“Just give me the highlights.”

That’s what I said recently to a colleague about our tools during a discussion. She smiled at me because that’s what you do when someone says something ridiculous and you don’t want to be impolite.

I realized, in that moment, I needed to create something to help me digest all the information I’m reading and learning. A type of puzzle frame or road map. So, I started making lists. (I’m kinda famous for them in my life, lol.)

I’ve got a list for things it would have been great to know when I started learning about GSA and the RadBlue Tools.  I have one about what I want to learn next about GSA, our advanced features and how our users are doing things in the field.  I even have a list for stuff that doesn’t make any sense to me at all.

And then it hit me!  I’m going to share them here on our blog page because I’m sure I’m not the only person who could use the information.

10 Things I Needed to Know about Message Transcript and Debug Console

1. Don’t ignore Red text.
   Red text may be found in a log file, message transcript or the application display. Getting red text means something isn’t right. If you don’t know why you’re getting a message, contact RadBlue support for help.
2. Make life easier by using the quick search feature.
   Type in what you want to see in the quick search bar. The default search is case non-specific and you can type all or just a portion of the text you want to see. The tool will filter as you type.
3. Find GSA commands quickly.
   In the search bar, enter commands without using the class name where appropriate. Example: setActiveDenoms vs gameplay.setActiveDenoms.
4. Compare two Message Transcript entries side-by-side.
   Click one message and then another while holding down the CTRL key on the keyboard. Click the Compare button, and the tool will show the selected messages side-by-side with tabs to review the command, the XML and the differences.
5. Blue text in a Debug Console can alert you to a problem. 
   Review the log at start-up, and while using the RadBlue tool, for unexpected behaviors.
6. Find and use the Filters button.
   Automatically filter data before you see it in the Message Transcript and Debug Console.
7. The Filters button in the Debug Console can filter the type of messages to display.
   Filter by Debug, Error, Fatal, Info, Unknown and Warn.
8. The Filters button in the Message Transcript allows you to choose specific commands, events and/or devices to filter messages.
   Filter options also include showing g2sAck commands and errors.
9. Click a message in the Message Transcript and watch for the green or blue text to appear. 
   The tool will show you which message request-response pairs go together as well as the G2S acknowledgements.
10. Individual entries in the Transcript or Debug Console can be copied and saved. 
    But the best possible way to share information is by creating a Debug.zip file from the tool BEFORE you stop the application. This captures all relevant information that could be used for troubleshooting. It is also the first thing we will ask for when assisting a customer with an issue. You can find the Export Debug button on all Debug Console screens or by going to File > Export Debug from the menu bar.

Okay, so it’s not Letterman’s Top 10, but this sure helped me! Stay tuned for more of my travels through the looking glass of G2S Wonderland.