Changing Message Definitions and Subsystem Descriptions

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Changing Message Definitions and Subsystem Descriptions

 

A message definition provides static information about log messages, such as recommendations for responding to errors. The Central Collector appends a message definition to each log message based on the message ID and subsystem values in the message.

The following sections describe the functions of the Message Definition Editor:

Working with the Message Definition Editor

Displaying Message Definitions

Filtering Message Definitions

Adding a Message Definition

Changing a Message Definition

Deleting Message Definitions

Changing a Subsystem Description

For more information about message definitions, see Chapter 6, "Creating Message Definitions," in the Log Central Configuration Guide.

Working with the Message Definition Editor

The following sections explain how to use the Message Definition Editor:

Starting the Message Definition Editor

Main Components of the Message Definition Editor

Message Definition Editor Toolbar

Message Definition Editor Menus

Changing the Message Definition Layout

Working with the Message Definition Details File Menu

Starting the Message Definition Editor

To start the Message Definition Editor:

  1. Start the Log Central Console by running lc_launch on the central host.

    For detailed information about starting the Console, see Introducing the Log Central Console. For the lc_launch command syntax, see Commands.

  2. Click Msg Def Edit. Log Central displays the Message Definition Editor.

    Figure 4-1 Message Definition Editor

Main Components of the Message Definition Editor

The following table describes the main components of the Message Definition Editor.

Table 4-1 Main Components of the Message Definition Editor

Component

Description

Menu bar

Provides the menus for the Message Definition Editor. For more information, see Message Definition Editor Menus.

Toolbar

Provides access to frequently used actions. For more information, see Message Definition Editor Toolbar.

Displayed/Matched field

When you query the database, this field displays the number of message definitions that satisfy the message definition filter settings and the number of message definitions displayed. These numbers differ if the query found more message definitions than the maximum that can be displayed. To configure the maximum number of message definitions that can be displayed, use the -n option when you start the Log Central Console.

For information about message definition filter settings, see Filtering Message Definitions. For information about the -n option, see the description of the lc_launch command in Commands.

Message definition pane

Displays message definitions.

Message Definition Editor Toolbar

The following table describes the Message Definition Editor toolbar.

Table 4-2 Message Definition Editor Toolbar

Button

Action


Retrieves and displays message definitions from messages that are in the Log Central database. The Message Definition Editor displays message definitions that satisfy the message definition filter settings, with the most recent message definitions displayed at the top of the message definition pane. For information about the message definition filter settings, see Filtering Message Definitions.


Stops retrieval of message definitions. This button is inactive if message definitions are not being retrieved.


Displays the Message Definition Editor Layout window, in which you specify the message definition fields to display and the order in which to display them. For information about using the Message Definition Editor Layout window, see Changing the Message Definition Layout. You can also use the Layout Definition command in the Settings menu to display the Message Definition Editor Layout window.


Displays the Message Definition Editor Filter Settings window, in which you can:

  • Define the criteria for determining which message definitions to display in the message definition pane

  • Select the sort order for message definitions from a database query

For information about using the Message Definition Editor Filter Settings window, see Filtering Message Definitions. You can also use the Editor Filter Settings command in the Settings menu to display the Message Definition Editor Filter Settings window.


Displays the Message Colors window, in which you can change the colors for the severity levels. For information about using the Color Settings window, see Changing Severity Colors in Managing Log Messages. You can also use the Message Colors command in the Settings menu to display the Message Colors window.


Displays the Log Central Online Help. You can also use the commands in the Help menu to display the Log Central Online Help.

Message Definition Editor Menus

The following table describes the Message Definition Editor menus.

Table 4-3 Message Definition Editor Menus

Menu

Commands

File

New Message Definition—Displays the Message Definition Details window with blank fields in which you can enter a new message definition. You can also enter a new message definition by selecting the Message Definition command from the Edit menu (which displays the Message Definition Details window) and then selecting New from the File menu.

Reports—Generates a report of the message definitions retrieved from a database query. This option is inactive if the Message Definition Editor is processing a query. A submenu enables you to generate a summary report or a detail report. A summary report groups message definitions by subsystem and presents the message definition totals for each severity level and log level. A detail report provides most of the message definition fields for each message. For more information about generating reports, see Generating Reports.

Close—Exits the Message Definition Editor.

Edit

Message Definition—Displays the Message Definition Details window in which you can edit the selected message definition. For more information, see Working with the Message Definition Details File Menu.

Subsystem Description—Displays the Subsystem Definition window in which you can edit the description for a subsystem that has an entry in the Log Central database.

