Skip to content

E-Log Entry Tool

Overview

The E-Log Entry Tool allows you to create and submit entries to the E-Log system directly from Trace. You can attach a screenshot of your current plot and optionally include your configuration file with the entry.

Prerequisites

Before using the E-Log Entry Tool, you must set up the following environment variables:

  • SWAPPS_TRACE_ELOG_API_URL: The base URL for the E-Log API
  • SWAPPS_TRACE_ELOG_API_KEY: Your API key for authenticating with the E-Log system

Opening the Tool

The E-Log Entry Tool can be accessed through the Trace menu or with Ctrl+E. When opened, it displays a modal dialog with the following components:

E-Log Entry Form

E-Log Entry Tool interface

Using the Tool

1. Screenshot of the Plot

  • A screenshot is taken of the plot on startup and is displayed at the top of the dialog
  • The image is scaled to fit within a 400x300 pixel area
  • This screenshot will be attached to your E-Log entry in PNG format

2. Title (Required)

  • Enter a descriptive title for your E-Log entry
  • This field is mandatory and must not be empty

3. Body (Optional)

  • Provide additional details about your entry in the text area
  • Use this space to describe what you observed, any issues, or relevant context

4. Logbooks (Required)

  • Select one or more logbooks from the available list
    • At least one logbook must be selected to submit the entry
  • You can select multiple logbooks using Ctrl+click or Shift+click
  • The selected logbooks are displayed in the "Selected Logbooks" field below

5. Attach Config (Optional)

  • Check this box if you want to include your current Trace configuration file
  • The configuration file will be attached as an additional file to the entry
  • This is useful for sharing your exact plot settings with others

6. Submit the Entry

  • Click Send to submit your entry to the E-Log
  • Click Cancel to close the dialog without saving

Validation and Error Handling

The tool performs several validation checks before allowing submission:

  • Title validation: If the title field is empty, you'll see a warning: "Title is required."
  • Logbook validation: If no logbooks are selected, you'll see a warning: "At least one logbook must be selected."
  • API connectivity: If the E-Log API is unreachable, you'll see an error dialog with the specific error code

What Gets Posted

When you submit an entry, the following data is sent to the E-Log API:

  • Entry metadata: Title, body text, and selected logbooks
  • Plot screenshot: Automatically attached as trace_plot.png
  • Configuration file: If "Attach Config" is checked, your current .trc configuration file is included

Troubleshooting

Common Issues

  • "Elog Access Error": This indicates the E-Log API is unreachable or your API credentials are invalid
    • Verify your SWAPPS_TRACE_ELOG_API_URL and SWAPPS_TRACE_ELOG_API_KEY environment variables
    • Check your network connection to the E-Log server
  • Empty logbook list: The tool couldn't fetch available logbooks from the API
    • Ensure your API key has the necessary permissions
    • Check that the E-Log API is running and accessible

Environment Setup

Make sure these environment variables are properly set: 

export SWAPPS_TRACE_ELOG_API_URL="https://your-elog-server.com"
export SWAPPS_TRACE_ELOG_API_KEY="your-api-key-here"

Technical Details

  • The tool uses the E-Log API v2 for posting entries
  • Images are sent as PNG format
  • Configuration files are attached as binary data with application/octet-stream MIME type
  • The API requires authentication via the x-vouch-idp-accesstoken header