home
***
CD-ROM
|
disk
|
FTP
|
other
***
search
/
Precision Software Appli…tions Silver Collection 4
/
Precision Software Applications Silver Collection Volume 4 (1993).iso
/
database
/
logit302.exe
/
LOGIT302.DOC
< prev
next >
Wrap
Text File
|
1989-01-22
|
64KB
|
1,809 lines
LogIt!(R)
The fast, RAM-resident, computer use logging program.
DOCUMENTATION FOR LogIt!(R)
VERSION 3.02S
January 22, 1989
(C)opyright 1988, Alan E. Robertson & John W. Beasley
"LogIt!" is a registered trademark of the authors.
LOGITRPT is compiled with Quicksilver(R) and portions of this
program are Copyright 1984, 1985, 1986 and 1987 by
WordTech Systems, Inc.
** Please Support the Shareware Concept **
If you find LogIt! to be useful, we ask you to follow the
registration instructions at the end of this document file.
You are encouraged to copy and distribute this program
provided the following conditions are met. First, the program
must be distributed as the intact archive (LOGIT302.ARC) with no
modifications. Please upload it with the identification:
"Log computer use by time & keystrokes"
Second, you may charge a reasonable amount, not to exceed $6.00
per disk, for distributing this program. Persons purchasing such
disks must not be led to think that they have paid the
registration fee for LogIt!. Site licenses are available.
Finally, please pay $20 for each copy in use to:
Robertson Software
Dept. LS-3
P. O. Box 576
Geneva, IL, 60134
Versions 3.0xS of LogIt! have new usage summarizing and reporting
features which are greatly improved over those in prior versions.
LogIt! was previously marketed by the University of Wisconsin
Software Development and Distribution Center (SDDC). The rights
to the program have been returned to the authors. See the notes
on History of LogIt! (Page 7) for details.
DISCLAIMER: You use LogIt! at your own risk. We have worked hard
to make it compatible with most systems and programs and believe
it to be a good program. However, we can accept no responsibility
for damages resulting or believed to result from its use except
to refund your registration fee.
*** TABLE OF CONTENTS ***
I. QUICK INSTRUCTIONS (If you really don't like reading)......1
II. INTRODUCTION ..............................................2
A. What is LogIt! ?
B. What others say about LogIt!
C. How LogIt! works
D. Equipment requirements
E. Limitations and conflicts
F. The LogIt! files
III. HISTORY OF LogIt! (Why you've seen it before)..............7
IV. HOW TO INSTALL LogIt!......................................8
A. Hard disk systems
B. Floppy disk systems
C. How to set up the computer for LogIt!
D. Other operating notes
V. HOW TO START LogIt! AND ENTER INFORMATION.................12
A. How to run LogIt!
B. How to make LogIt! entries
C. Tips for making INFORMATION entries
VI. HOW TO EXIT LogIt!........................................15
VII. HOW TO USE LOGITRPT TO SUMMARIZE LogIt! RECORDS...........16
A. What does LOGITRPT do?
B. How to use LOGITRPT
C. Notes on screen displays of data
D. Cleanup Procedures
E. Other notes regarding LOGITRPT
F. Other uses for LOGITLOG.TXT and .DBF files
VIII. HOW TO USE LOGITDMP TO READ LogIt! RECORDS................20
A. General operations
B. How to use LOGITDMP
C. How to display and print files created by LOGITDMP
D. How to interpret records produced by LOGITDMP
IX. PROBLEMS AND ERRORS.......................................25
A. When LogIt! will not create a record
B. Common Error Messages
C. Who to contact if there are problems
D. Detailed list of known conflicts and limitations
X. REGISTRATION INSTRUCTIONS AND INVOICE.....................27
I. QUICK INSTRUCTIONS (For those expert with computers)
A. Make a directory (\LOGIT) on the hard disk. Copy all the
files in this archive or distribution disk to that directory.
B. Copy LOGIT.COM to the root directory of your hard disk.
C. Be sure CONFIG.SYS contains the line FILES=20
D. Modify your AUTOEXEC.BAT file with the following:
1. Add the command SET LOGIT.LOG=C:\LOGIT.LOG. This
assures that all log data is in C:\LOGIT.LOG
2. Add the PATH statement PATH=C:\; to assure that
the command LOGIT always works.
3. Add the command LOGIT after the command which
sets the clock-calendar. If there is nothing
(not even a parameter) after "LOGIT" the window
will come up, forcing an entry.
E. The first time LogIt! is invoked after booting, the
program will be loaded to RAM, and a prompt will display.
F. LogIt! automatically records program entries and exits. To
record information manually, either use the <ALT><INS> hotkey or
enter information by typing (or including in a batch file) the
command LOGIT and the information desired after the command.
G. Exit programs to DOS * before * shutting down the computer
so LogIt! can record the exit time and calculate the proper
elapsed times. If the -^E switch (below) is used, it is necessary
to use the <ALT><INS> hotkey or a "QUIT.BAT" batch file with the
command LOGIT in it to establish an exit time.
H. For a summarized report listing users, programs and percentages
of use, use the command LOGITRPT and follow the prompts.
I. For a quick, unsummarized report of log data, use LOGITDMP to
convert the log data from the original LOGIT.LOG file. The command
LOGITDMP can be used to report to the screen, a printer or a disk
file. As the default, LOGITDMP will write text to the screen.
LOGITDMP will display times and keystrokes as "S>" (start),
"I>" (information), "P>" (program in operation), and
"D>" (in DOS) entries.
J. Switches for LOGIT.COM include:
-E (default) - records "everything"
-^E - record only START and INFORMATION
entries ("Not-Everything")
-H (default) - enables <ALT><INS> hotkey
-^H - disables hotkey
K. Switches for LOGITDMP.EXE include:
-I - reports START and INFORMATION
entries only (no PROGRAM/DOS)
-S -displays clock times down in HR/MIN/SEC format
-D -produces a file in DIF format
L. Send a check for $20 ($10 if upgrade) per copy in use to:
Robertson Software, Dept LS-3, Box 576, Geneva, IL, 60134
Page 1
II. INTRODUCTION:
A. What is LogIt!(R) ?
LogIt!(R) is the RAM-resident logging program that automatically
records clock time, elapsed times and keystrokes used while you
are using each program during the time spent in "Information"
entry categories such as user names or account identifiers.
