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 a 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 or advanced
format as specified by the user when enabling the trace service.
Trace output formats
Formatted trace events may be written to the trace file in one of three formats:
- Basic format
- The format used in WebSphere Application Server - Express.
- Advanced format
- Extends the basic format by adding information about an event.
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 hexadecimal value generated from the hash code of the thread
that issued the trace event.
- ShortName
- The abbreviation name of the logging component that issued the trace event.
This is typically the class name for application server 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 application server 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.
TimeStamp ThreadId ShortName EventType [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.
TimeStamp ThreadId EventType UOWsource=LongName [ClassName] [MethodName]
Organization Product Component textMessage [parameter 1=paremterValue]
[parameter 2=paremterValue]