Reading log files

Log files are space delimited text files that can be read by any program that can import text files, such as a text editor, a spreadsheet program, a word processing program, or a database program.

The information contained in the Log file reference information section identifies the different fields in the log file and what the entry codes represent. In some cases, the information in the log file requires special interpretation. Please keep in mind the following when analyzing log file information:

• If the client does not send log information to the server at the end of the stream, the server simulates log information using the information obtained when the client connected to the server and the server streaming statistics. Client statistics and fields relevant to the stream are filled with zeros and hyphens because no information was sent.
• The server will generate a log entry for each piece of digital media content streamed from a server-side playlist. Windows Media Player version 6.4 or embedded players that use the version 6.4 ActiveX control only send log information at the end of a session. This results in log entries that do not have client statistics for all of the playlist content except the last one. After the last item is streamed to the client, the client will send a log that has aggregated all of the client statistics from the beginning of the playlist.

Related topics

• Simulating logs
• Understanding logging