Dear ELOG users,

starting with SVN revision 2328, custom input forms are implemented. This allows application specific formats for check lists etc. In our specific case we had to implement a shift check list, which was quite long. Furthermore the check list should be optimized for an iPad, which we take in the field and record various checks and readings (in our case some gas pressure gauges at the PSI particle accelerator). Since the standard ELOG interface was too inflexible, a completely hand-written form was needed. The form can be activated by the new configuration options Custom New Form, Custom Edit Form and Custom Display Form, one for a new entry, an entry to edit and and entry to display. In our case we used the same form for all three cases. This is how the shift check list looks under the Safari Browser on a PC:

And here is how it looks on the iPad:

Each section can be collapsed and expanded (blue arrows at the left), and various internal checks are made before the check list can be submitted.

Implementing such forms is however more something for the advanced user, since you have to hand-write HTML with CSS and JavaScript code. It can then however be a powerful method for check lists. Please find in the attachments the elogd.cfg configuration for that logbook and the shiftcheck.html source code file. It is a bit complicated since the page is a static page, elogd just serves it from the file. This requires all the dynamic functions to be implemented inside the HTML file with JavaScript. To display an entry for example, the JavaScript loads the raw data with the "?cmd=Download" command and the populates the form fields. The collapsing and expanding is done by using CSS properties. The integrated style sheet was optimized for the rendering on an iPad. Rather large fonts were chosen so that the items can be checked easily with your finger tips. Various parameters are sent between the browser and the elogd program via hidden fields and cookies. So only something for experts! But if you go through the effort and hand-write the form, it can be very handy. Note that you have to upgrade to SVN revision 2328 for the three new options.

When I saw this problem come in, I was reminded of problems I have of elog crashing.  So I tried attaching a .bmp file to an entry.  In my case it did not crash, but it did not run ImageMagick either - it just gave a link as it it were a zip or tar file - that is to say no .png image had been generated and shown.   As I've never attached a .bmp file before, I don't know whether elog allows for them to be processed and a thumbnail made, a quick look in the documentation didn't enlighten me, but then I didn't look for that long either.  (I'm running 2.9.2 svn 2475, under Slackware 13 which is a version post some image processing issues I reported to Stefan - might that explain why in my case?). 

I have found that sometimes elog will crash, but effectively after it has done the action - so if it crashes when asked to move files from one logbook to another, you find the entries have been moved.  In my case, I believe the crashes are due to memory issues, nothing I can state for certain.

It would possibly help Stefan and Andreas if you can tell whether the .bmp file appears in the relivent logbook directory (usually a subdirectory of ....../logbooks) - it will have been renamed as yymmdd_hhmmss_{filename}.bmp - except, of course, the date and time will be showing not these symbols - and if the entry with which you have tried to attach this .bmp file been written - using a text viewer on the file yymmdda.log (obviously the day will be today, i.e. the one just updated as you tried the entry.   I have come across orphan attachment files in directories in my time, possibly from when elog crashed part way through an action.

(If I am stating the obvious, apologies, I don't know your level of experience with elog or linux, so trying to cover all possible levels)