How to Use Logevent.exe to Log Events From a Batch File

 Last reviewed: November 13, 1997
Article ID: Q131008

The information in this article applies to:
  • Microsoft Windows NT Workstation version 3.51 and 4.0
  • Microsoft Windows NT Server version 3.51 and 4.0

SUMMARY

Logevent.exe, a command line utility, can be used to log an event ID provided by the user into the Application event log. This allows the user to log errors and informational data from batch files, login scripts, and Performance Monitor. The application event log can then be viewed and manipulated with the standard tools used for dealing with event logs.

Under Windows NT 4.0, LOGEVENT can also be used to make entries to the Windows NT Event Log on a local or remote computer. It is particularly useful for storing historical information from the execution of batch programs run from logon scripts or the AT command. Its ability to store entries into the event log of other computers allows this data to be collected centrally, if required.

MORE INFORMATION

Windows NT 3.51

Install Logevent.exe by copying it to the %SystemRoot%\system32 directory.

LOGEVENT requires that the Registry be modified with an additional key. Run LOGEVENT without any parameters to create the required key in the Registry. The following key will be created: 

   \HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\EventLog
   \Application\CommandLog
and will create the following values under this key: 

   EventMessageFile
   TypesSupported
All events logged by LOGEVENT will show CommandLog as the source of the event when viewed in Event Viewer.

The syntax for the Logevent.exe command is: 

   LOGEVENT xxxxx string1 string2 string3 string4 string5
where xxxxx is the event ID you want to register (in decimal) and string1 through string5 are 1 to 5 insertion strings

If LOGEVENT is run without any parameters it will create the required key in the Registry (as described above). If it is run without any parameters and the Registry key already exists then the following usage will be given: 

   [e:\ntbin]logevent
      Usage: LogEvent xxxx string1 string2 string3 string4 string5
      Where xxxx = numeric ID and stringX is "multiple word string" |
      single_word
Only 5 insertion strings are allowed, but this should be sufficient for most applications because the double quote (") character can be used to pass as much information as needed in a single string. The case where the additional strings are useful is where environment variables will be passed as parameters from a batch file. The Event ID must ALWAYS be provided otherwise the utility will provide the usage for the command and will exit without logging anything to the log.

For example, LOGEVENT could be used from a batch file to report the successful execution of a command and log it to the Application Event log with the following example commands: 

   LOGEVENT 9876 "program failure in batch file" %0
      (to report failure of program execution from a batch file)

   LOGEVENT 1234 "Program CAPTURE.EXE" "ran successfully to completion"
      (from the batch file after successful execution of the program)

   LOGEVENT 2222 "Program failed for user" %USERNAME% "with a path of"
   %PATH%
      (from a batch file showing use of environment variables)
Another example is the use of LOGEVENT from Performance Monitor. If PerfMon has been set up to generate alerts, it is possible to have these alerts logged in the Event Log. However, the current version of PerfMon logs all events generated by an Alert as the same Event ID in the Application Event Log. If several alerts are being monitored the event Id in the log cannot be used to distinguish which alert caused the event (although the detail for the event will show this information).

If the NVAlert feature of SNA server is being used to pass these alerts on to NetView (on a mainframe) then it is necessary to be able to use the Event ID to distinguish which alert generated the Event in the log. By using LOGEVENT it is possible to do this. For example, from PerfMon, you would set up the alert you want to monitor and then put in the following command to be executed when the alert is triggered: 

   LOGEVENT 2001 "Alert generated from Perfmon" "disk usage on D: exceeded
   70%%"
When you view the Event log for the this example, you will see the following: 

   Date:      4/13/95      Event ID:  2001
   Time:      9:16:40 AM   Source:    CommandLog
   User:      N/A          Type:      Information
   Computer:  SPYMASTER    Category:  None

   Description:
   The description for Event ID ( 2001 ) in Source ( CommandLog ) could not
   be found. It contains the following insertion string(s): Alert generated
   from  Perfmon, disk usage on D: exceeded 70%.
The strings that are provided will be passed first and then the parameters provided by PerfMon will be passed. The parameters passed from PerfMon are actually the same as the information logged to PerfMon itself. If all parameters passed from PerfMon are to be logged into the event log use the same line as above but put a ," (comma and double quote) or , (comma) on the end of the line (for NT 3.5 and NT 3.51 respectively). In this case only 1-4 insertion strings should be passed along with the ," or , on the end. For example: 

   LOGEVENT 2001 "Alert generated from Perfmon" "disk usage on D: exceeded
   70%%"
will pass the 2 stings provided to LOGEVENT and will then pass all of the info from Perfmon as the 3rd insertion string. Note the comma (,) at the end of the line (this is for NT 3.51). For NT 3.1 or NT 3.5 use the ," characters.

As seen in the event log, it will be reported that the description could not be found for this Event ID. This is because there is no file containing the description strings for Logevent.exe since there is no way to know what Event IDs the user will be putting in the Event Log. The EventMessageFile in the Registry will point to the Logevent.exe program itself. However, this is really just a placeholder entry in the Registry as Logevent.exe does not contain any description strings.

The Event IDs logged will really only have meaning for the user or app that will be monitoring the Event Log (such as NV Alert). Also, in this example the %% is required in order for the % to appear in the event log (this is because of the special meaning of the % character in the insertion string handling).

In addition, because these Events are generated by the user, it was felt that it is sufficient to put these in the log as Information Type messages only. There is currently no way (or need) to log Warning or Error type events using this utility.

Windows NT 4.0

To allow the Event Log Viewer to properly display the entry, the application should be installed onto the computer being used to view the event log. Installation is automatically performed when the LOGEVENT program is used for the first time.

The syntax for Logevent.exe is: 

   LOGEVENT [-m \\MACHINENAME] [-s SIWEF] [-c CategoryNumber] "Event Text"
   Severity is one of (S)uccess, (I)nformation, (W)arning, (E)rror or
   (F)ailure.

Keywords          : ntdomain ntsecurity NTSrvWkst kbnetwork
Version           : WinNT:3.51,4.0
Platform          : winnt
Issue type        : kbinfo

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Last reviewed: November 13, 1997
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