The Log Window and Log File                      

It depends on how you choose to view it !

XTension maintains a detailed file system on your disk regardless of the level of detail that you choose to display in the Log Window. 

The Log Window may be put away, but it can be recalled and is permanent.  The Log File will always be written to your disk, and will be archived in a folder called "Logs" in the same folder as XTension.

There are times when you want to see ALL of the activity of the devices and sensors of your system, like when you are testing some new features you have added.

Sometimes,  you really don't want to be bothered by a lot of unnecessary messages written to the XTension Log Window.

You may only want to see the 'exceptional' events.
And you may want to see some events in a specific color !

With version 1.8 and after, XTension offers you the ability to specify the color of the entry to the Log Window.

XTension normally displays a log window which shows system events in a text format with time stamps.   The amount of detail in the window is chosen in the Preferences dialog, and by way of specific 'set logging' verbs in your scripts.

From the Preferences dialog, Logging page, you can choose to view 'All' events.  This will cause XTension to display everything that happens on the X-10 bus or within XTension.  This mode is very useful when you are developing your system.  Watch for things that are not reasonable.

The 'Database items only' choice will cause XTension to ignore extraneous events, but will report all events related to the items in your house (database).  This mode is useful if you like to see everything that happens, but may be too much detail for most of us most of the time.

Choosing 'Exceptions only' will make XTension display only very bad system errors and explicit messages that you write explicitly to your log with the 'write log' verb (see Human interface verbs)

This is the 'normal' Logging mode that you will use when things are stable in your system.


Do I want to make a single Log file forever ?

You will want to choose how often you want to ‘cut’ the  log.  This only a matter of personal preference, but  allows you to keep an archive of past logs.  When you 'cut' the log, XTension writes the log file to a folder called "Logs" in the XTension folder.  The name it is given corresponds to the date/time of the first entry of that log file.

I'm really bored with 'Blue' :

There is also an option to the 'write log' verb which allows you to specify the color of the entry in the Log Window.  see Human interface verbs.