Using protocol files

Visum can log actions, program events, and errors and save them to different files. All three types of protocol files are text files whose character code you can change (Settings for opening and saving data files).

Protocol file

Standard file name

Meaning

Log file

Protocol.txt

The log file logs the procedure, including start and end times of the procedure steps, all steps carried out as well as internal program procedures and their details. It also contains all messages that are output.

Message file

Messages.txt

The message file includes all error messages, notes, warnings and, from a certain priority, messages on the user interface as well as the user response. Each message has a timestamp and a message type ID. Especially when procedures are performed one by one or a script file is run, the combination of warnings and error messages in a single file might be helpful.

  • Running a script file does not produce messages on screen. Thus errors do not become obvious. The message file allows you to check error messages.
  • Prior to starting a procedure sequence you can select option Suppress output of warnings during procedure execution for an uninterrupted run. The message file allows you to check warnings.

Note

You can configure the number of operations to be displayed (Specifying settings for protocol files).

Activity protocol

[Filename].trc

The activity protocol logs the user actions. The number of logged user actions depends on the selected level of detail. The activity protocol file has the same name as the file being currently open (version file, network file or database) and the file extension is .trc. It will be stored in the same directory as soon as the open file is saved. For each version, network or database respectively exactly one activity protocol is created.