Enhanced Log view with lines highlighted in color with Syslog filter


dlandon

Recommended Posts

I've changed the location of the log view icon to 'Tools->System Information' and added a settings gui to the 'Settings' tab to permit you to select only the events you want highlighted in the log.

 

I installed the very first version of your plugin and the icons was under tools.

I just updated the plugin but, apart from the new settings > syslog configuration, I can't find access to the colored log anymore... System Information is simply not there.

Link to comment

I've changed the location of the log view icon to 'Tools->System Information' and added a settings gui to the 'Settings' tab to permit you to select only the events you want highlighted in the log.

 

I installed the very first version of your plugin and the icons was under tools.

I just updated the plugin but, apart from the new settings > syslog configuration, I can't find access to the colored log anymore... System Information is simply not there.

 

Update and try again.

Link to comment

Are these bad? They are in red:

 

Dec 19 18:29:39 Tower kernel: CPU: 2 PID: 15162 Comm: kworker/u32:3 Tainted: G        W I     4.1.13-unRAID #1

Dec 19 18:29:39 Tower kernel: Call Trace:

 

Thanks!

 

The matches are 'Tainted' and 'Call Trace'.  They are marked as errors.

 

The match strings were taken from the unmenu syslog.conf that was developed primarily for V4 and 5.  It may be that we need to modify or remove some of the match strings that don't make sense.

 

I'm not sure what 'Tainted' means or if it is really an error.  The 'Call Trace' would be an error.

Link to comment

I've toned down the original choices in colors because they were just too dramatic and a bit too reminiscent of MSDOS.  Hopefully the choices I've made make sense and can be discerned by others that don't have normal color vision.  I have a color deficiency and I have done the best I can to choose colors that I can discern.  If the colors don't make sense, that might be why.  If the default colors are not appropriate, please let me know so that I can set different defaults.  It would help if you could suggest colors by name.

 

The color settings can be either color names or color numbers if you plan on changing them.  There is a link on the color settings page to a website that displays the color names and shows those colors in groupings of red, blue, green, etc.  I like it because I can pick the shade of a color group I want.

 

I'll also try to modify the matching strings so there are no false positives or missing highlights in the log view.  I have added a match to ignore all comment lines as those don't show a valid log issue.

 

I've also added a custom file that you can edit to add your own match strings to events.  There is also an 'Other' event that is defaulted off and can be turned on and used for any custom match strings you'd like.  The nice thing about this is you can set your own log view criteria and limit the log view to just the 'Other' category and see those events only.  This could be very helpful in troubleshooting a problem in the log.  The custom matches are evaluated after the pre-defined match strings.  It's possible that one of the pre-defined matches could override your match if it is enabled.  The match strings are searched until a match is found and then the searching is stopped and that log entry is highlighted.

Link to comment

Many of the default background/font color combinations are very hard to make out. System is the worst at the moment. Sure I could change it but I think we'd have more functionality if we could also choose between white/black font for given backgrounds. Or some other way to deal with poor contrast.

 

Maybe this would help? http://www.web-source.net/216_color_chart.htm#.VWyUsqb3Xt1

 

http://webaim.org/resources/contrastchecker/

Link to comment

After applying default colors scheme on this page http://tower/Utilities/SyslogSettings,'>http://tower/Utilities/SyslogSettings, I pressed done and ended up at blank screen with this address.

 

http://tower/Utilities

 

Gentle reminder that the "done" button is still broken. It should send the user to http://tower/Settings.

 

Also there needs to be a scroll bar across the bottom of the log window/frame to be able to read long lines without maximizing the browser

Screenshot_1.png.bd7d3919b22f05ab91a9861129205f03.png

Link to comment

After applying default colors scheme on this page http://tower/Utilities/SyslogSettings,'>http://tower/Utilities/SyslogSettings, I pressed done and ended up at blank screen with this address.

 

http://tower/Utilities

 

Gentle reminder that the "done" button is still broken. It should send the user to http://tower/Settings.

 

Also there needs to be a scroll bar across the bottom of the log window/frame to be able to read long lines without maximizing the browser

 

The Done button works for me.

