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Logging the activity of Studio for InDesign and InCopy

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Logging the activity of Studio for InDesign and InCopy is useful when troubleshooting any technical issues that may be experienced when working with Studio for InDesign and InCopy.

The following types of logging are available:

  • Logging network requests
  • Generic logging

Logging network requests

Network requests and responses — typically those from SOAP — can be captured for further analysis. Each call is logged in an individual file.

Note: This type of logging is meant to be used temporarily for detailed analysis because the required storage space will grow significantly.

  • File: WWSettings.xml file
  • Name of option: LogFile
  • Location: anywhere between the <Settings> </Settings> tags
  • Values:
  • RequestBuffer: the path to where the log files should be stored.
  • ResponseBuffer: the path to where the log files should be stored.
  • SOAPResponse: the path to where the log files should be stored.
  • SOAPRequest: the path to where the log files should be stored.
  • Advanced: set to true when a sub folder needs to be created per session, in which all calls are called sequentially. When not set or set to false, per type of call only the last one will be saved (overwriting any previous one). Required storage space will stay about the same, but now only the last call of each type can be traced and there is no way to determine the call sequence.
  • Example: 
<SCEnt:LogFile
   RequestBuffer="Macintosh HD:log"
   ResponseBuffer="Macintosh HD:log"
   SOAPResponse="Macintosh HD:log"
   SOAPRequest="Macintosh HD:log"
   Advanced="true" 
   />

Important: Make sure to validate the WWSettings.xml file for correct content. See Validating the WWSettings.xml file.

Generic logging

The generic logging mechanism writes information about the internals of Studio for InDesign and InCopy to a log file.

Notes: 

  • To prevent these files from growing to enormous file sizes, Studio for InDesign and InCopy creates a new file at the start of each session and stores the old file in a separate folder, using the date as the folder name.
  • Enabling generic logging results in a slightly slower performance of Studio for InDesign and InCopy.

File names

Application Remarks File name

InDesign

Without Assets for InDesign installed. WWLog_InDesign.txt

InDesign

With Assets for InDesign installed.

See Enabling logging for Assets for InDesign.

 Log_InDesign.txt
InCopy   WWLog_InCopy.txt

Location

  • MacOS: /Users/<username>/Library/Application Support/WoodWing.noindex/
  • Windows: Users\<username>\AppData\Local\WoodWing\

Areas

Specific areas can be included or excluded from logging.

Area Remarks
user Used for all user input and output (dialog and menu access, drag-and-drop, ALT-key pressed, and so on).
server Used for all high level server input and output (on SOAP level).
server detailed Used for all low level server input and output (on HTTP, MIME, and DIME level).
broadcast Used for all received messages from a messaging service (Broadcasting or RabbitMQ).
scripting Used for all input and output via scripts.
idletask Used for all idle tasks.
startup Used when the system starts up.
error Used for Error level log statements.
Profile_ Used for the output of WWTimers which are used for performance measurements.
default Used when an area does not relate to any other existing area.

Enabling Generic logging

Generic logging can be enabled by using one of the following methods:

  • The WWSettings.xml file. This method is for system administrators who want to make sure that users use a specific method. When setting the method through the WWSettings.xml file, the corresponding Preference in InDesign (see later in this article) is disabled, thereby preventing these users from changing the setting.
  • An InDesign preference. This method is typically used for temporarily logging only a particular operation after which the option is disabled again.
  • Scripting. This method is used as part of a scripting process.

WWSettings.xml file

This method is for system administrators who want to make sure that users use a specific method. When setting the method through the WWSettings.xml file, the corresponding Preference in InDesign (see later in this article) is disabled, thereby preventing these users from changing the setting.

  • File: WWSettings.xml file
  • Name of option: Logging
  • Location: anywhere between the <Settings> </Settings> tags
  • Values:
  • level: Defines the type of information that should be logged:
  • 0 = All. Everything is logged. The logs contains general information about the process.
  • 2 = Info. Logging information of level 'Info', 'Warning' and 'Error' is logged.
  • 5 = Warning. Logging information of level 'Warning' and 'Error' is logged. The log contains information about actions that may potentially lead to problems.
  • 8 = Error. Logging information of level 'Error' is logged. The log contains information about errors during the processing in InDesign/InCopy.
  • 0 = Only the listed areas are logged.
  • 1 = All areas are logged.
  • Example:

<Logging level="0" allareas="1"></Logging>

Important: Make sure to validate the WWSettings.xml file for correct content. See Validating the WWSettings.xml file.

Logging specific areas only

Instead of logging all areas, specific areas can be targeted or excluded. This is done by using the following elements:

  • <Area>: The defined area is ignored when 'allareas' is set to "1".
  • <ExArea>: The defined area is ignored when 'allareas' is set to "0".

Example: Here, 'allareas' is set to zero, meaning that only the listed areas are logged which in this case are SCEnt-Workspace and SCEnt-Logon.

<Logging level="0" allareas="0">
   <Area name="SCEnt-Workspace"/>
   <Area name="SCEnt-Logon"/>
</Logging>

InDesign preference

Use this method to temporarily log only a particular operation.

This preference is available when Assets for InDesign is installed.

Notes:

  • When this setting is configured through the WWSettings.xml file, the preference cannot be changed.
  • When logging is enabled through this preference, everything is logged for all areas (Level 0 and Areas 1, see the WWSettings.xml settings earlier in this article).
  • Disabling the preference will delete the current log file. If needed, make a backup of this file first (see Location earlier in this article).

Use the following preference: 

Preferences > WoodWing > Enable Logging

The Logging preference.

Tip: Quickly access the Log folder by clicking Open Log Folder.

Scripting

To enable or disable logging through scripting, set the following option to 'true' or 'false':

Application.woodwingLogging

After setting the option, logging is immediately affected.

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