Updated September 2011; see History

A-Shell maintains a log of significant events in the file ashlog.log, which can be an invaluable aid in monitoring a system and tracking down problems after they occur. By default it is found in the directory where the miame.ini file is, but the optional LOGDIR directory in the miame.ini can be used to put it somewhere else. The log automatically resets and archives several prior copies of itself (using ashlog.001, ashlog.002, up to ashlog.005) when it reaches a predetermined size (typically 3MB). The log will contain any critical or unusual error messages, plus any of a wide variety of information messages that can be configured using system trace options, which may be set by any of the following methods:

• TRACE statement(s) in the miame.ini. It is recommend that all A-Shell installations have TRACE=BASERR,SIGHUP,INOUT as a minimum.

• SET.LIT (SET TRACE xxxxx ON/OFF)

• call MIAMEX,MX_GETTRACE and MX_SETTRACE

Applications can also output directly to the ashlog.log file using MX_ASHLOG.

from jm March 2011: Note that LOGDIR, TRACE, SET.LIT, MX_xxx and perhaps others in the above topic are all link candidates, depending on whether this is the consolidated version or not.)

History

2011 September, A-Shell 5.1.1231:  All program (RUN/SBX/LIT) load errors are now logged to the ashlog.log file, mainly to improve the prospects for detecting and tracking problems.