Delete—Displays a submenu that allows you to delete selected message definitions or all the message definitions.

Settings

Editor Filter Settings—Displays the Message Definition Editor Filter Settings window in which you can:

  • Define the criteria for determining which message definitions to display in the message definition pane

  • Select the sort order for message definitions from a database query

For information about using the Message Definition Editor Filter Settings window, see Filtering Message Definitions. You can also use the Filter button in the toolbar to display the Message Definition Editor Filter Settings window.

Layout Definition—Displays the Message Definition Editor Layout window, which lets you specify the message definition fields to display and the order in which to display them. For information about using the Message Definition Editor Layout window, see Changing the Message Definition Layout. You can also use the Layout button in the toolbar to display the Message Definition Editor Layout window.

Message Colors—Displays the Message Colors window, which lets you change the colors for the severity levels. For information about using the Color Settings window, see Changing Severity Colors in Managing Log Messages. You can also use the Colors button in the toolbar to display the Message Colors window.

Actions

This menu works only for database queries, not for online monitoring.

Start—Starts a database query.

Stop—Stops the database query.

Help

Displays the Log Central Online Help for various Message Definition Editor help topics. You can also use the Help button in the toolbar to display the Log Central Online Help.

Changing the Message Definition Layout

You can change the fields to display in the Message Definition Editor's message definition pane. You can also change the order in which the fields are displayed.

To change the message definition layout:

  1. Start the Message Definition Editor:

    1. Start the Log Central Console by running lc_launch on the central host.

      For detailed information about starting the Console, see Introducing the Log Central Console. For the lc_launch command syntax, see Commands.

    2. Click Msg Def Edit. Log Central displays the Message Definition Editor.

  2. Click Layout.

    The Message Definition Editor displays the Message Definition Editor Layout window.

    Figure 4-2 Message Definition Editor Layout Window

  3. Select the fields to show or hide.

    Use the Show and Hide buttons to move selections from one list to the other.

  4. Use the up and down arrows to change the order in the Show list.

  5. Click OK.

Working with the Message Definition Details File Menu

The following table describes the Message Definition Details File menu.

Table 4-4 Message Definition Details File Menu

Command

Description

View to Window

Displays the message definition in a separate window. You can then copy the window content to a file.

New

Displays a new Message Definition Details window with blank fields in which you can define a new message definition. You can also enter a new message definition by displaying the Message Definition Editor and then selecting New Message Definition from the File menu.

Save

Saves your changes.

Delete

Deletes the message definition. Alternatively, you can delete message definitions by displaying the Message Definition Editor and then selecting Delete from the Edit menu.

Close

Closes the Message Definition Details window.

Displaying Message Definitions

To display message definitions:

  1. Start the Message Definition Editor:

    1. Start the Log Central Console by running lc_launch on the central host.

      For detailed information about starting the Console, see Introducing the Log Central Console. For the lc_launch command syntax, see Commands.

    2. Click Msg Def Edit. Log Central displays the Message Definition Editor.

  2. Click Start.

    The Message Definition Editor displays message definitions that satisfy the message definition filter settings you defined in the Message Definition Filter Settings window, with the most recent message definition displayed at the top of the message definition pane. For information about the message definition filter settings, see Filtering Message Definitions.

Filtering Message Definitions

Use the Message Definition Editor to specify filter criteria that define which message definitions to display.

To filter message definitions:

  1. Start the Message Definition Editor:

    1. Start the Log Central Console by running lc_launch on the central host.

      For detailed information about starting the Console, see Introducing the Log Central Console. For the lc_launch command syntax, see Commands.

    2. Click Msg Def Edit. Log Central displays the Message Definition Editor.

  2. Click Filter.

    The Message Definition Editor displays the Message Definition Editor Filter Settings window.

    Figure 4-3 Message Definition Editor Filter Settings Window

  3. Optionally, select the severity levels to include.

  4. Select one of the Auto Acknowledge Flag buttons:

    • Yes—Display only message definitions in which Auto Acknowledge is YES.

    • No—Display only message definitions in which Auto Acknowledge is NO.

    • All—Display message definitions with either value for Auto Acknowledge.

  5. Optionally, set the sort order based on message definition fields.

    You can configure up to three sorts, using ascending and descending sort order. To configure a sort:

    • Select or deselect Ascending. If you deselect Ascending, the Log Central Console sorts the messages in descending order. Ascending or descending order is determined by the alphabetical or numerical values in the selected message field.