LogIt! is:
* - FAST
- Automatic recording of program use
- Automatic log-in from batch files
- <ALT><INS> Hotkey entry of information
- No menus to call up
- Automatic log-out
* - EFFICIENT
- Usually less than 25 bytes per entry in log file
- Resident portion uses less than 10K of RAM
- Records as much or little information as you wish
* - VERSATILE
- Produces secure, tamper-proof binary master log file
- Reports detailed text record to screen, file or printer
- Produces DIF file for export to database or spreadsheet
- Calculates a summary report of all use and percentages
of use by user or program used.
* - EFFECTIVE
- Records clock times
- Records elapsed times
- Records number of keystrokes used
LogIt! is ideal for anyone wishing to keep a record of computer
usage for either personal or business reasons. LogIt! is
especially useful for legal, accounting programming and other
professions which require a record of time for billing purposes.
It is also useful for documenting the use of a personal computer
for tax deduction purposes.
B. What others say about LogIt!
"Once installed, the 10K program is automatically invoked upon
booting the machine. It counts .... each keystroke. It starts
a new record each time the user returns to DOS or whenever he
or she switches applications. The user can label activities
at any time, even from within applications...."
Technological Horizons In Education Journal, February, 1988
Page 2
"If you use your .... computer less than 100% for work (as
defined by our favorite agency, the IRS) you ought to keep
careful daily use records. If you're at all like us, you'll
love $40 LogIt! .... LogIt! records the name of each
program used and the elapsed time using it. You can annotate
the entries and once they're written they're nearly
tamper-proof.... (Here's how to find out if the kids are
playing games on your computer!)."
Computer Talk, P/K Associates, Inc., September, 1987
"LogIt!'s forte is tracking who uses your PC and at what time,
for how long, and with what applications.....Users hit the
hotkey from within any application to record text information
or a new user name in the LogIt! file. This allows you to note
any specific activities throughout the day and make the LogIt!
file clearer.
Without too much difficulty, we loaded LogIt! onto the hard
disk of our Victor 286 machine. After rebooting the machine,
the LogIt! window popped up asking for information. We entered
the user name and proceeded to go about the morning's activities
....LogIt! recorded all the daily activities, including
information lines.
LogIt! runs on any computer running ...DOS 2.0 or later."
InfoWorld, Short Looks, April 27, 1987
C. How LogIt! Works.
When LogIt! is in operation, the program LOGIT.COM is loaded to
RAM and, once there, is transparent to the operations of other
programs. LogIt! information is recorded in a file LOGIT.LOG
(default name). As noted below, all programs run by DOS can be
logged automatically. Other information (such as a user ID or
a project ID) can be logged by typing <ALT><INS> or from the
command line using the command LOGIT or a batch file procedure.
The elapsed time and the number of keystrokes used for PROGRAM/DOS
and each "INFORMATION" entry is recorded in the log file.
LogIt! simultaneously tracks two types of use data. The first
is "PROGRAM/DOS" usage where the time and keystrokes are tracked
according to whatever program is in operation at the time. The
second is "INFORMATION" usage where the time and keystrokes are
tracked according to information entered with the command LOGIT
or the <ALT><INS> hotkey.
Page 3
To read the LogIt! log record there are two procedures for you
to use.
First, for a summary report showing the total usage and
percentages of use by each PROGRAM/DOS or INFORMATION entry
the program LOGITRPT.EXE is used. The instructions screens are
pretty much self-explanatory. The report can be to either
the screen or the printer. See page 16.
Second, for a quick, detailed, unsummarized view of the log record,
use LOGITDMP.EXE. LOGITDMP.EXE will display the contents of the
binary LOGIT.LOG file on the screen, print it, or copy the data to
another file. As a default, it will produce a text display on the
screen. LOGITDMP.EXE can also create a text file on a disk or a
Data Interchange Format (DIF) file. See page 20.
When you first invoke LogIt! (usually from your AUTOEXEC.BAT file)
LogIt! will make a "START" entry, recording the time of the START.
D. Equipment Requirements
LogIt! will work well on any IBM or true compatible computer running
PC DOS or MS DOS Ver. 2.1 or later. LogIt! requires one or more disk
drives, and will work best with a hard disk and a clock-calendar.
When loaded, LOGIT.COM uses less than 10K of RAM.
LOGITRPT requires 384K or more of available RAM (after use by
system and RAM-resident programs). If you intend to use
LOGITDMP only then just 64K of RAM is needed.
A hard disk is nearly essential for the reporting functions
since the data in the compact binary file generated by LogIt!
will expand about 50 times when it is processed and summarized.
Thus, if your LOGIT.LOG (or other file) generated
by LOGIT.COM is 10K in length, you will need up to a total of
nearly 500K of disk space. Furthermore, while LOGIT will run
well on floppy disk systems, the data may become fragmented over
several disks as you change disks in the system. If you haven't
already purchased a hard disk you might as well go ahead and do it
now!
Page 4
E. Limitations and Incompatibilities
Every effort has been made to ensure LogIt! operates effectively
with as wide a range of programs as possible. LogIt! is compatible
with most common RAM-resident programs.
However, there are circumstances when LogIt! will not work properly.
To date, there have been no documented instance of data or disk
damage related to LogIt! use. However, the possibility of that
occurring (or seeming to occur) cannot be completely ruled out.
Therefore, the authors accept no responsibility for damages beyond
the refund of the price of LogIt!. If you find incompatibilities
other than those in the detailed list (IX. D.) below, please let
us know about them.
Some RAM-resident programs may conflict with the hotkey and
experimentation with order of loading may be needed to achieve the
maximum compatibility with other RAM-resident programs. Known
compatibility problems (shareware and commercial) include:
MS-Windows, VP-Info, and Software Carousel. There are also some
unverified reports of problems, and a few minor conflicts. For
a full list of limitations and conflicts, please see Chapter IX,
section D, the detailed list of incompatibilities and limitations.
LogIt! will record up to 99,999 keystrokes per entry. After that
it will indicate keystrokes as nnnK. Thus, 124,000 keystrokes
would be indicated as 124K. LOGITRPT will handle only up to
99,999 total keystrokes over all entries of a particular type
in its summation routines.
While LogIt! will not cause problems with programs using graphics
screen modes it will not bring up a readable entry window with the
hotkey while these programs are running. In a future version full
window compatibility with graphics programs will be added.
