SMF2.1:Logs: Difference between revisions From Online Manual

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== Error Log ==
==Error Log==
''Admin Center > Error Log'' will show you errors that occur on your SMF forum -- any error that sends a message to a member will be recorded here. This will include:
* Login errors that occur when members or guests mis-type their username and password or have not activated their account.
* Members or guests attempting to use URLs they are not permitted to see.
* php errors, such as "undefined index".
* Errors accessing the database.
Any error that sends a message to a member will be displayed here (even though these are not really errors) as well as errors that are generated in the coding of the board or mods you may have added.


The error log can be deleted one item at a time or all at once. You can select the errors you wish to delete, and then click the ''Remove Selection'' button, or simply remove every error in the error log by clicking the ''Remove All'' button. You can also filter the error list by showing only the same error message, error caused by a particular member, error message caused by a particular location of your forum, or error message caused from a particular IP address, by clicking the small icon to left of each of the details explaining that part of the error message.
This logs every error encountered by members of your forum. For example:
* Login errors that occur when members or guests mis-type their username and password or have not activated their account
* Members or guests attempting to visit URLs they are not permitted to see
* php errors, such as "undefined index"
* Errors accessing the database
It should be enabled by default. But if you need to change it, check or uncheck this: ''Admin Center > Maintenance > Logs > Log Settings > Error Log > Enable Error Logging''. Be sure to click the ''Save'' button at the bottom, after changing it.  


== Administration Log ==
The second option there, ''Include database query in the error log'', is an advanced option. It prevents effective filtering, but allows administrators to access data they might need from the database, that would not otherwise show up with filtering options.
This log lists every action taken by an administrator. It allows members of the admin team to track some of the administrative actions that have occurred on the forum. To ensure that admins cannot hide their actions by removing references to what they have done, entries may not be deleted until 24 hours after the action was taken.


== Moderation Log ==
After enabling it you can find the log at ''Admin Center > Maintenance > Logs > Error Log''. Each error in the log shows six icons with the shape of a funnel. Each one allows you to filter, or search the errors in a different way: by username, by IP address, session id, url of the page where the error happened, type of error, and the error message itself. Finally, perhaps most importantly, each error shows a text link "Backtrace Information". This is what the experts would need, to trace the error to its ultimate source. If it's coming from a bug, this will help developers to fix it.
This section allows members of the moderation team to track all the moderation actions that the forum moderators have performed. To ensure that moderators cannot remove references to the actions they have performed, entries may not be deleted until 24 hours after the action was taken.


Moderation activities can be deleted by checking an entry and selecting remove from the bottom of the display screen. For larger moderation logs, a search feature is enabled by default also at the bottom of the display screen.
This log can be an invaluable aid to identifying forum problems. As a new administrator, it might be prudent to check the Error Log daily, during the time you are building and developing your forum. Maybe check it only weekly, once the forum is established and running smoothly. Especially keep an eye on it after you have installed a new modification or theme. If you see a lot of new errors which seem to be coming from areas related to the new mod, you may decide not to use that particular modification. There may be others which provide a similar feature, but which do not trigger so many errors.


===Watched Members===
In any case, error entries can be deleted from the log one item at a time, by selecting the errors you wish to delete, and then click the ''Remove Selection'' button. You can remove all the entries at once by clicking the ''Remove All'' button. For a third alternative, the log could be pruned automatically. See the [https://wiki.simplemachines.org/smf/SMF2.1:Logs#Log_Pruning Log Pruning] section below, to learn more about it.
Post Moderation and The Warning System must be enabled through [[SMF2.1:Core Features|Core Features]] for this feature to take effect.


Watched Members provides a simple interface to keep an eye on troublesome members. Watch status can be set by either issuing a warning beyond a set level by the moderation team or by engaging the status manually on a members profile.
==Administration Log==


The Watched Users section can be sorted by member or by post:
This logs administrative actions on the forum. It is enabled by default, but if you need to change something, you can do it at ''Admin Center > Maintenance > Logs > Log Settings > Enable the administration log''. Be sure to click the ''Save'' button at the bottom, after making your selection.


*By Member - See all members who currently have a "watch" on their profile. This can be set by visiting a members profile and selecting "watch this user", or by increasing their warning level above an admin set threshold.
At the top of the log is a search box which allows you to search by member name. There are six columns: the ''Action'' being logged, the time and ''Date'' it happened, the ''Member'' name, the member's ''Position'', their ''IP'' address, and a checkbox. If you click the little icon at the top of the ''Date'' column, you can organize the list by ascending or descending dates. The checkbox allows administrators to mark specific entries which they might want to delete, by clicking ''Delete Selected'' button. Otherwise the log can be emptied all at once by clicking ''Clear Log'' button.
*By Post - A list of posts created by members that are currently set to be watched, providing a simple checkbox that can be used to mass delete troublesome messages.