    • Choose a message definition field in the Key drop-down list. Log Central sorts based on Key1 if it is set, then based on Key2 if it is set, and finally based on Key3 if it is set. The result is one list. For example, if Key1 is Summary and Key2 is Severity, Log Central sorts by summary and then by severity. The resulting list is ordered by severity, with the messages for a given severity ordered by summary.

  6. Optionally, set filter criteria for the Subsystem and Message ID fields:

    1. Select the Subsystem or Message ID tab.

    2. Decide which of the following types of filter criteria to use for this field:

      Include message definitions that contain any values for this field (Show All).

      Include message definitions that contain values in the Use Include List.

      Exclude message definitions that contain values in the Use Exclude List.

      In the example in the preceding figure, Log Central excludes message definitions for which the Subsystem value is WEBGUI, VUFORM, or TxRPC.

    3. If you decided to use the Use Include List or Use Exclude List:

      To move values from one list to the other, highlight the values and click the appropriate Selected button (Selected < or Selected >).

      To move all values from one list to the other, click the appropriate All button (All < or All >).

      To delete values from a list, select the values and click Del Selected. To delete all values in both lists, click Delete All.

      To add a new value to a list, select the Use Include List or the Use Exclude List, enter the value in the text field above the buttons, and press Enter.

    4. Select the Show All, Use Include List, or Use Exclude List button depending on the type of filter criteria you are using.

    5. Optionally, repeat steps a through d for other tab.

  7. Click OK.

    The Log Central Console preserves these Message Definition Editor filter settings until the next time that you modify them as long as you keep the Log Central Console running. Filter settings are lost when you exit the Log Central Console.

Adding a Message Definition

This procedure explains how to add one message definition. To add multiple message definitions at one time, create a message definition file and run msgdef_import. For information about message definition files, see Chapter 6, "Creating Message Definitions," in the Log Central Configuration Guide. For the msgdef_import command syntax, see Commands.

To add a message definition:

  1. Start the Message Definition Editor:

    1. Start the Log Central Console by running lc_launch on the central host.

      For detailed information about starting the Console, see Introducing the Log Central Console. For the lc_launch command syntax, see Commands.

    2. Click Msg Def Edit. Log Central displays the Message Definition Editor.

  2. From the File menu, choose New Message Definition.

    The Message Definition Editor displays the Message Definition Details window.

    Figure 4-4 Message Definition Details Window

  3. Enter values in the fields.

    For a description of the message definition fields, see Log Central Message and Message Definition Formats.

    For information about the File menu in the Message Definition Details window, see Working with the Message Definition Details File Menu.

  4. Click Add.

Changing a Message Definition

To modify a message definition:

  1. Start the Message Definition Editor:

    1. Start the Log Central Console by running lc_launch on the central host.

      For detailed information about starting the Console, see Introducing the Log Central Console. For the lc_launch command syntax, see Commands.

    2. Click Msg Def Edit. Log Central displays the Message Definition Editor.

  2. Double-click on the message definition to modify.

    The Message Definition Editor displays the Message Definition Details window.

    Figure 4-5 Message Definition Details Window

  3. Modify the values.

    For a description of the message definition fields, see Log Central Message and Message Definition Formats.

    For information about the File menu in the Message Definition Details window, see the earlier section Working with the Message Definition Details File Menu.

  4. Click Save.

Deleting Message Definitions

To delete message definitions:

  1. Start the Message Definition Editor:

    1. Start the Log Central Console by running lc_launch on the central host.

      For detailed information about starting the Console, see Introducing the Log Central Console. For the lc_launch command syntax, see Commands.

    2. Click Msg Def Edit. Log Central displays the Message Definition Editor.

  2. If you are not going to delete all message definitions, select the message definitions to delete.

  3. From the Edit menu, choose Delete.

    A submenu lets you delete the selected message definitions or all message definitions.

Changing a Subsystem Description

Note: You create a subsystem description when you use the subsystem_create command to create a subsystem. You delete a subsystem description when you use the subsystem_delete command to delete a subsystem. For information about these commands, see Commands.

To change a subsystem description:

  1. Start the Message Definition Editor:

    1. Start the Log Central Console by running lc_launch on the central host.

      For detailed information about starting the Console, see Introducing the Log Central Console. For the lc_launch command syntax, see Commands.

    2. Click Msg Def Edit. Log Central displays the Message Definition Editor.

  2. From the Edit menu, choose Subsystem Definition.

    The Message Definition Editor displays the Subsystem Definition window.

    Figure 4-6 Subsystem Definition Window

  3. Select the subsystem to change.

  4. Enter the new description in the Description field.

  5. To save the change, select the green checkmark. To undo the change, select the red X.

  6. Click Close.

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