Page 5
F. The LogIt!(R) Files
The LogIt!(R) package (LOGIT300.ARC) contains the following:
README.1ST A short description of the LogIt! programs
LOGIT300.DOC This documentation.
PRINTDOC.BAT Batch file to print this documentation
LOGIT.COM: RAM resident, this program generates the LOGIT.LOG
data files.
LOGITDMP.EXE This converts the log data to a screen display,
printed report, or another file.
LOGITRPT.EXE Summarizes the log data and calculates the
percentages of keystroke and time use by
INFORMATION and PROGRAM/DOS entry. It runs
LOGITDMP as a sub-routine.
V3CFG.DBF The configuration file
V3DB1FMT.DBF
V3DB2FMT.DBF
V3DB3FMT.DBF Set of 3 .DBF format files LOGITRPT.EXE uses
V3RPT.FRM
V3PRNT.MEM
V3RPTD.FRM Set of 3 files for LOGITRPT.EXE print routines
ERROR.TXT File used by LOGITRPT.EXE for error messages
(comes with QuickSilver (R) programs)
CLEANUP.BAT Gets rid of extra working files when you are done
When you use LogIt! you will create the following files (names
indicated are default names, other filenames can be used where
indicated by "*")
LOGIT.LOG* This is the binary file containing all log data
which is created and added to by LOGIT.COM.
LOGITLOG.TXT* This is the text file record of the data which
is produced by LOGITDMP.EXE when it is run as part
of the LOGITRPT routine. See also HOW TO USE
LOGITDMP.
LOGITLOG.DIF This is the file produced on the default drive
if LOGITDMP.EXE is invoked with the -D option.
V3DB1.DBF 6 dBase III(r) compatible files containing all
V3DB2.DBF log information created by LOGITRPT routine.
V3DB2A.DBF
V3DB3.DBF
V3USAGE.NDX
V3SUMTMP.DBF
All of these 6 files are are temporary and will be overwritten
the next time you run LOGITRPT. If you want to save these files
they should be renamed or copied. LOGITRPT will NOT ask you
before overwriting them! Running CLEANUP will delete all of
them if you wish to save disk space.
Page 6
III. HISTORY OF THE LogIt! PROGRAMS:
LogIt! was originally written for the authors' own since we
need a record of our computer use. This turned into a rather
large project and there was seemed to be enough interest to
make it worthwhile to release the program.
You may have seen LogIt! before. Here's why:
Version 1.0 - Shareware. Had bug; If you see it, delete it!
Version 1.1 - Shareware. (LOGIT110.ARC) No bugs, but could
not handle programs that invoked other programs
or COMMAND. Trademark "LogIt!" registered.
Version 2.0 and 2.1 - Commercial versions marketed by the
University of Wisconsin Software Development
and Distribution Center (SDDC) 1986 to
June 30, 1988. These are the versions advertised
and reviewed in InfoWorld and other publications.
Added features included the keystroke counter, the
hotkey for information entry, improved handling
for multiple levels of programs, and LOGITRPT
was added so percentages of use could be easily
calculated for either user or program use.
In January, 1988, The Board of Reagents of the
University of Wisconsin decided that SDDC should
market only programs that have a clear "academic"
orientation. Thus SDDC has returned all rights to
the program to us (Alan E. Robertson and John W.
Beasley, effective 9/1/1988. We decided to release
that commercial version as shareware. Thus the second
shareware version, Version 2.50S, was identical with
the commercial version with the exception of the
copyright notices, this revised documentation, a
couple of ancillary files and the request for $20.
Version 3.0xS - The shareware version you're looking at right now!
This has a major development of the reporting
program making it possible to develop special reports
by date interval, by selected user or program, and,
most importantly, it links the user and the program
in the printer report. Detailed or summary reports
are available The LOGIT.COM and LOGIDMP.EXE programs
are unchanged and this version is fully downward
compatable with Version 2.xx log files.
Version 4.x - Vaporware. Planned features include greater screen
mode compatibility and a "time-out" feature and other
enhancements. This may be done as commercial work,
but in any case, persons paying the registration fee
for version 2.50S or 3.0xS will receive substantial
discount on the upgrade - as well as notification.
Page 7
IV. HOW TO INSTALL LogIt!
A. Hard Disk Systems:
Make a directory with the name \LOGIT. Copy all files from the
archive into that directory. Copy (or move) LOGIT.COM to the
root directory of your hard disk. See the notes below about
configuring your computer for LOGIT. Both PATH and SET commands
in your AUTOEXEC.BAT file are necessary as noted below. See your
DOS manual if your don't know how to use the commands MD (Make
Directory), PATH, and SET.
B. Floppy Disk Systems:
If you are still using a two floppy (or single floppy) system
LogIt! will still work, but to be honest, it's probably more
trouble than it's worth. Just go ahead and break down and
buy a hard disk. Its time to do so anyway! But, if you still
want to use it with a floppy-based system, here's what you do:
Copy LOGIT.COM to all disks you use as boot disks or program
disks in your A: drive and be sure that PATH and SET commands
are used as shown below. The LOGITDMP.EXE and the LOGITRPT set
of files need not be on the boot disk since they are needed only
to review the data. If you're going to run this on a two floppy
system, see the notes below about the amount of disk space that
LOGITRPT will require. Disk space should not be a major problem
with LOGIT running alone since the log file size is reasonable
small - only about 25 bytes per entry.
C. How to Set Up the Computer for LogIt!
1. Be sure that your CONFIG.SYS file contains the
statement: FILES=20
2. Use the SET command to tell the computer where to
put the file LOGIT.LOG (or other name) regardless of
which drive is the default rive.
The LogIt! program will create a file named LOGIT.LOG on
the disk in the default drive (or any drive chosen). It
will do this as often as it does not find a file called
LOGIT.LOG. If subdirectories are being used, LogIt! will
place this file in the root directory unless otherwise
specified.
Page 8
Specify the drive, directory and name for the file which
LogIt! is to use to record data by using the DOS SET
command. For example, if all data is to be recorded in a
file called LOGIT.LOG in the root directory in drive C:
include the following in your AUTOEXEC.BAT file prior to
invoking LOGIT;
SET LOGIT.LOG=C:\LOGIT.LOG
Generally, for floppy disk users, it will be best to
specify:
SET LOGIT.LOG=A:\LOGIT.LOG
You can use the SET command to put the log file anywhere
you wish (e.g. into a \LOGIT subdirectory) and give it
whatever name you wish (e.g. JIMS.LOG). Thus:
SET LOGIT.LOG=C:\LOGIT\JIMS.LOG
2. Use the PATH command to tell the computer where to
find LOGIT.COM regardless of which drive and directory
is the default.
