Power GUI Programming with VisualAge C++/powergui.iso/trialva/ibmcppw/sdk/bin/logger32/readme.txt

Text File | 1995-07-11 | 4.6 KB | 119 lines

                        Application WIN32 Logger
                            32 bit version

Copyright(C) 1993-1995 Microsoft Corporation, All Rights Reserved.

What is Logger?
---------------

Logger is a tool that records the calls an application makes to the Win32 API
as well as callbacks that the Win32 system makes to the application.  The
output file produced by Logger is a list of the API called, the parameters
passed to the API and the return value from the API.  Logger is also capable
of timing these events and placing this information into the output file.

Getting Ready for Logger
------------------------

To use logger you will need the following binaries somewhere on your path -
apfcvt.exe, logger32.dll, zser32.dll, zdi32.dll, zdvapi32.dll, zernel32.dll
and zrtdll.dll.  For each binary that you are interested in logging run
apfcvt.exe against it.  apfcvt.exe will modify the binary to dynamically
link to the z-dlls rather than the actual Win32 dlls.  To see how to use
apfcvt.exe run "apfcvt -?" from the cmd line.

Customizing Logger
------------------

Logger does have some customizable options.  The following list is of key
entries in the system win.ini file and are each made under the section name
[logger].  Defaults are specified by braces like this {0} and need not be
entered in win.ini to get the listed functionality.

    DbgPort        {0}            log to the output file
                  1            log to the debugger via OutputDebugString

    Timing        {0}            timing OFF
                  1             timing ON

    Notes        {1}            record NOTES
                  0             do not record NOTES

        Note: NOTES are API that logger is not capable of logging the
        parameters to so there is a NOTE: line placed in the output file
        to record the call to the API.

    APIOnly        {0}            record API and parameters
                  1            record ONLY the API - no parameters

    LogSync        {0}            truncate output files when logger started
                  1            Do NOT truncate output files when started

    TimerTicks    {0}            Times recorded are elapsed times
                  1            Instead of elapsed times record current timer tick

    LogFile        filename     Filename to output logger information to.
                            {output32.log}

    DatFile        filename    Filename to output extra logger data to.
                            {output32.dat}

        Note: LogFile and DatFile have no effect if LogSync = 1

    FlushAfter    # of bytes    The number of cached bytes at which a flush to disk
                            is done.  Making this number small makes it easier
                            to catch application problems but will increase run
                            time.

    Alias        {0}            No aliasing is done
                 1            Aliasing on - aliasing will convert many object
                             handles to a more generic format to facilitate log
                             comparisons.  The format is a mnemonic name, an
                             underline character and a decimal number signifying
                             the order the handle was allocated in.

    LogObjects    0            Turns off GDI object expansion
                1            Turns on GDI object expansion

        Note: LogObjects defaults to the opposite of Timing.

Putting It All Together
-----------------------

After you binaries have been converted with apfcvt and you have placed the
z-dlls and Logger32.dll in your path you create the logger output file by
simply running your application.  When you exit your application the record of
your execution will be in the output file.  The format of logger lines are -

    xx![opt timing][line type]: [api name] [parameters]

where -

    xx                this is usually a hexadecimal nesting level number.  It can
                    also be    "++" to signify an informational line.

    [opt timing]    this is an 8 digit hexadecimal number representing either
                    elapsed time since the matching CALL line (see [line type])
                    or the current timer tick depending on the value of
                    Logger.TimerTicks in win.ini.  This item will only appear
                    if Logger.Timing=1.

    [line type]      this tells what this line really is.  Possible values are -

        APICALL        record of an API call
        APIRET        record of an APICALL returning (matched by level number)
        MSGCALL        record of a callback to an application WNDPROC
        MSGRET        record of a callback returning to the caller
        ENUMCALL    record of a callback to an enumeration procedure
        ENUMRET        record of a enumeration callback returning to enumerator
        HOOKCALL    record of a callback to an application HOOKPROC
        HOOKRET        record of a HOOKPROC returning

    [api name]        this is the API called if on an APICALL/RET line otherwise
                    it will be the hexadecimal representation of the address
                    of the function being called.

    [parameters]    all parameters are dumped as hexadecimal or strings.  Each
                    parameter is separated from the previous one by a space.
                    Structures are recorded inside a set of braces.