Let's get started.
Assuming you've set all configurations items to your needs the logging is already started on your website! To let you taste a bit of what is possible we've taken some screenshots from our test environment to show you what data FoolLog can collect for you.
First open the FoolLog component page:
- Login to the backend using Administrator credentials - if you're not logged in already.
- Select in the backend overview the Components -> FoolLog menu option.
Now you have arrived to the FoolLog component page. It'll give you an overview of all logged items sorted on date (if you've set the loggin settings correctly, ofcourse).
The buttons
We'll go over each part of the overview to explain what you're looking at. First we start with the FoolLog component buttons: Archive, Trash, CSV Export and Purge.
- Archive
- You need to make a selection log records first before you can use this button. Your records will be removed from the overview list but not deleted nor trashed either. The records are set to an archive state - hidden but recoverable. For further details how this archive works we advise you to check this link: Moving an Arctile to the archive.
- Trash
- Well, you can put the records you do not need into the trash can. It works a bit like the trash under your desk, you can throw something in it but you can grab it back out in case you've made a mistake. If you want to know how to use the trash and restore function in your Joomla!™ website you could check this link: How to manage trash and restore.
- CSV Export
- It could be possible you want to use the log records in your own analysis using Excel or any other software package which supports CSV import. Than this button comes in handy! Well, explain it better in this manual at chapter CSV Export.
- Purge
- After a period of logging you might want to clear the logging records from certain dates or types. This is where the Purge button comes in. Further explanation can be found in chapter Purge Records.
- Download CSV
- Only when you've created an export file using the CSV Export button this button will appear:
. When you click the blue part of the button it will - how convieniant - start the download of the export file you created with the export button. If you do not want to keep the export file on your online server you'll have to click the orange part, the minus, to delete the file on your server. - You can always create a new export file by using the CSV Export button, ofcourse.
At the right of your screen you see the buttons: Log Settings and Options. These represent the options for the component and what should be logged by the system and content plugins.
- Log Settings
- This option is already explained in the chapter Configuration settings. So, if you want any more info about this button - please read it (again) in this manual.
- Options
- The component options button contains only your Download ID field when you've got a FoolLog subscription. How to fill it is explained in chapter Update settings in this manual.
Filters
At the left of the screen you can see two page options: FoolLog Overview and FoolLog Statistics. The first is the page you're looking at when starting the FoolLog component and the second is a little overview of log statistics.
Below these options the filters are shown. It should all work familiar like other Joomla!™ components you're using.
- - Select Status -
- Filter the overview on the status of log records which can be Archived, Trashed or All.
- - Select Category -
- Filter the overview on the category of log records. Only categories which are logged will be shown. So if nothing is logged for let's say the category Install this category isn't shown in the filter list.
- - Select Logtype -
- Filter the overview on the logtype of log records. This can be used to show all items with a Save logtype to see what's created lately.
- - Select Priority -
- Filter the overview for al log priority. This can be named Info (most used), Warning, Failure or Error. These priorities are used for matching log records ofcourse. When anything goes (a bit) wrong it will be logged as Warning, Failure or Error and anything else will be logged as Info.
- - Select Site End -
- Filter the overview of log records for the frontend or backend log records only.
- Clear Filters
- To reset all filters you can use this button. The overview will show all log records again.
The remaining items of the FoolLog overview are self explaing (most of it). Use it like any other view in a Joomla!™ component with one exception: you cannot edit a logged record - there's no point in doing so because you need the actual log data.
Although you cannot edit a log record you can always click on the plus icon with your mousebutton.You'll see a little dropdown with more information about the log. You can even find which options for a component is changed! Ain't that a nice feature?