I suggest to add an attributes  like  OS

MOptions OS = linux, windows2000, windowsXP¨, windows2003

to indicate on which version we are speaking

> I suggest to add an attributes  like  OS
> 
> MOptions OS = linux, windows2000, windowsXP¨, windows2003
> 
> to indicate on which version we are speaking

Good idea, I added a "ELOG Version" as well.

> > I suggest to add an attributes  like  OS
> > 
> > MOptions OS = linux, windows2000, windowsXP¨, windows2003
> > 
> > to indicate on which version we are speaking
> 
> Good idea, I added a "ELOG Version" as well.

I suggest MOptions - people are lazy .... :)
by the way any possibilities to have 'multiple icons' ?

> I suggest MOptions - people are lazy .... :)

Not for the Version! I don't want to update this list on every release (:-(
Plus the list would get too long over time!

> by the way any possibilities to have 'multiple icons' ?

No, you have to use MOptions instead.

Used to deny a certain command to a list of users. This can be used to 
deny a guest user to enter new messages or modify a message. 


Hosts allow = <list> 
Hosts deny = <list> 

could you deny guest user like this 

guest is not loggeg ?
hubert is logged

Hosts deny = guest,hubert
does anybody has experience with deny based on IP adresse ?

> Used to deny a certain command to a list of users. This can be used to 
> deny a guest user to enter new messages or modify a message. 
> 
> 
> Hosts allow = <list> 
> Hosts deny = <list> 
> 
> could you deny guest user like this 
> 
> guest is not loggeg ?
> hubert is logged
> 
> Hosts deny = guest,hubert
> does anybody has experience with deny based on IP adresse ?

You probably mixed up deny of a command to a certain user and deny of hosts 
based on their IP. This has nothing to do with each other except the 
word "deny". Please read the documentation about how to set up IP 
based "hosts deny". This works only for certain IPs, but not for certain 
users. 

If you want guests not to be able to enter messages, but allow this to 
registered users, you should set up a password file, and a guest menu. 
Please refer to the elogd.cfg file for this forum which is done in this way. 
Have a look at elog:Config%20Examples/4 .

I have another tricky question.

Is there a way to simulate an ELOG SUBMIT?

We developed a module which automatically inserts new submits from ELOG 
into an SQL database. The module is in testing phase but we can already 
tell it does the job as it should. 

This allows us to copy ELOG entries into SQL database. But in some cases, 
we would like to transmit data in the other direction too - from SQL into 
ELOG (synchronization).

Now, one way to do that is to create .txt files with entries directly, but 
we find it too risky (file-locking mentioned in a question earlier today 
can be one of the issues). So we're contemplating a possibility that ELOG 
does these inserts for us by processing some simulated SUBMITS.

We're assuming that ON SUBMIT, you generate a POST (or a GET ?) over http 
which is then processed by the ELOGD server. This should be possible to 
simulate in our synchronization application. Are we correct in our 
assumptions?

Tomas

> Is there a way to simulate an ELOG SUBMIT?

Have a look at the elog utility which comes in the package. It does exactly 
this. It "simulates" a browser and does a submit directly to elogd. So you 
can either redo the elog code somewhere, or call elog with the proper 
command line parameters to insert logbook entries.

> > Is there a way to simulate an ELOG SUBMIT?
> 
> Have a look at the elog utility which comes in the package. It does exactly 
> this. It "simulates" a browser and does a submit directly to elogd. So you 
> can either redo the elog code somewhere, or call elog with the proper 
> command line parameters to insert logbook entries.

Thank you, Stefan!

I guess this question got somehow lost.
So once again : Is there a possibility to EDIT an existing message with 
elog.exe ?

Tomas


> > Is there a way to simulate an ELOG SUBMIT?
> 
> Have a look at the elog utility which comes in the package. It does 
exactly 
> this. It "simulates" a browser and does a submit directly to elogd. So 
you 
> can either redo the elog code somewhere, or call elog with the proper 
> command line parameters to insert logbook entries.

We did some tests of your elog utility. It does what we need except for one 
important thing: EDIT existing messages. Is there a way to edit en existing 
message? Adding a new message or replying to an existing message works fine 
but in our case we need to have the ability to modify messages that were 
created in the past.

Tomas

> I guess this question got somehow lost.
> So once again : Is there a possibility to EDIT an existing message with 
> elog.exe ?

This message did not get lost, but I'm on a conference right now in Elba and 
will come back next week, when I have time to answer all questions. Only so 
much for now: Editing in elog.exe is right now not implemented, but I will 
put it on the wishlist.

- Stefan

> I guess this question got somehow lost.