== Ban Log ==
Note that clearing the log will be logged, to help prevent abuse.
The '''Ban Log''' shows a log of every ban you have enacted on your forum.


The first column shows the IP address that was banned. Next to that is the email address that was banned, and next to that is the membername that was banned. The next column shows the date that the ban was put in place, and right next to that is a check box which you would use to remove the selected log entries.
==Moderation Log==
 
The Moderation Log is also enabled by default. Should you need to change something, go to ''Admin Center > Maintenance > Logs > Log Settings > Enable the moderation log''. Then be sure to click the ''Save'' button at the bottom.
 
When the Moderation Log is enabled, you can find it via ''Moderation Center > Logs > Moderation Log''. It allows members of the moderation team to track all the moderation actions that the forum moderators have performed. For administrators, it can be helpful in managing the moderation staff. If permissions allow other moderators to see the log, they might find it helpful to learn from each other's actions.
 
This log contains six columns: the ''Action'' being logged, the time and ''Date'' it happened, the ''Member'' name, the member's ''Position'', their ''IP'' Address, and a checkbox. At the top of the log is a search box which allows you to search by member name. At the top of the Date column is a button which allows you to organize the log by ascending or descending dates.
 
The checkbox allows administrators to mark specific entries which they might want to delete, by clicking ''Delete Selected'' button. Otherwise the log can be emptied all at once by clicking ''Clear Log'' button. Note that clearing the log will itself be logged, to help prevent abuse.
 
A third alternative for removing entries in this log, is automatic pruning. See the [https://wiki.simplemachines.org/smf/SMF2.1:Logs#Log_Pruning Log Pruning] section below, to learn more about it.
 
==Ban List==
 
This is the list of all members who have been banned. In a few versions past, it was called the Ban Log. But now it is called the [https://wiki.simplemachines.org/smf/SMF2.1:Ban_list ''Ban List'']. In your forum, it can be found at ''Admin Center > Members > Ban List''. The feature which is now called the [https://wiki.simplemachines.org/smf/SMF2.1:Ban_list#Ban_Log ''Ban Log''] shows all attempts to enter the forum by members who have been banned. But it is the Ban List which contains all the banned members. Follow those links to find more detailed information about these logs.


==Spider Log==
==Spider Log==
In the ''Spider Log'' page ("Administration Center > Members > Search engines > Spider Log'' or ''Administration Center > Maintenance > Logs > Spider Log''), logs of page views made by spiders browsing the forum are available. Depending on the ''Search Engine Tracking Level'' setting selected on the [[SMF2.1:Search_engines#Settings|Settings]] page, this page can vary from showing the action of the spider, or not showing the action at all. If the tracking setting is set to ''Disabled'' or ''Standard'', spiders will not be logged on this page.
In your forum, the Spider Log can be found in ''Admin Center > Forum > Search Engines > Spider Log''. The full description of the Spider Log, in the manual, is in the [https://wiki.simplemachines.org/smf/SMF2.1:Search_engines#Spider_Log Spider Log section] of the Search Engine page.


== Task Log ==
== Task Log ==
Lists logs of the tasks that have been run.
This log can be found at ''Admin Center > Maintenance > Logs > Task Log''. It records an entry whenever a scheduled task on your forum has been completed. It lists the name of each task, the time it was run, and how much time was needed to complete each task.
'''''Note''': All times given are <u>server time</u> and do not take into account any time offsets set up within SMF.''


'''''Note''': All times given are server times, and do not take any time offsets setup within SMF into account.''
Also note that entries in this log cannot be manually deleted. However, [https://wiki.simplemachines.org/smf/SMF2.1:Logs#Log_Pruning Log Pruning] allows administrators to schedule automatic pruning, or deleting of entries.


== Log Pruning ==
== Log Pruning ==
The ''Log Pruning'' section of the [[SMF2.1:Administration Center|Administration Center]] is designated for the pruning (deletion) of old logs, which is not normally needed until after a certain period of time, but they can take up a noticeable space in your database.
Certain logs, tables or lists can build up over time, and can take up noticeable space in your database and server. Other logs take some period of time before they build up. With Log Pruning, you can set them up to be automatically trimmed, or deleted at certain appropriate intervals, depending on the log or table or list.
 
The first setting on this page ''Enable pruning of log entries'' allows you to set whether you want logs to ever be pruned from your forum, having this option unchecked will keep logs from being deleted, even if certain logs are specified to be deleted after a certain amount of days.


