Automating troubleshooting debug data submissions

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ChrisGreaves
Posts: 684
Joined: Wed Jan 05, 2022 9:29 pm

Automating troubleshooting debug data submissions

Post by ChrisGreaves »

Suggestion: Some always-visible command button or at least a single menu item that captures and collates and ZIPs all available debugging information into a well-defined ZIP file that can be easily located on a user's system.

A recent post suggests that "the troubleshooting information might give some insight." and a quick search shows that as far back as 2013 "Debug output to a text file" was an issue.

I feel that debugging information is spread over many areas of Everything. A screenshot submission shows the version being used (unless the user has been playing with the title!) but most of the debugging data is in text form. Sadly some of this text is embedded within a pop-up pane, and must be copied to a Notepad text file for submission and the notepad text file saved before moving on to the next chunk of text data. (I understand that this is on a ToDo list somewhere).
But even then a user has to gather the various files and ZIP them in Windows before they can be attached to this installation of phpBB software.

In another post I wrote

a generic set of data that is likely to be of help, then it might
(1) Speed up analysis in a timely manner; many of us have to work around or try to fix the problem locally
(2) Reduce the amount of time you spend (Mea Culpa) in posting a response asking for a set of well-defined data.


When a user experiences a problem, that user would be able to execute a single command and know that all text data is safe and secure in a zip file on the user's hard drive.
The user then takes a screen snapshot, composes a message, and attached the zip file.

Voidtools will be provided, probably with an excess of debugging data, but at least, all the debugging data that the user might be expected to collect.

Since the zip file is well-defined by voidtools, voidtools knows where to look to ferret out useful data and can ignore other sections. The size of the file will be insignificant (it is ZIPped text)

Bonus: If voidtools decides that more debugging data will improve problem-solving, capture of that data can be implemented automatically by updating the "zipdebug" command without the user needing to worry about it.


Thanks, Chris
void
Developer
Posts: 16753
Joined: Fri Oct 16, 2009 11:31 pm

Re: Automating troubleshooting debug data submissions

Post by void »

Getting debug logs and ini settings is a pain in Everything 1.4.



I will consider a simple zip file with all debugging information.
Maybe even a button "Send to voidtools"
Thank you for the suggestions.



For now, the new Help -> Troubleshooting information should provide the user with clear information about their Everything setup and should make it easy enough for the user to copy and paste to a forum post / email reply.



Starting debug logging is much easier in Everything 1.5 from Tools -> Debug -> Start Debug Logging.
Tools -> Debug -> Stop Debug Logging will stop logging and open the debug log in Notepad.
It should be easy enough for the user to save this file to the desktop or copy/paste to a forum post / email reply.
It also allows the user to clearly see the information before it is sent anywhere.
I'm happy to help the user if they have any troubles with this process.

I am planning to keep the Tools -> Debug menu in release.
ChrisGreaves
Posts: 684
Joined: Wed Jan 05, 2022 9:29 pm

Re: Automating troubleshooting debug data submissions

Post by ChrisGreaves »

void wrote: Mon May 01, 2023 12:17 pm I will consider a simple zip file with all debugging information.
Maybe even a button "Send to voidtools"
Thank you. I especially like the automated launch of an email client with every scrap of data in place and the zip file already attached(possible?).
Cheers, Chris
void
Developer
Posts: 16753
Joined: Fri Oct 16, 2009 11:31 pm

Re: Automating troubleshooting debug data submissions

Post by void »

possible?
Yes, I will consider the option to create an email message where the user only needs to hit send.
Thanks for the suggestion.
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