Got not lost, but I was on two consecutive conferences and just returned.

> So once again : Is there a possibility to EDIT an existing message with 
> elog.exe ?

Not at the moment. But I will put it on the wishlist.

Just upgraded (using rpms) elogd from 2.3.5 
I am running on RH 7.3

I noticed that my custom start page did not display the Welcome title icon.
It worked fine in prior elogs.

Here's the syntax of the config file:

Welcome Title = <img src="thumb.gif"><p><font size=4 color=white>Elog</font>
Resource dir = /usr/local/elog/


"thumb.gif" is located in /usr/local/elog, and is readable by all.
I also tried the full file name in src= 
<img src="/usr/local/elog/thumb.gif">  - same result.

any hints?

> I noticed that my custom start page did not display the Welcome title icon.
> It worked fine in prior elogs.
> 
> any hints?

Indeed there is a bug, it has to do that some icons wnt into the themes 
directory and are served now from there. So the bug will fixed in the next 
version (the fix is already avaliable from CVS). As a temporary workaround 
you just move your image to the themese/default/ directory and it should 
work.

An absolute path like /usr/local/... does not work, because this would open 
a security hole (someone could access any picture on your computer just by 
requesting an absolute path in the URL), so I removed that option from the 
software and the documentation.

> > I noticed that my custom start page did not display the Welcome title icon.
> > It worked fine in prior elogs.
> > 
> > any hints?
> 
> Indeed there is a bug, it has to do that some icons wnt into the themes 
> directory and are served now from there. So the bug will fixed in the next 
> version (the fix is already avaliable from CVS). As a temporary workaround 
> you just move your image to the themese/default/ directory and it should 
> work.
> 
> An absolute path like /usr/local/... does not work, because this would open 
> a security hole (someone could access any picture on your computer just by 
> requesting an absolute path in the URL), so I removed that option from the 
> software and the documentation.

I did the work-around (moving icon to theme/default) and it worked. Thanks.

Now if you just port elog over to an apache and mysql enviroment, it would be
perfect! 

> Now if you just port elog over to an apache and mysql enviroment, it would 
> be perfect! 

ELOG runs under apache, as described in the installation documentation, so 
half-perfect...

In the Config Examples logbook you mentioned a forum.css.  Do you have a 
link to that css and others?

Thanks

> In the Config Examples logbook you mentioned a forum.css.  Do you have a 
> link to that css and others?

Sure, that's what the "Config Examples" logbook is for. Just click on the 
tab on top of this page. The forum you will find 
under elog:Config%20Examples/4 .

Is it possible to make the logbook summary screen sort differently
 
For example on a customer name field it displays as follows :-

AEF
AXA
Abc
Acd
Ade
Aef
aaa
aab

Its sorting alphabetically but is putting upper case characters before 
their lower case equivalents, which in a customer list where lots of 
initials are used its making the list look non sorted rather than truely 
based on the character regardless of case.

Thanks in advance.

> Is it possible to make the logbook summary screen sort differently

I fixed that problem. The new version 2.3.7 released today contains the fix.

We are using elog as a small database system, today we came across a 
problem where 2 people were editing the same record and the first one to 
submit his changes were overwritten when the second person submitted his.

Is there anyway to lock a logbook record when someone has pressed EDIT, 
maybe set a flag in the logbook entry so it has to be unlocked when its 
submitted by the originator or by an administrator.

Many Thanks

> We are using elog as a small database system, today we came across a 
> problem where 2 people were editing the same record and the first one to 
> submit his changes were overwritten when the second person submitted his.
> 
> Is there anyway to lock a logbook record when someone has pressed EDIT, 
> maybe set a flag in the logbook entry so it has to be unlocked when its 
> submitted by the originator or by an administrator.

No, but I will put it on the wishlist. Anyhow it is hard to implement 
something like this. Assume that I would lock a page whenever it's edited 
by 
someone. This person can edit it and forget to submit the changes, just 
close 
the browser. Since the elogd server does not know when a remote browser is 
closed, it cannot determine if the editing is just taking long or if the 
person closed the browser. In the latter case, the message would be locked 
forever and nobody could change it any more. If I put a timeout, like keep 
locked for N minutes, it's again not 100% safe. I saw people doing shift 
work 
with elog, opening a page, keeping it open for 8 hours and then submit it. 
So 
if I set the timeout to 8h, and someone abandons editing a message, this 
message would be blocked for 8h, which is probably also not what you want. 

Alternatively, I just can display a messge: Warning: this message is 
currently edited by user xxx on host xxx. But if the warning is ignored by 
the user, then again we have the same problem.

Do you see a clever solution to that?

