Log File Context Form Template

FreeEMS topics that aren't specific to hardware development or firmware development.
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Fred
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Log File Context Form Template

Post by Fred »

Guys, motivated by Preston and his mostly awesome log file names and associated emails, I thought it would be good to include in the firmware docs dir a simple form with fields to fill out before uploading, sending, attaching, reporting anything involving a log. A log without context is somewhat useless. I'll start the ball rolling and when the thread has got far enough along I'll put it into a file and commit it.
  • Version: Firmware release version X.Y.Z or development git hash (git describe)
  • Decoder: Name of the decoder, file name uploaded and/or name pulled out of the firmware through MTX or other tools
  • Modifications: If building from source, ALWAYS a git status paste and, if that's not clean, also git diff paste.
  • Custom logging: A listing of the ./src/custom directory, and if datalogPopulator.c is present, the contents of that file.
  • Description of mods: What your changes are supposed to do.
  • Type(s) of log file(s): standard binary, megatunix csv, logic analyser/scope mode (what it was pointing at).
  • Weather conditions: Hot/cold, night/day, stop start traffic, humid ocean air, dry desert air, etc.
  • Summary of behaviour: What you observed, concisely.
  • Detailed description of behaviour: Everything you noticed about what you observed.
  • Where in the log file is the evidence: Time stamp, log record number, which fields, shapes to look for, range values to set, etc.
  • Vehicle info: Chassis/body and engine type and variant, mods, power adders, sensor types, etc.
  • Hardware: Type of hardware, circuit configurations, etc. eg "Puma Spin 1 with recommended hacks" or "TA + ravage based circuits" etc.
  • Recent changes to hardware: Where hardware = engine, loom, sensors, circuits, etc, anything you can solder or unbolt :-)
  • Relevant settings: Anything that you've recently changed about your setup, or changed since last specifying it publicly, or if it's a fresh setup, everything.
  • Description of driving style/actions: cranking/starting, idling, free revving, soft driving, race track use, traffic light racing, drag racing, burnouts, etc.
Additionally, please name your log file with a date/time and/or brief summary of firmware version/hash and/or other relevant info.

Notes:
  1. Fill out everything you can, if you can't, say so:
  2. Stuff you don't know should say "Don't know"
  3. Stuff that isn't applicable should have "N/A"
  4. Stuff that is same as before should say "same"
  5. If we don't know your essentials then we can't support you.
  6. If you're running unofficial/forked/customised code from a repo that isn't mine, expect less support.
  7. Where possible rip your firmware, as-is, zip and include it so it can be verified on the bench if required.
So, what have I missed? What have I gone overboard on?

Fred.
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Preston
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Re: Log File Context Form Template

Post by Preston »

I think it should also have:
  • Submitted by : Speaks for itself, possibly contact email address?
  • Date/Time submitted : no explaination needed
  • Appended log name(s) : Making tracking of files easier when cross referencing.
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Fred
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Re: Log File Context Form Template

Post by Fred »

johntramp mentioned IRL name/irc nick/forum nick, which when combined with your submitted by/email leads me to "Contact details". Additionally I think "Urgency" should go in there to help prioritise these if there are quite a few (unlikely, but you never know). You're right about the log filenames. So:
  • Urgency : How is this affecting you? Are you stranded in the desert with only 10m of cell battery life left? Is this stopping you getting to work? Is it preventing you from getting even more beer? Is it a minor niggle that you can live with?
  • Log file names : Names of any files so as to easily find them and link them to this report at a later time.
  • Contact Details : Real name, nickname on forum, irc, issue tracker, etc, depending upon the medium used to communicate the report. Phone numbers and/or obfuscated email addresses, and, importantly, times of the day that it is ok to call at if it should be necessary.
DIYEFI.org - where Open Source means Open Source, and Free means Freedom
FreeEMS.org - the open source engine management system
FreeEMS dev diary and its comments thread and my turbo truck!
n00bs, do NOT PM or email tech questions! Use the forum!
The ever growing list of FreeEMS success stories!
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