 

The slider is there, you just have to scroll down to see it.  I'm not sure I can do much about that.

Link to comment

After applying default colors scheme on this page http://tower/Utilities/SyslogSettings,'>http://tower/Utilities/SyslogSettings, I pressed done and ended up at blank screen with this address.

 

http://tower/Utilities

 

Gentle reminder that the "done" button is still broken. It should send the user to http://tower/Settings.

 

Also there needs to be a scroll bar across the bottom of the log window/frame to be able to read long lines without maximizing the browser

 

The Done button works for me.

 

The slider is there, you just have to scroll down to see it.  I'm not sure I can do much about that.

 

My bad. The scroll bar is there. And now the Done works fine. Chrome oddness.

Link to comment

Wow!  Nice to see this, and yes it brings back memories for me too.  I think Joe had the original idea, then I fleshed it out with most of them, and added the legend.  He and I both tweaked it a little, but then he drastically overhauled it, in a way that was incompatible with my previous work.  I was just completing a new round of improvements, but hadn't given them to him yet.  Because it would take quite a bit of work to convert mine, and I didn't have time then, it was essentially abandoned, no further development.  I believe he did tweak it a little later, for a few 'error' false positives.  I had always wanted to get back to it, with so many changes needed, but forgot about it.  I'm really glad to see you have picked it up.  I hope you won't mind some suggestions, when I have more time than now.

 

A few initial suggestions -

 

* I strongly recommend defaulting 'emhttp' to off.  Those lines are usually not important for highlighting.

 

* Just my personal preference, but I found the initial color choices to be generally too bright or dark.  That 'CSS Color Groups' page seems to have picked colors that are generally better for foreground use, not background (in my opinion).  That Magenta was so bright, that after looking at a line with it, any other line had a light cyan/grey background!  So here's my selections, feel free to use or ignore!  But I believe they're more gentle on the eyes.

 

  Error -> HotPink  (surprisingly! it's the only subdued light red choice available, but it actually works!)

  Minor Issues -> LemonChiffon  (the only one I didn't change (sorry), good choice)

  Lime Tech -> LimeGreen

  Array -> HoneyDew

  System -> LightGreen

  File System -> Gainsboro

  Devices -> AliceBlue

  Network -> Thistle

  Login -> Lavender

  emhttp -> Azure  (but I prefer disabling it completely)

  Other -> Seashell

 

* I noticed you have 'Devices' instead of 'Drive related'.  To me, Devices could be almost anything, and we're only talking about storage devices here.  I do prefer 'Drive related', unless something better shows up.

 

* "Tainted" is a VERY BAD thing, as far as I know.  It's my understanding that it indicates a modification to the code of a module, so yes a user modified module might show up as 'Tainted' but be acceptable.  But what we find here is that a module that is found to be 'Tainted' has been overwritten, a VERY BAD THING indeed!  It's usually followed by a Call Trace.  I've seen cases where a kernel OOPS initially reported a module was not tainted, but as the issue continued, WAS tainted, indicating serious memory or code space corruption.  If I see a 'Tainted' message, I always recommend grabbing any diagnostics possible, then rebooting.  It's never wise to continue, once memory or program corruption is detected.  But I'm not a Linux expert, am willing to learn from others with better Linux understanding.

 

* There's quite a bit more work needed, on the matching strings, and their order.  When I have more time, I'll offer some more ideas.

Link to comment

RobJ that post had me imagining you with slightly teary eyes.... lol  ;)

I need a clarification on this...  Are you imagining RobJ having teary eyes, or are you having teary eyes while you're imagining him?  You post isn't quite specific on this point.

 

Instructions unclear, throw Chile powder in eyes to force tears.

Link to comment

Update with RobJ modifications incorporated.  You will need to go to the settings page and click default to get the colors set to default or remove and re-install the plugin.

 

Further suggestions welcome.

 

EDIT: RobJ, I've attached the latest match file and would appreciate you reviewing and making suggestions.

 

may i ask why you don't update the release notes every time you make a change?

 

thanks

Link to comment

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Restore formatting

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.