> No, but I will put it on the wishlist. Anyhow it is hard to implement 
> something like this. Assume that I would lock a page whenever it's edited 
by 
> someone. This person can edit it and forget to submit the changes, just 
close 
> the browser. Since the elogd server does not know when a remote browser 
is 
> closed, it cannot determine if the editing is just taking long or if the 
> person closed the browser. In the latter case, the message would be 
locked 
> forever and nobody could change it any more. If I put a timeout, like 
keep 
> locked for N minutes, it's again not 100% safe. I saw people doing shift 
work 
> with elog, opening a page, keeping it open for 8 hours and then submit 
it. 
So 
> if I set the timeout to 8h, and someone abandons editing a message, this 
> message would be blocked for 8h, which is probably also not what you 
want. 
> 
> Alternatively, I just can display a messge: Warning: this message is 
> currently edited by user xxx on host xxx. But if the warning is ignored 
by 
> the user, then again we have the same problem.
> 
> Do you see a clever solution to that?


I was thinking of having an icon on the page that administrator can click 
to 
unlock a record that has been left locked by someone, perhaps using 
something 
like 

Allow Unlock = admin (or even just have the option on the top like 
(Admin/Config) for administrators

Just like the delete function works, in addition to the Warning message as 
you suggested

> We are using elog as a small database system, today we came across a 
> problem where 2 people were editing the same record and the first one to 
> submit his changes were overwritten when the second person submitted his.
> 
> Is there anyway to lock a logbook record when someone has pressed EDIT, 
> maybe set a flag in the logbook entry so it has to be unlocked when its 
> submitted by the originator or by an administrator.

I added some code experimentally to avoid double editing. Whenever a message 
is edited, a "stop" sign is displayed in the message list next to the edited 
messages and a warning is issued on the single message display page. If the 
original editing has been given up (browser closed) one can just ignore this 
message. I prefer this solution in comparision with a real locking, since 
the mechanisms for unlocking a stale message by the administrator is not 
necessary. Get the newest code from CVS, get also themes/default/stop.gif to 
display the stop sign, and let me know what you think.

Thanks Ill grab it tomorrow and try it,

when is the new version out btw ?

> Thanks Ill grab it tomorrow and try it,
> 
> when is the new version out btw ?

When I say "under CVS", I mean what I said in elog:233. The new version I 
will release probably next week.

Hi, 

I have a question concerning the "Selection page" ELOG.cfg parameter.
I was wondering if it is possible to specify a complete (absolute) URL such 
as http://www.myserver.com/my_elog_menu.htm.

I need this type of configuration because we actually need to have the 
custom selection page sitting on a different server from the one where ELOG 
is run.

Thus far, the only work-around I could think of is to make a reference to a 
local html file which redirects to the http:// resource outside of the 
server.

When tried the absolute path, i got "The requested 
file /usr/local/elog/http://www.myserver.com/my_elog_menu.htm was not found 
on this server" error message. I'm wondering if it's just a bug or if there 
is a reason for it.

Thanx,
Tomas

> I have a question concerning the "Selection page" ELOG.cfg parameter.
> I was wondering if it is possible to specify a complete (absolute) URL 
such 
> as http://www.myserver.com/my_elog_menu.htm.
> 
> I need this type of configuration because we actually need to have the 
> custom selection page sitting on a different server from the one where 
ELOG 
> is run.

I added this possibility to the source code (->CVS), although it's not clear 
to me how this should work for you. If you don't have access to the server 
where elogd is running, how should elogd then redirect you to somewhere else?

> > I have a question concerning the "Selection page" ELOG.cfg parameter.
> > I was wondering if it is possible to specify a complete (absolute) URL 
> such 
> > as http://www.myserver.com/my_elog_menu.htm.
> > 
> > I need this type of configuration because we actually need to have the 
> > custom selection page sitting on a different server from the one where 
> ELOG 
> > is run.
> 
> I added this possibility to the source code (->CVS), although it's not 
clear 
> to me how this should work for you. If you don't have access to the server 
> where elogd is running, how should elogd then redirect you to somewhere 
else?

Thank you Stefan,
It's not that we wouldn't have access to the ELOGD server, it's the fact that 
we're trying to create our own dynamic selection page (with a more detailed 
overview of the content of different logbooks - such as the date of last 
logbook entry, number of entries in last week, month etc.) based on the 
information we send from ELOG to our SQL server. 

So in this case the user logs on to ELOGD (currently run on Linux) then will 
be redirected to the selection page on a Windows machine (ASP getting all 
necessary information from a MS SQL DB) and the dynamically created links 
refer back to the ELOGD Linux server. May seem a little too complicated but 
works fine.

Tomas