The DOS command "PATH" specifies that the computer will
search for LOGIT.COM on one or more specific drives and
directories rather than on just the default drive. For
example, to type LOGIT at any DOS prompt (regardless of
which drive is the default) have, as part of the
AUTOEXEC.BAT file, the command:
PATH=C:\; [etc.]
Floppy disk users should use:
PATH=A:\;
4. How to set up the AUTOEXEC.BAT file:
For hard disk users:
[program to set system clock]
PATH=C:\;
SET LOGIT.LOG=C:\LOGIT.LOG
LOGIT
For floppy disk users:
[program to set system clock]
PATH=A:\;
SET LOGIT.LOG=A:\LOGIT.LOG
LOGIT
Page 9
Note that if there is nothing (not even a space or a
switch) after the command LOGIT the system will display
a prompt for a Start entry. If you wish to use a switch
(e.g. -^E so that program use is not recorded) and still
want to have the prompt, enter the command LOGIT twice as
in the example below.
[program to set system clock]
PATH=C:\;
SET LOGIT.LOG=C:\LOGIT.LOG
LOGIT -^E
LOGIT
When the AUTOEXEC.BAT file execution
reaches LOGIT, the LogIt! prompt will be displayed:
Enter your LOGIT information now:
Alternatively, whatever is to be recorded for
the "S>" (START) entry can be included in the
AUTOEXEC batch file, e.g.:
[program to set system clock]
PATH=C:\;
SET LOGIT.LOG=C:\LOGIT.LOG
LOGIT -^E
LOGIT [this is a start information entry]
This will avoid the need to enter data while the
batch file is executing.
After you run LogIt! for the first time, the DOS prompt
will return, and the initial message will not be shown
again. This is true even when LogIt! is recording data
about program changes, when the <ALT><INS> hotkey is
pressed or when the command "LOGIT" is typed to make an
information entry.
Once LogIt! is RAM resident, anything - even just a
space - after the command LOGIT will keep the
window from popping up. Thus you will need to be
careful while writing batch files to avoid
putting spaces after the LOGIT command which
would keep LogIt! from forcing an entry.
Page 10
D. Other operating notes:
Be sure that enough room has been left on the disk chosen
for the LOGIT.LOG log file that LogIt! will create and
maintain. As noted above, LogIt! will add about 25 bytes
each time an INFORMATION or a PROGRAM/DOS entry is made.
When available log file space is used up, you can use the
LOGITDMP to convert the data to a file on another disk for
archive purposes or you can summarize it with LOGITRPT.
It is possible to copy and concatenate the original binary files
if needed for archive purposes. See a DOS handbook for
instructions on these operations if you are not familiar with
them.
If LogIt! cannot create or write into a LOGIT.LOG file, due
to a full disk or a write protect, this will not impede
operation of programs. An error message from LogIt! will
be displayed, but your program will run without problems.
Page 11
V. HOW TO START LogIt! AND ENTER INFORMATION
A. How to run LogIt!
LogIt! can be invoked at any DOS prompt by the command:
LOGIT
There are several command-line switches that can be used
to specify the way in which LogIt! will record information.
They can be used when you first run LogIt! or any time
thereafter. These are:
-E (default) - records PROGRAM/DOS entries
and exits ("everything")
-^E - records only START and INFORMATION
entries ("Not-Everything") This switch
is useful when you wish to limit the size
of the LOGIT.LOG record - a feature
especially handy for people like programmers
who are constantly in and out of many
programs or where program data is not
desired. However, note that when this switch
is used you must make an information entry
with the hotkey or the command LOGIT to record
a proper exit.
-H (default) - enables <ALT><INS> hotkey
-^H - disables hotkey
B. How to make LogIt! entries:
Remember that LogIt! tracks two types of data for you. First,
LogIt! tracks PROGRAM and DOS use (PROGRAM/DOS entries). LogIt!
will not, however, track the use of internal DOS commands such
as COPY, DEL, TYPE and the like.
Second, LogIt! tracks usage according to INFORMATION entries
(including the START entry which is really a special case of the
INFORMATION entry).
There is no need to enter program names since LogIt! records
program use automatically unless this feature is disabled.
If you don't want to record all program use, but still want
some information entered you can either use a batch file to
run your program and include the command LOGIT with the
appropriate information after LOGIT on the command line or just
have the command LOGIT in the batch file with nothing after it.
In this case the window will come up and prompt you for
information. Alternatively, you can use the <ALT><INS> hotkey.
All of these alternatives will, however give you only
INFORMATION entries since the PROGRAM/DOS recording function has
been disabled.
Page 12
Information data can be entered in three ways.
First, an information entry can be made using the command LOGIT
with the entry following it. This can be done either manually
or from a batch file. e.g.:
LOGIT [message]
Second, the <ALT><INS> hotkey can be used to enter data at any
time, including from within other programs without having to
exit them. When <ALT><INS> is typed, a window will appear at
the top of the screen, and the information can be entered. As
soon as the RETURN key is pressed, the window will disappear, the
information will be written to disk, and the computer will resume
its previous task.
Note that if the hotkey is pressed after the beginning of a
DOS entry (before the RETURN key is pressed for that entry),
it is necessary to press RETURN before the window will pop up.
This is because LogIt! will not "see" the <ALT><INS> combination
which is still in the keyboard buffer. The window will pop up
immediately after RETURN is pressed, and the DOS command will be
processed as soon as LogIt! is done writing the entry to the disk.
The third, and very useful way, is to include the command LOGIT
with nothing after it in a batch file to "force" an entry since
it is easy to forget to make entries unless there is a reminder.
C. Tips for making INFORMATION entries:
To make it easier to total the elapsed times recorded in
LogIt! records, be consistent in the use of the identification
codes used in making information entries. LOGITRPT will
not distinguish between upper and lower case when making
summaries so the entries "1a" and "1A" will be seen as being
the same.
