Logging and Tracing page

IBM® Rational® Functional Tester allows you to collect the errors and warning messages into a log file (rft_log.txt). The logging and tracing functionality is controlled through certain configurable parameters such as level, file size, directory. With IBM® Rational® Functional Tester you can configure the ‘level' parameter for individual components. If a log and trace level is not defined explicitly for a component, then it defaults to the overall setting defined in the general page. With IBM® Rational® Functional Tester, you can set the preferences for logging and tracing through an user interface.

General page

The General page contains the fields listed below.

Note: These settings do not apply to messages logged for functional testing in Google Chrome browsers. Messages for Google Chrome are written into the chromeSupportDebug.txt file, which is saved in the directory specified in the Log File Path field.

Log Level: Select the log level from the list. With the log level you can control the amount and type of log information that must be generated in the log file. For example, if you select INFORMATION level, all the log messages that are classified as information, warning, error, fatal, and severe is generated in the log. To minimize the amount of logging, select FATAL. If you select CONFIG, all log messages are generated.
Log File Size (in KB): Specify the maximum size of the log file in kilobytes. The default size is 2048 KB, and the minimum size of the log file is 1024 KB. If the size of the log file exceeds the specified limit, it is renamed to rft_log_<x>.txt (The size of the renamed file is approximately around the specified limit).
Maximum Number of Log files to retain: Specify the maximum number of log files that can be retained. For examples, if you say type, 5, then five recent log files are retained and the rest are cleared.
Log File Path: Type the log file path in the Log File Path field. The log file generated (rft_log.txt) is saved in this directory.
Note: Messages for Google Chrome are written into the chromeSupportDebug.txt file, which is saved in the directory specified in this field.

You must enable the tracing option, if you want to generate the trace files.

Enable Tracing: Select this checkbox to enable the generation of trace files.
Generate traces in Eclipse error log format: Select this checkbox to enable the generation of trace files in the Eclipse error log .log format. Trace files in the .log format can be viewed in the Eclipse Error Log view within Rational® Functional Tester. Clear this checkbox to enable trace files to be generated in the .txt format.
Trace Level: Select the trace level from the list. With the trace level you can control the amount and type of trace information that must be generated in the trace file. The trace level gives you detailed debugging information for Rational® Functional Tester and the application-under-test during recording and playback.
Trace File Size (in KB): Specify the maximum size of the trace file in kilobytes. The default size is 2048 KB, and the minimum size of the trace file is 1024 KB. If the size of the trace file exceeds the specified limit, it is renamed to rft_trace_<x>.txt (The size of the renamed file is approximately around the specified limit).
Maximum Number of Trace files to retain: Specify the maximum number of trace files that can be retained. For examples, if you say type, 5, then five recent trace files are retained and the rest are cleared.
Trace File Path: Type the trace file path in the Trace File Path field. The trace file generated (rft_trace.txt or rft_trace.log, depending on your specification in the Generate traces in Eclipse error log format checkbox) is saved in this directory.

Log Components and Trace Components

The component level settings take precedence over the general settings. The components are not predefined. You can add and remove components by clicking the Add and Remove buttons.

Log Components: On the Log Components pages, you define the log level settings for each component.

Trace Components: On the Trace Components pages, you define the trace level settings for each component.

To open: Click Window > Preferences. In the left pane, expand Functional Test and click Logging and Tracing.

Memory trace components

The Memory Trace page contains settings which control the type of trace statements to be generated for Rational® Functional Tester processes.

Memory Trace Settings: Click this option to enable memory trace settings.

Interval between dumps: Specify the intervals, in seconds, at which the Java heap size statistics are to be dumped into the memory trace.

Run Garbage Collector prior to dumping: Click this option to indicate that the Garbage Collector needs to run before the Java heap size statistics are dumped into the memory trace file.

Write the shared memory to the trace file: Click this option to enable writing the shared memory statistics to the trace file.