Trace32 / CMtrace

“Context -
A simple introduction for those who are a DIY.”

posted Oct 7, 2014, 2:41 PM 

Trace32 (CM 07 DL) or CMTrace (CM 12 DL) are log viewers that ship with the Config Mgr Toolkit.  These are a must have for any situation where u have to read the logs.  This really makes work life easier.  No joke.  As u can see below, the viewer is divided into 2 parts.  Selecting a line in the upper half typically provides a more legible view down below.   Another useful feature is that lines are automatically highlighted that contain errors or warnings.  This is especially useful when trying to find an issue but u don't know what it is.  This allows you to easily scroll through and quickly examine what’s relevant.  Both of these log viewers are what I will call "live".  They process logs as they are being created in real time.  So if u see it moving don't be alarmed....LOL.

Typical features exist such as CTRL-F to Find and F3 for Next.  An interesting feature that comes in handy is the Filter option under Tools shown below.  Combine this with Contains and you are a Log Master.

One other little hidden gem most people don't know about is a feature called Error Lookup.  This is located under Tools as well.  As you can see below sometimes all we need is a little nudge in the right direction to put us on track to solving an issue.  These tools can make that kind of difference.