The following logs are able to be pruned, and can you can set how old they must be before they can be deleted on this page. Just enter a integer value in the corresponding inputs to determine after how many days should logs related to the input field be pruned. The logs which can be pruned are:
First check  ''Admin Center > Maintenance > Logs > Log Settings > Enable pruning of log entries''. Then some more options will appear below. Or uncheck, if you don't want to use any part of this feature. It provides for the automatic pruning of six specific logs, tables, or lists. Four of them are described above. The other two are described below.


*'''Remove error log entries''' - The error logs come from the errors generated on your forum. You can see these error logs in the error log section of your Administration Center.
*'''Remove Error Log entries''' - This log is described above. Set the interval, in numbers of days, in which you want this log to be routinely deleted. Or set to zero to disable the pruning of this log.
*'''Remove moderation log entries''' - The moderation logs are logs of the moderation actions performed on your forum, examples include deleting a post or topic, editing a post, or moving a topic. These logs can be viewed in the ''Moderation Log'' section in your [[Moderation center|Moderation Center]] of your forum.
*'''Remove Moderation Log entries''' - This log is described above. Set the interval, in numbers of days, in which you want this log to be routinely deleted. Or set to zero to disable the pruning of this log.
*'''Remove ban hit log entries''' - When a member is banned and tries to access your forum, he or she will trigger logs of their attempt(s) to access your forum while they are banned to let you know that they tried to log in. You can find these logs on the ban log page of the [[Ban List]] section of your Administration Center.
*'''Remove Ban List entries''' - This log is described above. Set the interval, in numbers of days, in which you want this log to be routinely deleted. Or set to zero to disable the pruning of this log.
*'''Remove report to moderator log entries''' - When a post is reported to moderators, the record of the report is saved. You can find these logs in the [[Moderation_center#Reported_Posts|Reported Posts]] section of the Moderation Center.
*'''Remove Reported Posts log entries''' - This is the list of posts reported to moderators by other members, at ''Moderation Center > Posts > Reported Posts''.  The description of this list or log is in the [[Moderation_center#Reported_Posts|Reported Posts]] section of the Moderation Center, in the manual. Set the interval, in numbers of days, in which you want this log to be routinely deleted. Or set to zero to disable the pruning of this log.
*'''Remove scheduled task log entries''' - When scheduled tasks are performed on your forum, the logs are saved. You can view them by going to the Scheduled Tasks section of the [[Forum Maintenance]] section of the Administration Center and selecting the ''View Log'' link.
*'''Remove Task Log entries''' - This log is described above. Set the interval, in numbers of days, in which you want this log to be routinely deleted. Or set to zero to disable the pruning of this log.
*'''Remove Search Engine Stats Log entries''' - This is the log at ''Admin Center > Forum > Search Engines > Stats''. It's described in the [https://wiki.simplemachines.org/smf/SMF2.1:Search_engines Stats section] of Search Engines page. Set the interval, in numbers of days, in which you want this log to be routinely deleted. Or set to zero to disable the pruning of this log.


{{ {{Localized|As an administrator 2.1}}}}
{{ {{Localized|As an administrator 2.1}}}}

Latest revision as of 19:50, 9 October 2023

Under construction-48.png Work in progress, expect frequent changes. Under construction-48.png

Please see SMF1.1:Logs, SMF2.0:Logs or SMF2.1:Logs depending on the version of SMF you are using.

Error Log

This logs every error encountered by members of your forum. For example:

  • Login errors that occur when members or guests mis-type their username and password or have not activated their account
  • Members or guests attempting to visit URLs they are not permitted to see
  • php errors, such as "undefined index"
  • Errors accessing the database

It should be enabled by default. But if you need to change it, check or uncheck this: Admin Center > Maintenance > Logs > Log Settings > Error Log > Enable Error Logging. Be sure to click the Save button at the bottom, after changing it.

The second option there, Include database query in the error log, is an advanced option. It prevents effective filtering, but allows administrators to access data they might need from the database, that would not otherwise show up with filtering options.

After enabling it you can find the log at Admin Center > Maintenance > Logs > Error Log. Each error in the log shows six icons with the shape of a funnel. Each one allows you to filter, or search the errors in a different way: by username, by IP address, session id, url of the page where the error happened, type of error, and the error message itself. Finally, perhaps most importantly, each error shows a text link "Backtrace Information". This is what the experts would need, to trace the error to its ultimate source. If it's coming from a bug, this will help developers to fix it.

This log can be an invaluable aid to identifying forum problems. As a new administrator, it might be prudent to check the Error Log daily, during the time you are building and developing your forum. Maybe check it only weekly, once the forum is established and running smoothly. Especially keep an eye on it after you have installed a new modification or theme. If you see a lot of new errors which seem to be coming from areas related to the new mod, you may decide not to use that particular modification. There may be others which provide a similar feature, but which do not trigger so many errors.

