During normal operation, PageMate log files provide a chronological record of errors and exception conditions detected by PageMate software. When a notice of an error or exception condition is displayed via the PageMate GUI, more detailed information about the condition or event can often be found in a PageMate log file.

For purposes of configuration or performance analysis, debugging and problem resolution, the software can also be directed to write to log files a detailed history of everything that it does, together with all data sent to or received from paging networks and services. These detailed log files can be analyzed by Systemetrics Technical Support personnel to help you analyze performance or resolve operational problems. The caveat that you need to know here is that debug logging slows down everything that PageMate does, so it will be useful for performance analysis only to the extent that it can reveal more about your configuration, what resources are (or are not) being used, what options are enabled, and what problem conditions, if any, are extant. When debug logging is enabled, you should expect performance in the sense of messages processed per minute to be slower than it is when logging is not enabled.

If you are having a problem that is predictable or repeatable, or if you just want to collect data for performance analysis, and, in either case, you would like assistance from Systemetrics to further your research, the first step is usually to collect a detailed history of program operation during normal operation or (in the case of problem analysis) when the target problem or condition occurs. The second step is to contact Systemetrics Technical Support and provide a description of the observable characteristics on your system, together with ALL PageMate log files.

You can enable detailed debug logging by setting the value of a UNIX environment variable, OpenVMS logical name or Windows Registry key. The procedure for generating detailed log files for use in debugging and problem resolution is as follows:

1. Shut down PageMate Server software and close any PageMate Client windows or dialogs that may be open on your computer.
2. If you are collecting logs or analyzing a problem on a PageMate Client system, delete pagemate.log, if it exists, in your client user home (default) directory. On a PageMate Server, delete all files in the PageMate logs directory.
3. Enable PageMate debug logging.
   • If you are running in a Windows environment, run Registry Editor, find the DEBUG key under HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Systemetrics\PageMate and set its value to TRUE.
   • If you are running in a UNIX environment, create an environment variable PAGEMATE_DEBUG and set its value to TRUE, then export the definition to all environments. For example:
     • # PAGEMATE_DEBUG=TRUE
     • # export PAGEMATE_DEBUG
   • If you are running in an OpenVMS environment, define a system logical PAGEMATE_DEBUG and set its equivalence name to TRUE. For example:
     • $ DEFINE/SYSTEM PAGEMATE_DEBUG TRUE
   • The preferred method for enabling DEBUG is as described above. On UNIX and OpenVMS, a specification for PAGEMATE_DEBUG created in this way will disappear when the system is rebooted. If you need a method that will survive across reboots on these platforms, you can enable debug logging by adding the line DEBUG=TRUE to your pagemate_defaults.dat file in the PageMate data directory.
4. Start PageMate Server. If you are collecting data for purposes of problem analysis, you should next do whatever you do (or know to do) to cause the problem or exception condition to occur. On UNIX platforms, you should start PageMate Server (# pageqsrv start) from the same window you used to create the PAGEMATE_DEBUG environment variable.
5. Unless you are investigating or trying to resolve a problem with the operation of PageMate Administrator, we suggest that you do not run PageMate Administrator while you are conducting tests and collecting log files. In particular, we suggest that you should not try to watch or monitor the operation of the PageMate message queue while you are conducting tests, as this will slow down operation of the queue and may interfere with recording of information in log files.
6. For purposes of problem analysis, wait at least one minute or until you are sure that the problem or exception condition has occurred and the software is finished trying to send the message or do whatever it should be doing. If you are collecting data for performance or configuration analysis, simply let the software run as you do whatever you normally do to make use of PageMate for whatever period of time you want to collect data. Then shut down PageMate and remove the definition of PAGEMATE_DEBUG that you set in step 3, above.
7. If there is a pagemate.log file in your client home (default) directory, copy or move it to the PageMate logs directory on the Server. Copy (do not move) networks.dat from the PageMate data directory (on the Server) to the logs directory. Then make a ZIP or tar archive of the PageMate logs directory. Use WinZip on Windows, ZIP on OpenVMS or tar on UNIX. On OpenVMS, you might choose to make a BACKUP saveset of the PageMate logs directory and then zip the BACKUP saveset. The important thing is that a zip or tar archive that includes all files in the PageMate logs directory be created on the PageMate platform. If you need a copy of ZIP for Windows or OpenVMS, see the note below.
8. Send the archive as an attachment to an e-mail message to Systemetrics Technical Support at support@pagemate.com. In the body of your e-mail message, explain what happened or what you believe to be the problem. Please do not send log files or excerpts from log files in the body of your e-mail message. Screen shots are sometimes (but rarely) useful, and (for Windows environments) we do not need a copy of your Registry. What we DO need is ALL of the complete and original files from the PageMate Logs directory on your PageMate Server packed in a Zip or tar archive.

When requesting technical assistance from Systemetrics, please include your name, company name and contact information, together with your PageMate software license number, in the body of your e-mail request. If you call for technical assistance via telephone, please have this information available. PageMate software license numbers are 8-character strings comprised of 2 alphabetic and 6 numeric characters (e.g., AB123456).

If you need help with any of the instructions or procedures outlined above for generating debug logs, please contact Systemetrics Technical Support by telephone at (1) 617-868-8308 or by e-mail to support@pagemate.com.

If you need a copy of WinZIP for Windows, please visit http://www.winzip.com. If you need a copy of ZIP for OpenVMS VAX, click here to download ZIP for OpenVMS VAX. If you need a copy of ZIP for OpenVMS Alpha, click here to downlad ZIP for OpenVMS Alpha.