It is suggested that a code be decided upon to help record
information in a consistent manner such as the following:
First Character Second Character
1 = George A = Personal Use
2 = Sally B = Business (Smith Acct)
3 = Robin C = Business (Jones Acct)
4 = (etc)
Any number-letter combination will work. Again, remember to
be consistent in the use of upper or lower case.
Thus, enter:
LOGIT 3B
Page 13
to show Robin working on Smith Account. Of course, actual
project or account numbers could be used as well if desired.
Record more detailed information by adding notes to the
entry following the code. This will also be recorded as
part of the entry for that time in LOGIT.LOG. A maximum of
128 characters may be used for each LogIt! entry if the entry
is made with the command LOGIT, and a maximum of 57 using
the <ALT><INS> hotkey. However -- LOGITRPT will truncate all
entries to 20 characters, so information more than 20 characters
will not appear in summary reports.
If desired, you can use LogIt! to document the time individuals
spend at various tasks by having them type <ALT><INS> or the
command LOGIT with the appropriate string to identify the activity.
Thus, an person can log his or her time towards various projects and
it is easy to generate LogIt! records even for non-computer
related tasks.
It is best to establish a code for each user and job and include
a text file with these codes as a reminder message in your
AUTOEXEC.BAT or other batch files in the line just before the
command "LOGIT", e.g.,
TYPE LOGIT.MSG
LOGIT
where LOGIT.MSG is a text file containing the list of
available codes identifying the various people and/or
accounts.
When entering LogIt! information whether from the command line,
a batch file, or the window, you should not enter control codes
of any kind since these will be transferred to the printer
and may then change the printer settings disrupt the printer's
activity. Enter letters or numbers only. The LOGITRPT program
will convert all letters to capital letters, so upper versus
lower case is not important unless you plan to do further
processing on the text or DIF output of LOGITDMP.
Page 14
VI. HOW TO EXIT LogIt!
Once LogIt! has been invoked, there is no way to exit or stop the
logging process without rebooting the system or using one of the
utilities that allow you to release RAM resident programs.
This feature increases LogIt!'s value as an accounting tool.
LogIt! records exit times automatically by assuming that
the time of a return to DOS, followed by a reboot,
indicates the end of machine usage. If a long time is
spent working in DOS after leaving the program and that
time must be recorded, leave a time mark for the exit.
This is done by using the <ALT><INS> hotkey or typing "LOGIT".
Obviously, if you just shut down the computer without making
an exit to DOS (or crash it) LogIt! has no way of figuring
out when the use of the machine ended and thus cannot calculate
elapsed times and keystrokes for the last PROGRAM/DOS and
INFORMATION entries. Thus you will see blanks for these
last entries -- and in any case for the last DOS entry of the
computer run.
If you wish to use the -^E option to conserve file space, then
use the <ALT><INS> hotkey or incorporate the command LOGIT into
a "quit" batch file to make a final entry that will enable the
program to calculate times and keystrokes properly.
If there will be an extended period of time away from the
computer, use the <ALT><INS> hotkey or the LOGIT command to
note the time leaving and the time returning. The keystroke
counter gives another, time-independent, means of determining
computer usage.
Page 15
VII. HOW TO USE LOGITRPT TO SUMMARIZE LogIt! RECORDS
LOGITRPT will take the data in the file LOGIT.LOG generated by
the LOGIT.COM program of LogIt! and convert it into a summarized
record of computer use using LOGITDMP as a subroutine.
The new LOGITRPT.EXE that comes with Version 3.02S has much
more sophisticated log processing and reporting routines. You can:
* select date ranges to process
* display the data just for selected users or programs
* get either a summary report with all entries by one
user/program combination combined for summary purposes
or get a detailed report with every record displayed.
* set reporting defaults and change them at will
A. What does LOGITRPT do?
LOGITRPT will produce a summarized report of your
computer's use. The report will include, summarized
by INFORMATION and PROGRAM/DOS entries:
* total keystroke counts for each entry
* keystrokes/hour for each entry
* keystrokes as percent of total for each entry
* total elapsed time for each entry
* elapsed time as percent of total for each entry
LOGITRPT will group all activities of a specific type
together using INFORMATION entries and (if LogIt! was
enabled to record them) PROGRAM/DOS entries. It will sort the
entries according to type of entry and summarize the data for
each discrete entry.
Upper and lower case entries are not all transformed to upper
case so the use of case need not be consistent when making entries.
LogIt! keeps track of two types of information; the data related
to INFORMATION entries and the data related to the PROGRAM/DOS
entries. If LOGIT was used with the -^E switch there will be
no PROGRAM/DOS entries summarize in a report.
The files LOGITLOG.TXT and the created .DBF files are temporary
files and will be overwritten the next time you run LOGITRPT.
If you want to save these files they should be renamed or copied
to a different disk or directory. LOGITRPT will NOT ask you
before overwriting these files.
The created V3DB1.DBF AND V3DB2.DBF are standard dBase III+(R)
files which can be used by dBase III+(R) or a .DBF
file-compatible program if you have one.
The file LOGITLOG.TXT is just the text output of LOGITDMP.EX
(See below for details as to how to use this file.)
Page 16
B. How To Use LOGITRPT
First, change your default drive and directory to \LOGIT, and
then enter the following:
LOGITRPT
You will see an opening screen. If the defaults are satisfactory,
simply press <ENTER> and log processing will proceed.
Defaults displayed on the screen are:
LogIt! log file to report from => C;\LOGIT.LOG
(Selects drive, director, filename for LogIt! log file.
Default is C;\LOGIT.LOG.)
Limit report date range [Y] or report entire log [N] => N
(Used if you wish to report only a portion of the LogIt!
file between two dates. Default is "N".)
Report for selected user/program only => N
(Used if you wish to report only for certain users or
activities. Default is "N".)
Quick dump of untotaled LogIt! record => N
(Simply runs LOGITDMP.EXE as a fast routine and provides
no summarization or other processing of data except for
calculating elapsed times. Will not allow either date
limits or reports for selected users/programs.
Default is "N".)
Detailed report of EVERY LogIT! record => N
(Does all the processing including percentages of time
and keystrokes for used by each individual LogIt!
entry, but does not summarize all entries for each
user. Allows for date and user/program limits.
Default is "N".)
Summary report of LogIt! data => Y
(Does all the processing, accepts limits, and
summarizes the computer usage for each user/program
combination. Default is "Y".)
Report to SCREEN => N
(Sends the report to the screen. Default is "N".)
