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Jiranz
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Joined: 16 Nov 2005
Posts: 7
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 Posted: Wed Nov 16, 2005 8:26 pm Post subject: access.log |
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it recorded a log for 9 days and then stopped keeping a log.
The box is still ticked.
The server still works OK but I wanted to be able to check the log.
Is this a limitation of the free version?
(couldn't find any documentation about it)
How do I get it to keep a log again?
Using a redundant old PC
WinME
Pentium 500
256 & 8gb hdd (plenty space)
Broadband adsl
Also runs as my fax server (MS Fax WMS 33k6 fax modem)
Also Core FTP Server
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MonkeyNation
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Joined: 05 Feb 2005
Posts: 921
Location: Cardiff
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| Posted: Wed Nov 16, 2005 8:32 pm Post subject: |
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It's not a limitation as far as I know. More likely a configuration error or bug.
I'm sure someone else could better tell you where to look, I'd await other replys.
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TRUSTAbyss
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Joined: 29 Oct 2003
Posts: 3752
Location: USA, GA
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| Posted: Wed Nov 16, 2005 11:20 pm Post subject: |
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This only happens on non NT OS's as far as I know , you will only see the
new entries when you restart Abyss , I guess on non NT OS's , the log file
entries are cached into memory untill the server restarts. |
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AbyssUnderground
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Joined: 31 Dec 2004
Posts: 3855
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| Posted: Wed Nov 16, 2005 11:41 pm Post subject: |
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| TRUSTpunk wrote: | This only happens on non NT OS's as far as I know , you will only see the
new entries when you restart Abyss , I guess on non NT OS's , the log file
entries are cached into memory untill the server restarts. |
Wouldnt this mean if the pc itself crashed those entries would be lost? It doesnt seem logical. It must write them but not allow access to the file until the server is stopped or restarted.
I would suggest you backup or delete the old log file and see if it adds log entries to a clean log or not. If it doesnt then it is most likely a bug or a mis-configuration. Sending your conf file to aprelium might help solve it.
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Andy (AbyssUnderground) (previously The Inquisitor)
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aprelium
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Joined: 22 Mar 2002
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| Posted: Thu Nov 17, 2005 12:27 pm Post subject: Re: access.log |
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Jiranz,
Are you trying to see the log file updates while the server is still running? If this is the case, restart the server and check your file again. On Windows 95, 98, and ME this is a common problem related to the way the operating system works: usually you cannot see the modification made to a file if it is still open and used by an application.
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Jiranz
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Joined: 16 Nov 2005
Posts: 7
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| Posted: Sun Nov 20, 2005 7:08 pm Post subject: Re: access.log |
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| aprelium wrote: | Jiranz,
Are you trying to see the log file updates while the server is still running? If this is the case, restart the server and check your file again. On Windows 95, 98, and ME this is a common problem related to the way the operating system works: usually you cannot see the modification made to a file if it is still open and used by an application. |
I have been using a program called EDITPAD (a notepad replacement) as the default reader for my various .LOG files (from many different applications). It is strictly an ascii character reader which has some attractive features for general html use.
Since receiving your advice and stopping the Abyss server, I found when I changed to reading the Abyss access.log file with WORDPAD in place of Editpad, that I could read all the missing entries. Editpad was reading the file up until a batch of "garbage" entries and no further. I now see there are several blocks of garbage entriesd in the log, but the first one had occurred 9 days after I first ran Abyss and is the reason I thought the log had stopped at 9 days.
I see a number of discussions concerning "garbage" entries in the access.log and I will follow these. In my case it seems to immdeiately follow a googlebot access entry but I do not know if this is relevant or not.
However, what I also now see in my Abyss log file, is a record of files that have been d/l from my separate FTP server (CORE). There is obviously some sort of crossover between Abyss and Core software. In fact the Abyss logfile also contains a local pc folder (dir) listing of the files in the ftp d/l folder although this folder and its files are not accessible through Abyss. It makes me wonder if Abyss has been compromised in some way and used (by a hacker?) to explore the hdd structure? Is this possible?
The PC on which my servers are installed, runs unattended where it is not immediately accessible at all hours (closet in the kids bedroom). If I have to physically go to the server to stop the Abyss server to check the access.log file, does this mean there is no way to check the log file on a daily or casual basis from my main network pc?
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aprelium
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Joined: 22 Mar 2002
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| Posted: Mon Nov 21, 2005 12:02 pm Post subject: Re: access.log |
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| Jiranz wrote: | | However, what I also now see in my Abyss log file, is a record of files that have been d/l from my separate FTP server (CORE). There is obviously some sort of crossover between Abyss and Core software. In fact the Abyss logfile also contains a local pc folder (dir) listing of the files in the ftp d/l folder although this folder and its files are not accessible through Abyss. It makes me wonder if Abyss has been compromised in some way and used (by a hacker?) to explore the hdd structure? Is this possible? |
If your both servers are sharing the same log file, you will see a mix of Abyss and the FTP server requests. If this is not the case, please send to support@aprelium.com a compressed copy of your log file (or its relevant parts).
| Quote: | | The PC on which my servers are installed, runs unattended where it is not immediately accessible at all hours (closet in the kids bedroom). If I have to physically go to the server to stop the Abyss server to check the access.log file, does this mean there is no way to check the log file on a daily or casual basis from my main network pc? |
You can use the batch file in http://www.aprelium.com/forum/viewtopic.php?p=39369#39369 (after changing it since you do not need file deletion) and create a scheduled task in Windows which will call this batch file at regular intervals.
