Interpret the Trace Service output
On an application server, trace output can be directed either to a file or to an in memory circular buffer. If trace output is directed to the in memory circular buffer, it must be dumped to a file before it can be viewed.
On an application client or standalone process, trace output can be directed either to a file or to the process console window.
In all cases, trace output is generated as plain text in either basic, advanced or log analyzer format as specified by the user when enabling the trace service.
This information describes the three formats and the fields that make up the messages.
Trace output formats
Formatted trace events may be written to the trace file in one of three formats:
- Basic Format
- This is the format used in earlier versions of WebSphere application server.
- Advanced Format
- Extends the basic format by adding information about an event, when possible.
- Log Analyzer Format
- This is the same binary format used for the IBM Service (activity.log) log file. This format allows you or IBM Service to use the Log Analyzer tool to open and interpret the trace output.
Basic and advanced format fields
Basic and Advanced Formats use many of the same fields and formatting techniques. The various fields that may be found in these formats include:
- TimeStamp
- The timestamp is formatted using the locale of the process where it is formatted. It includes a fully qualified date (YYMMDD), 24 hour time with millisecond precision and a Time zone.
- ThreadId
- An 8 character hexidecimal value generated from the hash code of the thread that issued the trace event.
- ShortName
- The abbreviated name of the logging component that issued the trace event. This is typically the class name for WebSphere internal components, but may be some other identifier for user applications.
- LongName
- The full name of the logging component that issued the trace event. This is typically the fully qualified class name for WebSphere internal components, but may be some other identifier for user applications.
- EventType
- A one character field that indicates the type of the trace event. Trace types are in lower case. Possible values include:
- >
- a trace entry of type method entry.
- <
- a trace entry of type method exit.
- e
- a trace entry of type event.
- d
- a trace entry of type debug.
- m
- a trace entry of type dump.
- u
- a trace entry of type unconditional.
- Z
- a placeholder to indicate that the trace type was not recognized.
- ClassName
- The class that issued the message or trace event.
- MethodName
- The method that issued the message or trace event.
- Organization
- The organization that owns the application that issued the message or trace event.
- Product
- The product that issued the message or trace event.
- Component
- The component within the product that issued the message or trace event.
- UOW
- The unit of work identifier for the event. This field is not currently used.
Basic format
Trace events displayed in basic format use this format, where name indicates mandatory fields that are always displayed in the formatted message, and [name] indicates optional fields that are displayed if they can be determined.
TimeStampThreadIdShortNameEventType[ClassName][MethodName] textmessage[parameter 1][parameter 2]Advanced format
Trace events displayed in advanced format use this format, where name indicates mandatory fields that are always displayed in the formatted message, and [name] indicates optional fields that are displayed if they can be determined.
TimeStampThreadIdEventTypeUOWsource=LongName[ClassName][MethodName] OrganizationProductComponenttextMessage[parameter 1=parameterValue] [parameter 2=parameterValue]