Report to PRINTER => Y
(Sends the report to the printer. Default is "Y".)
Report to FILE => N
(Sends the report to a text file. The default
filename is C:\LOGIT\LOGRPT.TXT. Default is "N".)
Page 17
If you wish to change any of these defaults, simply type "N"
and you will see the same screen but with the ability to alter
the defaults either temporarily or permanently.
The default LogIt! log file is C:\LOGIT.LOG.
If your log file is some other file, you can enter that file
specification including drive, directory and file name.
(e.g. D:\LOGIT\JIMS.LOG).
If LOGIT.COM was always invoked with the -^E switch, there
will be no PROGRAM/DOS entries to report.
C. Notes on screen display of LOGITRPT report: When the screen
display option is used with the "Report for selected user/program
only" option you will see that the screen will often display only
a few records (or even none) at any one time. All selected
records will be displayed, but you may have to hit the <RETURN>
key several times to see them.
D. Cleanup procedures:
Because LOGITRPT generates very large working files while
processing log data, it may be useful to delete these files
when you are done to free up disk space. If not deleted,
these files will be overwritten the next time you run
LOGITRPT. The working files increase the disk space used
by LogIt! by an amount roughly equal to 50 times the size
of the LOGIT.LOG file.
If you wish to save LOGITLOG.TXT or .DBF files for archival
or other purposes you should rename or copy these.
The original log file (Usually LOGIT.LOG) will not be deleted
during the cleanup procedure and you should delete or rename
this manually if you want to start a new log file.
To run the cleanup procedure, simply enter:
CLEANUP
at any DOS prompt while you are in the /LOGIT directory.
E. Other notes regarding LOGITRPT:
LOGITRPT does a great amount of file accessing while it
creates databases, indexes them and then sorts and processes
the LogIt! data, and therefore you should expect processing to
take a while, especially if the LOGIT.LOG file is large.
Disk caching programs will also speed this type of operation
greatly but there have been problems with compatibility with
some of them. The one that comes with PC-TOOLS (r) Ver 4.2
seems to have worked fine.
Page 18
F. Other uses for LOGITLOG.TXT, V3DB1.DBF and V3DB2.DBf
1. Displaying detailed data:
The most detailed level of record keeping is the text file
(LOGITLOG.TXT) generated by LOGITDMP from the original LogIt!
binary data file. You can see the detailed entry by entry
record by entering
TYPE LOGITLOG.TXT
after LOGITRPT has finished running and you are back at the
DOS prompt. You can print this detailed data if you wish by
simply using the command
COPY LOGITLOG.TXT PRN
Alternatively, you can look at this file with a word processor
(in the non-document mode) or a text editor. The file can even
be altered with a word processor (in the non-document mode) or
a text editor. If you do this, you will still have the
LogIt! binary file as a secure archive record if you need it.
2. Using V3DB1.DBF and V3DB2.DBF
These can be used in exactly the same manner as any other
dBASE III+(R) file. The one other created .DBF file,
V3DB3.DBF could be used but has less useful information.
Page 19
VIII. HOW TO USE LOGITDMP TO READ LogIt! RECORDS
A. General Operations:
You can use the LOGITDMP program for a quick display of the log
on the screen, to print a detailed entry-by-entry unsummarized
record, or to create a new text or DIF file of logged data.
The following data reporting options are available for LOGITDMP.
-I Displays information entries only
-S Displays all times in "HR MN SEC" format
-D Produces a DIF file in addition to text to the screen
The -I option:
The files generated by LOGITDMP can list either the total
activity of the computer, including all program changes,
or can, by use of the command "LOGITDMP -I", display the
elapsed times only for those entries with the "I>" and "S>"
(information and start) record type codes, ignoring
the "P>" and "D>" (program and DOS) entries. This option
is useful where the great detail provided by the program
and DOS entries is not needed.
If the -^E switch was given with the command
LOGIT, there will be only information entries to report
from the LOGIT.LOG file regardless of which option is
used with LOGITDMP.
The -S Option
Adding an "S" after the "-" mark will cause LOGITDMP to
display all entry and exit times in "HR MN SC" format
and elapsed times in the same format but with the field
headings (added only if a DIF file is created) EH, EM, ES
to designate elapsed hours, minutes and seconds. As a
default, clock times will be reported in hours and
minutes, but not seconds, and elapsed times will be
reported as decimal hours.
The -D Option
Adding a "D" after the "-" mark will cause LOGITDMP to
create a DIF file for use in a spreadsheet or database
program if that works better in a particular application.
If a DIF file is generated, field headings will be
provided as follows:
YR, MO, DA, HR, MN, TY, KEYS, ETIME, INFO
As noted above, if the -S option is also used, the
structure will be:
YR, MO, DA, HR, MN, SC, TY, KEYS, EH, EM, ES, INFO
Page 20
Using Multiple Options
To use more than one of the above options at one time, just
put all options desired together after the "-". Thus to
show only information entries, the time to the nearest
second in "HR MN SEC" format, and generate a DIF file,
type:
LOGITDMP -ISD LOGIT.LOG
Usually, as in the example above, the filename that is the
operand for LOGITDMP will be C:\LOGIT.LOG unless another
name has been specified. The following examples
assume that LOGIT.LOG is in the root directory of the
C: drive (C:\) and LOGITDMP.EXE is in the \LOGIT
directory.
B. How to use LOGITDMP:
1. To display a LogIt! log on the screen, enter:
LOGITDMP [drive:]log filename
For example, use (while in \LOGIT as the default directory):
LOGITDMP C:\LOGIT.LOG
2. To print a LogIt! log on the printer, type:
LOGITDMP [drive:]log filename>PRN
For example, use (while in \LOGIT as the default directory):
LOGITDMP C:\LOGIT.LOG>PRN
3. To convert the binary LOGIT.LOG file to an ASCII (text) file
on a disk, type:
LOGITDMP [drive:]log filename>[newdrive:]newfile
For example, use (while in \LOGIT as the default directory):
LOGITDMP C:\LOGIT.LOG>A:LOGIT.TXT
when a file called LOGIT.TXT is to be created on the
disk in drive A.