In any case, error entries can be deleted from the log one item at a time, by selecting the errors you wish to delete, and then click the Remove Selection button. You can remove all the entries at once by clicking the Remove All button. For a third alternative, the log could be pruned automatically. See the Log Pruning section below, to learn more about it.

Administration Log

This logs administrative actions on the forum. It is enabled by default, but if you need to change something, you can do it at Admin Center > Maintenance > Logs > Log Settings > Enable the administration log. Be sure to click the Save button at the bottom, after making your selection.

At the top of the log is a search box which allows you to search by member name. There are six columns: the Action being logged, the time and Date it happened, the Member name, the member's Position, their IP address, and a checkbox. If you click the little icon at the top of the Date column, you can organize the list by ascending or descending dates. The checkbox allows administrators to mark specific entries which they might want to delete, by clicking Delete Selected button. Otherwise the log can be emptied all at once by clicking Clear Log button.

Note that clearing the log will be logged, to help prevent abuse.

Moderation Log

The Moderation Log is also enabled by default. Should you need to change something, go to Admin Center > Maintenance > Logs > Log Settings > Enable the moderation log. Then be sure to click the Save button at the bottom.

When the Moderation Log is enabled, you can find it via Moderation Center > Logs > Moderation Log. It allows members of the moderation team to track all the moderation actions that the forum moderators have performed. For administrators, it can be helpful in managing the moderation staff. If permissions allow other moderators to see the log, they might find it helpful to learn from each other's actions.

This log contains six columns: the Action being logged, the time and Date it happened, the Member name, the member's Position, their IP Address, and a checkbox. At the top of the log is a search box which allows you to search by member name. At the top of the Date column is a button which allows you to organize the log by ascending or descending dates.

The checkbox allows administrators to mark specific entries which they might want to delete, by clicking Delete Selected button. Otherwise the log can be emptied all at once by clicking Clear Log button. Note that clearing the log will itself be logged, to help prevent abuse.

A third alternative for removing entries in this log, is automatic pruning. See the Log Pruning section below, to learn more about it.

Ban List

This is the list of all members who have been banned. In a few versions past, it was called the Ban Log. But now it is called the Ban List. In your forum, it can be found at Admin Center > Members > Ban List. The feature which is now called the Ban Log shows all attempts to enter the forum by members who have been banned. But it is the Ban List which contains all the banned members. Follow those links to find more detailed information about these logs.

Spider Log

In your forum, the Spider Log can be found in Admin Center > Forum > Search Engines > Spider Log. The full description of the Spider Log, in the manual, is in the Spider Log section of the Search Engine page.

Task Log

This log can be found at Admin Center > Maintenance > Logs > Task Log. It records an entry whenever a scheduled task on your forum has been completed. It lists the name of each task, the time it was run, and how much time was needed to complete each task. Note: All times given are server time and do not take into account any time offsets set up within SMF.

Also note that entries in this log cannot be manually deleted. However, Log Pruning allows administrators to schedule automatic pruning, or deleting of entries.

Log Pruning

Certain logs, tables or lists can build up over time, and can take up noticeable space in your database and server. Other logs take some period of time before they build up. With Log Pruning, you can set them up to be automatically trimmed, or deleted at certain appropriate intervals, depending on the log or table or list.

First check Admin Center > Maintenance > Logs > Log Settings > Enable pruning of log entries. Then some more options will appear below. Or uncheck, if you don't want to use any part of this feature. It provides for the automatic pruning of six specific logs, tables, or lists. Four of them are described above. The other two are described below.

  • Remove Error Log entries - This log is described above. Set the interval, in numbers of days, in which you want this log to be routinely deleted. Or set to zero to disable the pruning of this log.
  • Remove Moderation Log entries - This log is described above. Set the interval, in numbers of days, in which you want this log to be routinely deleted. Or set to zero to disable the pruning of this log.
  • Remove Ban List entries - This log is described above. Set the interval, in numbers of days, in which you want this log to be routinely deleted. Or set to zero to disable the pruning of this log.
  • Remove Reported Posts log entries - This is the list of posts reported to moderators by other members, at Moderation Center > Posts > Reported Posts. The description of this list or log is in the Reported Posts section of the Moderation Center, in the manual. Set the interval, in numbers of days, in which you want this log to be routinely deleted. Or set to zero to disable the pruning of this log.
  • Remove Task Log entries - This log is described above. Set the interval, in numbers of days, in which you want this log to be routinely deleted. Or set to zero to disable the pruning of this log.
  • Remove Search Engine Stats Log entries - This is the log at Admin Center > Forum > Search Engines > Stats. It's described in the Stats section of Search Engines page. Set the interval, in numbers of days, in which you want this log to be routinely deleted. Or set to zero to disable the pruning of this log.

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