Logging & Messaging

These class periods that covered logging and messaging were very helpful because I have been having a hard time figuring out how to better manage my server logs and handle errors in my applications. It seems the logging on my campus servers aren't working correctly and if I ever want to track down an error I have to enable the displaying of errors temporarily. Displaying errors is not a good thing to do on a production site, but when logging doesn't work it is the only way to figure out what is up.

The only time that I actually used messaging in error logging is when on an application for campus employees where there was the ability for users to guess a specific code and possibly change some nonpersonal reporting information of someone else. When a user alerted me of his malicious discovery I implemented a system that emailed me of the modifying user's information and the details of the attempted modification as well as an email to them telling them that they ought not change that information. This was a little interesting because I was actually catching people in the act and kind of accusing users of inappropriate use of the site which I had never before done.