Page 21
4. To convert the binary LOGIT.LOG file to a Data
Interchange Format (DIF) file, use the "-D" option when
invoking LOGITDMP. Note the new DIF file, LOGITLOG.DIF
will be written to the default drive and directory. Thus, type:
LOGITDMP -D [drive:]filename
For example, use:
LOGITDMP -D C:\LOGIT.LOG
when a DIF file is to be created on the default
drive. It is not possible for the program to concatenate
(add to) a DIF file once it has been created.
When you run LOGITDMP with the -D option, the log will
be displayed in text format on the screen (or the printer
if you typed ">PRN" after the command) while LOGITDMP
is creating a new file called LOGITLOG.DIF on the default
drive. LOGITLOG.DIF can then be renamed to any desired
filename as long as the suffix ".DIF" is retained.
To create both a text and a DIF file, enter:
LOGITDMP -D LOGIT.LOG>[drive][newfile]
This will create both a DIF file on the default drive and
a text file on the newly specified drive.
C. How to View and Print the Disk Files Created by LOGITDMP
To view the text files created by LOGITDMP, use the TYPE command.
To print the text files the COPY command can be used with
>PRN at the end which will redirect the output of the file to
the printer. e.g.
COPY LOGITLOG.TXT PRN
D. How to Interpret Records Produced by LOGITDMP
The LOGITDMP program will report the contents of the
LOGIT.LOG file with four codes denoting starting and
elapsed times for different types of information. The
report can go to either the screen (default), a text file
on a disk, or the printer. The LogIt! report will look
like this if the default configuration of LOGITDMP (ASCII
text file in readable format sent to the screen) is used.
However, there will be no headers or line numbers, which
are added here for clarity. If the -S option switch has been
used, there will be additional columns to display the
data in HR-MN-SEC format.
Page 22
SAMPLE LogIt! RECORD PRODUCED BY LOGITDMP
YR MO DA HR MN TY KEYS ETIME INFO
1985 01 30 10 53 S> 6438 1.50654 3B
1985 01 30 10 53 D> 8 0.00444
1985 01 30 10 54 P> 6422 1.48412 C:\WP\WRITE
1985 01 30 12 23 D> 8 0.00667
1985 01 30 12 23 I> 3789 0.97306 2C smith widgits
1985 01 30 12 24 P> 2480 0.38722 C:\WP\WRITE
1985 01 30 12 47 D> 10 0.02111
1985 01 30 12 48 P> 1291 0.55417 C:\ACC\CALC
1985 01 30 13 21 D> 8 0.00722
1985 01 30 13 21 I> 1256 0.26806 2B
1985 01 30 13 22 P> 1248 0.25083 C:\WP\WRITE
1985 01 30 13 37 D>
1985 02 01 08 45 S> 1A
1985 02 01 09 25 P> C:\ACC\CALC
1985 02 01 09 59 S> (new entry here and record continues)
The keystroke counts (KEYS) and elapsed times (ETIME) recorded by
LogIt! are of two general types: PROGRAM/DOS and INFORMATION.
The "PROGRAM/DOS" KEYS and ETIME are recorded during the time
that a program was actually in operation on the computer; that
is, from the time the program was invoked until a return to
DOS or to another program.
The "INFORMATION" KEYS and ETIME are recorded from the time one
information entry was made (using <ALT><INS> or the command
"LOGIT") until EITHER another "INFORMATION" entry was MADE or
the program senses that the computer was shut down by the fact
that an exit to DOS was followed by a "start".
If a program entry or an information entry is followed
by a start, then LogIt! has to assume that a proper
exit to DOS was not executed and therefore will show
a blank as the KEYS and ETIME entries since no reasonable
calculation is possible. An example of this is seen
in lines 13 and 14 of the sample record above.
LogIt! records are displayed with the type of record (TY)
indicated by one of four symbols to aid in calculations;
these are: S>, P>, D>, I>,. They mean:
S> = LOGIT INVOKED
I> = INFORMATION ENTRY
D> = IN DOS
P> = PROGRAM (program in operation)
Page 23
S> Start:
This entry indicates a "START", which is the first invocation of
the LogIt! program after booting DOS. It will contain (if supplied
by the user) an INFO entry. KEYS and ETIME will be calculated to
the next information (I>) entry or until the next return from a
program to DOS followed by a "start" (S>). In a sense, the "S>"
elapsed time entry is a special case of the "I>" "INFORMATION"
entry.
I> Information entry:
This entry contains the KEYS and ETIME of operation after entering
LogIt! information by typing <ALT><INS> or the command "LOGIT"
at any DOS prompt. LOGITDMP will calculate the keystrokes (KEYS)
and time (ETIME) spent after each information entry by looking
ahead in LOGIT.LOG to either the next informational entry or
the time when a "D>" entry was followed by an "S>" entry,
indicating that the system was reset.
P> Program:
This entry contains the KEYS and ETIME for the time that the
program listed was in operation. Note that this calculation is not
possible unless the program exited to DOS. If this was not done,
LOGITDMP will just display a blank for KEYS and ETIME. LOGITDMP
will calculate the elapsed time for programs from the invocation of
a program to an exit to DOS regardless of whether or not any
intervening information entries were made. Note that while the
program name appears in the "INFO" field it is of the PROGRAM/DOS
type of entry.
D> DOS:
This entry contains the KEYS and ETIME for the time that the
computer was in DOS. Note that if there is an exit to DOS and the
computer is shut down (as should be done), LOGITDMP cannot
determine the KEYS or ETIME in DOS, and a blank will appear as the
entry for KEYS and ETIME in the "D>" row as in row 12 of the
example above.
There is special significance to the combination of a "D>"
followed by an "S>", as this indicates an exit from a
program and a reboot. In these instances, the program will
assume that the time indicated by the "D>" is the time that
all activities were completed and will use this in
calculating KEYS and ETIME for the "information" and
"program" entries. If there is not a "D>" followed by an
"S>" combination (as if, for example, the computer was shut
down without exiting to DOS), then calculations of KEYS and ETIME
are not possible. LOGITDMP will indicate this by
displaying a blank for KEYS and ETIME, as in lines 13 and 14 of
the sample, above.
Page 24
IX. PROBLEMS AND ERRORS
A. When LogIt! will not create a record
LogIt! cannot maintain a LogIt! log file if the disk in the
default drive (or other drive specified by the SET command)
is write protected or otherwise unavailable for the addition
of data to the log file.
LogIt! will not record activities if DOS is not in
operation (e.g. if BASIC is being used). However, it will
record the times BASIC was entered and DOS was re-entered.
