on the configured level, these events may encompass:
- Attempts to send emails.
- Details of document preparation.
- Full synchronisations of users and workgroups from external sources as part of regular scheduled tasks or triggered early via the AdminClient.
Access to these logs is granted in the Admin section for SYSADMIN users.
Note: The current log is inaccessible due to locking, with only older logs available for viewing. Additionally, on load-balanced servers, these logs may only be visible from a single server, necessitating login to all servers for comprehensive access.
3. Logging levels
By default, both the web application and service logging levels are set to INFO, but this can be adjusted to provide more detailed information as needed. The logging level can be modified within the Runtime\bin\AdminClient.exe by a user with permission to edit configuration files.
Further customization, including log rotation settings, can be made in the Runtime\config\TaraWeb.logging.config or TaraService.logging.config files. These settings dictate the number of rollover files maintained and their respective sizes. DEBUG mode offers the highest level of detail and may be requested by Support for diagnosing specific issues, as outlined in the article Enabling DEBUG logging.
3.1 Higher Logging Impact
The Development team cautions against prolonged use of the higher DEBUG logging level due to potential performance impacts and increased server space consumption. While the impact is typically minimal, if performance challenges arise, reducing the logging level may be advisable.
4. Other error logging
When encountering an 'Oops' error, the PR error logging system activates, producing an error number in the format of the reversed date and time (e.g., "20240318165730123.txt" indicating an error at 16:57:30 on March 18, 2024). This file contains a trace and session data, including user login details and accessed URLs, facilitating debugging. Related errors may also be logged in the TaraWeb.log file.
Document preparation failures generate a log file starting with "Prepare," detailing the attempted steps, excluding certain PDF methods or upload issues. The absence of a Prepare log may require consultation of TaraService or TaraWeb logs, depending on the nature of the problem, aiding Support in diagnosing preparation issues.
Likewise, a failure to download a document for zone editing in Word generates a log file beginning with "Download," assisting in diagnosis.
All mentioned logs are accessible in the Admin section for SYSADMIN users. However, on load-balanced servers, they are visible from only one server, necessitating access to all servers for a comprehensive review. These logs are stored under Runtime\data\log.
Failed email transmissions are visible on the email status screen during review or the admin page for system emails. Additionally, such failures may be logged in TaraService.log, contingent on the logging level. Subsequent failures after initial acceptance are logged by the mail sending server. For further email troubleshooting, refer to the guide on Troubleshooting email sending.
5. IIS access logs
These logs detail all the pages accessed in PR. By default, they are located under C:\inetpub\logs\LogFiles\W3SVCn, where "n" denotes the site ID, which can be found by selecting sites in IIS.
To identify the underlying pages accessed in PR, which may be within frames and thus may not change the web address in the address bar as you navigate, look for entries with "cs-uri-stem" of "/Main/DocumentUploader.aspx" and "cs-uri-query" of "reviewid=123" to track actions such as document additions or removals in the user interface. However, note that other methods, such as integrations, may also be used. If you have access to a search facility allowing regular expressions, you could search for patterns such as:
"/Main/DocumentUploader.aspx *.reviewid=123"
The dates and times in these logs are in UTC time zone by default, regardless of the server's time zone. Therefore, when correlating events with the TaraWeb.log or user actions, adjust for this time difference. If importing these logs into another reader, note that they use a space-separated variable format.
Access to these logs requires server access, making this information primarily relevant to on-premises customers. Additionally, determining URLs and other recorded details falls outside the scope of Support.