FAQs (Frequently asked questions)

• Are there any plans to implement a MySQL back end?

  No. The idea behind ELog is that it is a simple to use, simple to install application. Many people use ELog under Windows, and they even don't know what MySQL means. Other people like the flat file database format, because it's simple, one can access it easily from other programs, and one can backup certain days or months of the database easily (since the filenames contain the date). Since ELog should be independent of any other package, one would need some "switchable" backend between native ELog format and MySQL, which is lots of work and not planned right now.

• Can I run the ELog daemon from inside Apache or any other Web server?

  No. The ELog daemon was designed as a standalone server and it will stay like that in the future. The reason for that is that elogd should not rely on any other software. This is for example important for many people running elogd under Windows, and they have no clue how to install Apache for Windows. The installation and maintenance for elogd therefore becomes much simpler. The disadvantage of this solution is that elogd needs to run on a different port than 80 in case it runs in parallel with a Web server.

• I can access my logbook without any password, isn't that a security problem?

  By default, no password is used in ELog. This can be useful for public directories etc. where anybody should be able to read it. To add password security, read the documentation under Access control.

  Note that passwords are transferred over the network in plain text and therefore not secure. If this is a problem, a secure network connection should be used.

• I want a bookmark pointing to the last page where an attribute has a certain value

  Use the URL:

  http://<your.host>/<logbook>/?cmd=Last&<attribute>=<value>

  This executes the command "Last" command using a filter with <attribute>=<value>. The following command displays the same page, but also locks the attribute (checks the box next to <attribute>) so that browsing (next, previous, first, last) only shows pages with that attribute value.

  http://<your.host>/<logbook>/?cmd=Last&<attribute>=<value>&l<attribute>=1

  Note the "l" before the second attribute like "lAuthor=1".

• I want a logbook with public read access (no password), but restricted write access

  There is a trick for that: Define two logbooks, but with the same data directory. The first one has no passwords, but a restricted set of menu commands. The second logbook has a read and/or write password or user level access and a full menu (including edit, delete, etc.). So the public uses the first logbook, while the adminitrator uses the second logbook. Here is an example configuration file:

  [global]
  logbook tabs = 0
  
  [Public]
  data dir = c:\elog
  Comment = Public access
  Attributes = Author, Type, Category, Subject
  Options Type = Routine, Software Installation, Problem Fixed, Configuration, Other
  Options Category = General, Hardware, Software, Network, Other
  Menu commands = Find, Last day, Last 10, Help
  
  [Restricted]
  Data dir = c:\elog
  Comment = Access only for administrator
  Password file = passwd.txt
  Attributes = Author, Type, Category, Subject
  Options Type = Routine, Software Installation, Problem Fixed, Configuration, Other
  Options Category = General, Hardware, Software, Network, Other
  Menu commands = New, Edit, Delete, Reply, Find, Last day, Last 10, Config, Change Password, Logout, Help
  

  Note the "logbook tabs = 0" which "hides" the restricted logbook so that public users don't get confused.

• I have many loogbooks with password files, so if I add a user or want to change a password I have to do this for all logbooks which is painful.

  You can have several logbooks point to the same password file. So if you change a user or password in that file, it becomes automatically available in all logbooks which use that file.

• By default, ELog displays the last entry from a logbook. How can I configure it to display the last 10 messages instead?

  There is a simple trick. You use the "Welcome page" option in the elogd.cfg file to redirect the start page to the last 10 command. Put the statement:

  Welcome page = redir.html
  

  into elogd.cfg and create that file with following contents:

  <head>
  <meta http-equiv="refresh" content="0; URL=/logbook/last10">
  </head>
  

  This causes the welcome page being redirected to /logbook/last10, where logbook has to be replaced by the current logbook name. Following other redirections are possible:

  /logbook/last20                         for the last 20 messages and so on
  /logbook/past1                          for the last day
  /logbook/past2                          for the last two days and so on
  /logbook?cmd=New                        for the new message entry form
  /logbook?cmd=Find                       for the "find" page
  /logbook?cmd=Search&<attrib>=<value>    for a search with <attrib>=<value>