Some programs on protected disks require that either the
system be booted from that disk to operate or DOS is not
used. Thus, LogIt! will not work with these programs.
B. Common Error Messages
Because of the large amount of memory required by LOGITRPT
and its companion programs, errors will relate to this.
the first sign of a lack of sufficient free memory will be a
message stating:
"Cannot Run LOGITDMP.EXE"
Other common errors are
ERROR 010 Cannot find a file. This may refer to one of the
database format files, but can also occur if due to
a lack of memory or disk space LOGITRPT could not
write one of the data files.
ERROR 042 Printer not ready.
BAD LOGIT RECORD FOUND There was a corrupted record in the
LOGIT.LOG binary file and the dump
cannot continue. It is necessary
to delete the old LOGIT.LOG record
and allow the program to make a new
one. All data in the old one will
be lost beyond the point of the
error.
Unable to write to LOGIT log file....Please correct. The
program was unable to write to the
file either because the disk was full
or otherwise inaccessible to LogIt!
Printer problems/funny printing Probably related to somebody
entering a control character to the
LogIt! window. See page 14.
Page 25
C. Who to contact if there are problems:
Please write to us at the address below giving the details
of the problem, address and phone number, and we will reply
by mail or phone. We would appreciate knowing of any
problems, as this will help us improve the program.
Robertson Software
Dept. LS-3
P.O. Box 576
Geneva, IL, 60134
Needless to say, we will be more enthusiastic about providing
support to people who have paid the registration fee. If you
want a reply to your inquiry, PLEASE INCLUDE A SELF-ADDRESSED
STAMPED ENVELOPE FOR OUR REPLY.
If you are writing about problems, please include information
about your system, including the brand, the amount of memory, any
special features, a printout of your CONFIG.SYS and AUTOEXEC.BAT
files, and a listing of any other RAM resident programs you are
using in addition to information about the programs you are using.
A printscreen dump of any error messages that will illustrate the
problem will also be helpful.
D. Detailed list of known conflicts and limitations
MS-Windows (R) - Don't even bother trying it. The system will hang
when you exit a program running under Windows.
VP-INFO (R)- Completely incompatible. Problem was verified.
DESQview (R)- Unverified report of hanging the system when used
with LogIt!
Software Carousel (R) - ditto....
Relay Gold (R) - ditto
PC-TOOLS (R) - Unverified report of problems when PC-Tools used in
RAM-resident mode. Attempts to replicate have failed to
show a problem. No problems or reports of problems
otherwise.
Norton Utilities (R)- For some strange reason, there is a problem
with the File Editor of the Norton Utilities. If LogIt!
is running and you enter a ^C character into the
file, the program abruptly exits to DOS. This does NOT
occur with the PC-TOOLS file editor.
Multimate (R) - A recent version of this program looks through
multiple directories for things and in doing so generates
many tiny logit files if you are logging program use.
There are also reported problems with keyboard in
Version 4. Earlier versions seem to work OK.
CED - Loading order is important - Load LogIt! first.
Compiled Basic Programs - Rarely, a problem will occur where the
bell will stay on for long times if the Hotkey is used.
No other problems. It probably depends on which compiler
was used.
Page 26
Disk Caching programs - LOGIT.COM appears to work well with all
disk caching programs tested so far. However, some
disk caching programs have trouble with compiled dBASE
programs such as LOGITRPT.EXE. While PC-CACHE (which
comes with PC-TOOLS)(R) works well with LOGITRPT.EXE.
Programs invoking other programs (or COMMAND) - Not really a
problem, but when one program invokes another, the number
of keystrokes and time spent in the parent program are
divided among the programs that were run under it. If you
want to attribute all time and keystrokes to the parent
program you can do this by using a batch file with the
LOGIT command contained in it to invoke the parent program.
That information entry will then contain the proper time
and number of keystrokes. (It is best to also use the
command "LOGIT" in same batch file so that the information
exit is properly recorded upon leaving the parent program.)
Loss of LogIt! SET commands: There have been rare instances of
Logit putting the LOG file in strange places - e.g. when
a program is invoked from a floppy disk, LogIt! may put the
file on that disk. This may relate to the a secondary
program invoked by a primary program running out of
environment space when it tries to make a copy of the
environment commands. You may want to try increasing the
environment space. You can use the following line in
your CONFIG.SYS file:
SHELL=C:\COMMAND.COM /P /E:1200
or refer to your DOS manual.
Graphics Screen Modes: These versions of LogIt! will not
bring up the window in a readable form when the screen is
in graphics mode.
X. REGISTRATION INFORMATION AND INVOICE FOR LogIt! (R)
Please help us make the shareware concept work by paying us for
this program if you find it to be useful. We also hope that you
will make it available to others who might like it.
Your payment of $20.00 gives you the right to use one copy of
LogIt! on one machine. We request payment for each additional
copy in use. Please remember that site licenses are available
for 10 or more copies; contact the authors at the address below
for more information.
If you have previously paid for LogIt!, either shareware or via
our SDDC contract, we would appreciate a nominal upgrade
registration fee of $10.00 for this version.
If you wish, you can use the fold-up mailer below for sending
your check along with a small amount of information. Please tape
so that the check does not fall out!
Please separate mailer from this document.
To fold, tape check to *back* of side 2, then place mailer
printed side down. Fold side 1 back, and then cover it with
side 3 also folded back. Staple or tape closed.
Page 27
..............................................................................
Side 1.
Enclosed is payment for ___ copies of LogIt! V3.02S @ $20/copy. $____.__
Please make check payable to Robertson Software, and tape inside this
mailer. (Mark here // and insert check for $10/copy for upgrades.)
Payment by: Name______________________________________
Company __________________________________
Street __________________________________
City/State/Zip/Country ___________________________________
Phone (note if home or work) ______-______________ // H // W
Planned use for LogIt! ________________________________________________
Where did you get your copy? __________________________________________
Any Comments? (It's OK to use next side if you wish)
THANK YOU, Alan Robertson and John Beasley
fold back here and tuck this flap under first
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Side 2. (ok to use for comments - this is back of mailer)
fold next side over to make front of mailer
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Side 3 1st Class
FROM ________________________ stamp
________________________ here
________________________
________________________
TO Robertson Software
Dept. LS-3
P. O. Box 576
Geneva, IL, 60134
LogIt! Ver 3.02S