File logging for diagnostics on Extron Controllers (Part 1)

Introduction

While troubleshooting Extron devices, I researched and found that Extron provides a tool to view control system messages passed between connected devices via Trace - Extron Trace messages. You can find this tool inside Extron Toolbelt Software, Global Scripter. The trace service uses the UDP protocol on port 4504.

And because trace messages are sent as UDP broadcast messages and my PC is not on the same AV local network as the controller, I cannot receive the broadcast messages sent or received by the controller. If you use Global Scripter to program the Extron Controller, there is a way you can store these log messages to files with File class in Extron Lib.

Here is a simple diagram illustrating how I plan use these logs to troubleshoot issues.

From the Extron Network Ports manual, I could use port 22022 to connect to controller's data storage. This port is used for SFTP (Secure File Transfer Protocol) to access the controller's storage.

First, I built a simple layout of a touch panel TouchLink 720M.

Basic layout of a touch panel TouchLink 720M

In the layout, it includes two buttons: "On" and "Off". I could enable file logging function automatically when the device starts up, but having a separate button makes it easier to verify whether this feature is functioning.

Test Button Panel: System On, System Off and Input1.

I Expect when file logging is enabled, the system will automatically record the log messages from users input to the files, the file name will be like: log_YearMonthDay.txt

Steps to write function to enable file logging:

1. Imports

I only use default libraries in this project: Device Control, UI Device, UI Components, Utilities including Files, Clock

2. Define User Interface Elements

3. Create FileLogging class

Attributes

file_name = ‘log’ : base name for log files (e.g., log_20221020.txt)
file_logging = False: tracks whether logging is enabled (initially False later can set to True)
logFile: holds the file object
purge_times = [’00:00:01’]: Time for auto purging.
purge_days = ['Monday', 'Tuesday', 'Wednesday', 'Thursday', 'Friday', 'Saturday', 'Sunday']
auto_purge = Clock(self.purge_times, self.purge_days, self.AutoLogPurge)

Methods

EnableLog: set file_loggin to True and then call LogFileOpen() to open the current day's log file.
DisableLog: set file_logging to False.
ToFile: if file_logging is True, appends a timestamped message to the day's log file.

def ToFile(self, message):
        if self.file_logging:
            try:
                logFile = File(self.fileName + '_' + time.strftime('%Y%m%d') + '.txt', 'a')
                logFile.write(time.strftime('%Y-%m-%d %H:%M:%S') + ' - ' + message + '\n')
                logFile.close()
                print('Logged to file:', message)
            except Exception as e:
                print('Error logging to file: {}'.format(e))
        else:
            print('File Logging disabled. Message not logged')

LogFileOpen: opens the current day's log file if file_logging is ** True **

def LogFileOpen(self):
        """Open the logFile"""
        if self.file_logging:
            try:
                fileNameOpened = "{}_{}.txt".format(self.fileName, time.strftime('%Y%m%d'))
                self.logFile = File(fileNameOpened, 'a')
                print('Log file opened: {}'.format(fileNameOpened))
            except Exception as e:
                print('Error opening log file: {}'.format(e))

CurrentLogPurge: deletes current day’s log file if it exists

def CurrentLogPurge(self):
        try:
            current_log_file = self.fileName + '_' + time.strftime('%Y%m%d') + '.txt'
            if File.Exists(current_log_file):
                File.DeleteFile(current_log_file)
                print('Log file {} deleted'.format(current_log_file))
            else:
                print('Log file {} does not exist'.format(current_log_file))
        except Exception as e:
            print("Error purging current log: {}".format(e))

LogPurgeAll: deletes all files starting with ** log_ ** and ending with ** .txt **

def LogPurgeAll(self):
        try:
            files = File.ListDir() # Get a list of all files in the current directory
            for file in files:
                if file.startswith(self.fileName + '_') and file.endswith('.txt'):
                    File.DeleteFile(file)
            print('All log files deleted')
        except Exception as e:
            print("Error purging all logs: {}".format(e))

AutoLogPurge: deletes log files older than 7 days by comparing file names to current date.

def LogPurgeAll(self):
        try:
            files = File.ListDir() # Get a list of all files in the current directory
            for file in files:
                if file.startswith(self.fileName + '_') and file.endswith('.txt'):
                    File.DeleteFile(file)
            print('All log files deleted')
        except Exception as e:
            print("Error purging all logs: {}".format(e))

How it works

Startup: The system initializes
User Interaction: users interact with the system through touch panel. Each touch panel button has a corresponding function, which will trigger an event. a. Control AV system (e.g, power, input, volume, etc.) b. Update the UI
File Logging: When the user interacts with the system, the system will log the messages to the file. The file name will be like: log_YearMonthDay.txt

Result

Accessing the controller's storage via port SFTP 22022 from FileZilla
FileZilla
Open a file with log messages
log messages

Conclusion

With this approach, there are also pros and cons to consider.

Pros:

The main advantage is that it allows for easy logging and monitoring of the system's activities.
It is easy to implement, no need to build a server to store logs message and process data.

Cons:

Security concern: anyone has controller IP address can access the logs.
Manually store data in a file, which is not a good long-term solution.
Impossible to store data in a database so that it can be queried and analyzed later.

Demo

Coming soon ...

Reference

Extron Training