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Last edited by aprelium on Thu Nov 24, 2005 12:28 pm; edited 1 time in total |
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mikeb
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Joined: 27 Sep 2005
Posts: 4
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| Posted: Mon Nov 21, 2005 7:06 pm Post subject: Re: access.log |
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| aprelium wrote: | | Are you trying to see the log file updates while the server is still running? If this is the case, restart the server and check your file again. On Windows 95, 98, and ME this is a common problem related to the way the operating system works: usually you cannot see the modification made to a file if it is still open and used by an application. |
I also have an unattended not very accessible server and this problem is most defnitely true with Win98/SE (not sure about ME) and is apparently due to the way "append to file" is handled by the OS. However, I have found that it is always (so far !) possible to view the log file over the network and be able to view ALL entries to date even though the file date/time/size does not necessarily indicate that the file has actually been updated. In addition, Win98 sometimes updates the file date/time/size without closing and restarting Abyss although I have yet to establish under what conditions this occurs. Also, simply viewing the logfile over the network sometimes causes the file date/time/size to be updated ! Win98 et al work in mysterious ways :lol: |
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Jiranz
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Joined: 16 Nov 2005
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| Posted: Wed Nov 23, 2005 10:05 pm Post subject: Re: access.log |
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| mikeb wrote: |
I also have an unattended not very accessible server and this problem is most defnitely true with Win98/SE (not sure about ME) and is apparently due to the way "append to file" is handled by the OS. However, I have found that it is always (so far !) possible to view the log file over the network and be able to view ALL entries to date even though the file date/time/size does not necessarily indicate that the file has actually been updated. In addition, Win98 sometimes updates the file date/time/size without closing and restarting Abyss although I have yet to establish under what conditions this occurs. Also, simply viewing the logfile over the network sometimes causes the file date/time/size to be updated ! Win98 et al work in mysterious ways :lol: |
I appreciate the solution is to close Abyss, make a copy of or read the log file and restart Abyss. This can be done through scheduling on the host pc (server) as described in another forum thread but how do you know you are not cutting-off someone who is looking at your webpages while you close Abyss?
Ideally I would like to be able to view the logfile in real time over my local network to see who is viewing my pages at this instance of time, rather than who looked at it last week.
This is by no means a complaint. Abyss is a brilliant program and free. Somebody deserves a medal and i hope they got paid somehow for designing it.
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AbyssUnderground
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Joined: 31 Dec 2004
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| Posted: Wed Nov 23, 2005 10:08 pm Post subject: |
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If you restart abyss quick enough then it shouldn't interupt their browsing of your site.
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Andy (AbyssUnderground) (previously The Inquisitor)
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Anonymoose
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Joined: 09 Sep 2003
Posts: 2192
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| Posted: Wed Nov 23, 2005 10:53 pm Post subject: Re: access.log |
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| Jiranz wrote: |
Ideally I would like to be able to view the logfile in real time over my local network to see who is viewing my pages at this instance of time, rather than who looked at it last week.
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As as been mentioned, this is an OS issue - if you upgraded to Windows 2000/XP or switched to Linux, you would be able to do exactly what you want to do. If you are unwilling to switch or upgrade your OS, you can't... It's not related to Abyss.
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"Invent an idiot proof webserver and they'll invent a better idiot..." |
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Axis
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Joined: 29 Sep 2003
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Anonymoose
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Joined: 09 Sep 2003
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| Posted: Wed Nov 23, 2005 11:18 pm Post subject: |
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I have a feeling that still won't work on a Win9x/ME OS due to the limitation in the way writing to the log is handled by the OS...
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Last edited by Anonymoose on Thu Nov 24, 2005 11:45 am; edited 1 time in total |
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Jiranz
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Joined: 16 Nov 2005
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| Posted: Thu Nov 24, 2005 5:49 am Post subject: |
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Brilliant - it works great - just what I wanted.!
Thanks very much :)
PS For Anonymoose: I do use XP SP2 NTFS on the pc's but run ME on the server because its main function is to run MSFAX and ME is the last version that can do this and I do not want to use Outlook. We added ABYSS and CORE (Ftp) later. But thanks for the advice. Cheers.
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Anonymoose
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| Posted: Thu Nov 24, 2005 11:47 am Post subject: |
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| Jiranz wrote: |
PS For Anonymoose: I do use XP SP2 NTFS on the pc's but run ME on the server because its main function is to run MSFAX and ME is the last version that can do this and I do not want to use Outlook. |
I wasn't trying to sound like an ass, I was just pointing out that it was WinME that had a problem not Abyss - it would be the server OS that needed an upgrade... If Baretail has done the trick, great!
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