Suggestion: Better logging options

Scott · November 26, 2008, 10:40:06 PM

Just an idea, not a rude, prickish demand.

I notice that when logging is enabled, the log rapidly fills up with a large number of very wordy entries like:

Quote11/26/2008 21:57:07.0850,COMPUTERNAME,User,firefox.exe,808,Process priority temporarily lowered,The process is consuming a lot of CPU cycles so its priority has been temporarily lowered to ensure access to the processor(s) by other processes that may need it.

So the ideas are to:

1. Make it possible to exclude certain processes from logging. If I was able to exclude just firefox.exe, for example, my log file would shrink drastically in size, and I could pay better attention to the processes that went nuts less frequently.

2. Make it possible to cut down on the verbiage. Instead of each entry being long-winded, the format could be:

Quote11/26/2008 21:57:07.0850,User,firefox.exe,808,Priority lowered.

Thanks for reading.

Jeremy Collake · November 27, 2008, 10:38:39 AM

Thanks for the suggestion. I completely agree with you. My long-winded descriptions of the event are particularly unnecessary. Better log filtering and controls about what columns are written would be a great improvement, I will work on implementing those things either before or after this big reworking of the GUI I have planned.

Don't ever feel like you're being demanding, I appreciate your help. Sometimes I get overwhelmed or depressed because I try so hard to ensure Process Lasso is a quality product, reviewing each change so carefully, using version control, and testing. When I hear of bugs, I have remember that I'm not perfect and have to just keep on trucking

. The fortunate thing is that there haven't been any major bugs in Process Lasso in a long time. There have been a few minor ones though, but no show stoppers.

And as for feature requests, I definitely need them.. as its difficult for me to 'see' what needs to be done sometimes. I'm looking at everything from an internal perspective, seeing the code design more so than the UI ease of use, for instance.

So, thanks

Scott · November 27, 2008, 11:33:16 AM

OK then, if you don't mind suggestions.

(I originally titled this thread "Request..." then changed it to "Suggestion...") I'd love to be able to close the GUI by simply closing the window (i.e. make ProcessLasso.exe exit via caption button, rather than close to tray). I don't normally run the GUI but load it sometimes to configure/check stuff. I know some people run the GUI all the time, so this would obviously be an option... (Easy for me to say, I know...)

Centralizing the options would significantly improve the UI, I think. In my opinion, PL has enough options that they deserve to all be on a consolidated Options sub-window. For example, configuring the logging options can require one to repeatedly access the menus and submenus...

Thanks for the reply and I hope you have an enjoyable holiday.

Jeremy Collake · November 28, 2008, 09:18:20 AM

Quote from: heterodox on November 27, 2008, 11:33:16 AM
I'd love to be able to close the GUI by simply closing the window (i.e. make ProcessLasso.exe exit via caption button, rather than close to tray). I don't normally run the GUI but load it sometimes to configure/check stuff. I know some people run the GUI all the time, so this would obviously be an option... (Easy for me to say, I know...)

Yes, I meant to have implemented that already, but it got lost in my huge todo list

. I will go ahead and add it today, so I don't forget.

Quote
Centralizing the options would significantly improve the UI, I think. In my opinion, PL has enough options that they deserve to all be on a consolidated Options sub-window. For example, configuring the logging options can require one to repeatedly access the menus and submenus...

I agree. I'll be working on this with the GUI redesign. It will end up being much easier to use. I may start this sooner than I planned. I will probably start by slowly incrementally adding to the existing GUI.

Quote
Thanks for the reply and I hope you have an enjoyable holiday.

You too

.

On other news, I am going to work on an auto-updater -- something I know many users will appreciate

. It won't work for every scenario, but for most users of Process Lasso it should work fine. I was told at Thanksgiving the most annoying thing about Process Lasso was the updating, and I think that's probably true.

Jeremy Collake · November 28, 2008, 10:09:38 AM

I just implemented the 'exit GUI on window close' feature, it will be in the next beta.

Scott · November 28, 2008, 11:22:45 AM

Quote from: jeremy.collake on November 28, 2008, 09:18:20 AMI was told at Thanksgiving the most annoying thing about Process Lasso was the updating, and I think that's probably true.

"Please pass the mashed potatoes. Oh, and Jeremy--Process Lasso is a pain in the ass to update."

Quote from: jeremy.collake on November 28, 2008, 10:09:38 AMI just implemented the 'exit GUI on window close' feature, it will be in the next beta.

Great--thank you.

Hotrod · November 29, 2008, 01:34:57 AM

Yes I agree. I remember asking for a better, more automated update where users don't have to extract and install manually, or at least cut down on the steps required. But that may have been on the old forum and Jeremy has been quite busy as of late. I'm sure it is in his to do list somewhere, maybe lost but not forgotten.

Pass the stuffing please.

And thanks for all the hard work Jeremy.

Scott · November 29, 2008, 01:44:45 AM

Just to clarify, my joke about updating PL was a take on Jeremy's comment that he "was told at Thanksgiving the most annoying thing about Process Lasso was the updating". I wasn't making that statement from my perspective (i.e. I wasn't being an asshole).

Jeremy Collake · November 29, 2008, 05:32:22 AM

@heterodox: Yea, I got your joke. That is something like how it went, lol

.

I was off fighting the good battle against SiteAdvisor, so didn't reply yesterday.. sorry about that.

Jeremy Collake · November 29, 2008, 06:01:35 AM

Quote from: Hotrod on November 29, 2008, 01:34:57 AM
Yes I agree. I remember asking for a better, more automated update where users don't have to extract and install manually, or at least cut down on the steps required. But that may have been on the old forum and Jeremy has been quite busy as of late. I'm sure it is in his to do list somewhere, maybe lost but not forgotten. Pass the stuffing please. And thanks for all the hard work Jeremy.

Yea, I never forgot about this request. I just put it off a while

. I am still hashing out the details of how I plan to implement it. It may not appear right away, but I am working on it.

Scott · November 30, 2008, 03:31:05 PM

Quote from: jeremy.collake on November 28, 2008, 10:09:38 AM
I just implemented the 'exit GUI on window close' feature, it will be in the next beta.

Got it, works fine. It's surprising how helpful a "little" change like that can make. Thank you.

Jeremy Collake · November 30, 2008, 04:00:41 PM

No problem, glad it helps

.

I am in the process of a massive overhaul to the upgrade procedure -- it needed it. For beta 4, upgrades will be reduced to a couple clicks. Soon, they'll be completely automated.