Debug Logs for the Business Analyst By: Joseph McKinney Senior Business Analyst Aclara Technologies

Why use Debug Logs Errors that occur in Interactive Applications and Batch Applications are not always described very well in the Error Messages Not all Errors can be solved by standard problem solving A Debug Log gives a more complete picture of what JD Edwards is trying to do A BA can be more self-sufficient by learning how to read and use Logs

Types of Logs Interactive Logs: need to be run from a Fat Client Batch Application Logs: do not have to be run from a Fat Client, but can be. You will need to run it locally if you do run it from a Fat Client.

How to get the Best Log Batch Program: While still duplicating the issue, use data selection as much as possible to limit results Interactive Application: Clear out your log immediately prior to running the application Both of these steps will help isolate the issue in your log

Turn Logging On If you are using a Fat Client in the JDE.ini File look for [DEBUG] TAMMultiUserOn=0 Output=NONE ServerLog=0 LEVEL=BSFN,EVENTS ;BSFN,EVENTS,SF_CONTROL,SF_GRID,SF_PARENT_CHILD,SF_GENERAL,SF_MESSAGING,SF_WORKFLOW,SF_WORKFLOW_ADMIN,SF_MEDIA_OBJ DebugFile=c:\jdedebug.log JobFile=c:\jde.log Frequency=10000 In the “Output” change “NONE” to “FILE” and save the change. It is important that the letters be in capital. Also under the “DebugFile” you will see the location of the Debug Log.

Turn Logging On continued Batch Application When you submit the job use the Form Exit to Advanced and check mark the Tracing, notice the Logging gets auto checked when you do this.

Retrieve Log from Batch Application When batch job is at a status of D: Use the Row exit to View Logs Check Mark Tracking and Open with Notepad If your batch Job ends in Error, check the JDE.Log first

What the Log will Look Like When you open Notepad, this is what you are likely to see

Steps to make sense of the Debug Log Open Excel Use the window’s function Control + A to select all In Cell B1 paste the full log

Steps to make sense of the Debug Log cont. In Column A, number the rows. This will allow you to put the log back into the original order later Be sure that all rows get a number, frequently there are blank spaces in the log that would not autofill with numbers

Steps to make sense of the Debug Log cont. Use the Sort Function in Excel to sort by Column C This will put the Log in Alphabetical order starting with Spaces, then special Characters then the letter A and beyond

Steps to make sense of the Debug Log Cont. Eliminate any row that does not start with one of the following: Delete Insert Return Value is 2 Select Update These are the Action statements in a Log and will contain the information you are looking for.

Steps to make sense of the Debug Log cont. The results after eliminating non-action statements should look like this

Steps to make sense of the Debug Log Resort the Log by Column A

Steps to make sense of the Debug Log Start Reading down the log looking for the First Return Error is 2 This is more than likely where your error stems from. In this case blank is not a valid value in the UDC Table 40/RN

Other Tips and Notes If you are logging an interactive program be sure to clear your log just prior to producing the error. The system will claim that it is in use but just do a save as, leave the name and hit OK, it will let you do it. If you are logging using a Fat Client, please be sure to turn the logging off once you have produced the error or you run the risk of crashing your machine as the log gets bigger and bigger

Other Tips and Notes When I am eliminating the extra information from the Logs, I normally eliminate any Select Statement on the F9200 – Data Dictionary or any select from the file Prefix FR – this is the Data Dictionary also I will normally keep select statements from the F9202 – those are the Error Numbers and they are helpful sometimes if I am producing multiple similar errors and need a good way to tell them apart

Other Tips and Notes I will normally eliminate any reference to a file starting F98XXXX These are system files and not normally where I would find problems I will have Query Selector and Data Browser open to review Files I am unfamiliar with or to test Select Statements seen in the Logs. Having a UDC Open, the Cross Reference, the Work Center and Execution Details are also helpful

Other Tips and Notes When you are first starting to review logs, log a process you know very well. That will help with reading the logs Select, Insert and Update Statements It takes practice and not all problems can be solved with this method. It is another tool in your BA belt. Good Luck