Most CopiaFacts Applications and Application Libraries can optionally write trace files. Trace files are almost always needed when Copia support staff are asked to investigate a reported issue. There are a number of simple ways to send trace files: for details, see Sending Files to Copia Support
Trace file Types and Lifetime
All CopiaFacts trace files have a three-character extension, TRx, FTx or GWx. In all cases the 'x' represents a day number: 0=Sunday, 1=Monday,...6=Saturday.
When starting an application which writes a trace file, new lines are appended to the trace file for the day. At midnight, when an application which writes a trace file is running, the current file is closed, and an existing file for the new day is created, overwriting the content of the week-old file of the same name.
If a user has a backup scheme which shuts down CopiaFacts applications over midnight, this pattern of overwriting will fail, and trace files will be appended to without limit. It is important to chose a time other than midnight if applications need to be regularly closed for backup purposes.
Trace File Location
We recommend writing trace files to a local folder, such as C:\FAXTEMP. To do this, set an environment variable in FAXFACTS.CFG:
$environment * C:\FAXTEMP
The Gateway log location can be overridden in GWMANAGER.
COPIAFACTS Engine Trace files
The main COPIAFACTS engine is the only application to write TR trace files. FFTRACE is not involved in writing these files. The files are named nodename.TRx.
The level of tracing can be selected on the Trace and Debug tabs on the Options Tab.
The COPIAFACTS Engine and some of its loaded DLLs can also write FT trace files. These files will be named nodename.FTx when the application is running on the desktop and COPIAFACTS_ nodename.FTx when the application is running as a service.
COPIAFACTS TRx trace files contain header information at the start of each session which describes the environment in which the application is running. For this reason Copia Support staff will always ask for an entire day's trace file when investigating an issue. Sending a partial snippet or screen shot of a trace file will delay resolution of the issue being investigated.
FFEXTERN Trace Files
FFEXTERN and some of its loaded DLLs can write FT trace files. These files will be named nodename.FTx when the application is running on the desktop and FFEXTERN_nodename.FTx when the application is running as a service. For service applications, FFTRACE merely configures the applications and levels to trace and need not be left open: the trace is written directly from the running process.
FFTRACE-managed Trace Files
All applications and loaded libraries which write FT trace files use the name of the application as the filename. When the application runs on the desktop, FFTRACE must also be running in order to collect the trace data. Otherwise, for service applications and drivers, FFTRACE merely configures the applications and levels to trace and need not be left open: the trace is written directly from the running process.
Gateway Trace Files
Gateway trace files are named GATEWAY.GWx unless a Gateway node name is configured, in which case the node name is used instead of 'GATEWAY'. The level of tracing is set in GWMANAGER.
Viewing Trace Files
The TRCVIEW application is used to view and analyze all CopiaFacts trace files. It has extensive features to filter and select trace data, in order to allow individual transactions to be followed in a large trace file.
