Updating My IIS Log File Parser
I decided that I want to revamp my IIS Log File Parser, so I am putting this post up so comments and suggestion can be made for the next version.
I have already decided to add support for parsing multiple log files, as opposed to viewing just one IIS log file at a time. Although the parser is currently able to parse FTP Logs as well as SMTP logs, I realized that there wasn’t an option to select either in the GUI, so the next version will will show SMTP and FTP sites as options in the pick site dialog.
It also seems that Microsoft’s IIS Log File Parser is popular among web master’s becuase it allows SQL Based queries as well as a command line module that can be accessed programmatically. I have tried Microsoft’s version and came away frustrated, which is the reason I decided to write my own version in the first place. Anyway, since the command line access and SQL based queries seem to be such a well liked feature, I will incorporate both in the next release.
I have also been thinking about seperating the application Logic into a standalone DLL so other programmer’s can reuse the code in their own application. I would also like to incorporate some reporting features to show charts and the like, and will be researching some ASP.NET net charting applications to use. Finally, I will probably be incorporating the ability to export results to HTML files that can be used to view stats online.
Any other comments and suggestions are welcome. Just post them here.
July 23rd, 2008 at 3:41 am
You need to add support to run the app on Vista as a normal user but requesting to run with administrator priviledges.
If you do not run as administrator you get the following exception.
System.Exception: Cannot create ActiveX component.
at Microsoft.VisualBasic.Interaction.GetObject(String PathName, String Class)
at WindowsApplication1.IISPickSite.IISPickSite_Load(Object sender, EventArgs e)
July 23rd, 2008 at 3:42 am
If the log filename is long it gets hidden under the “PickWeb” an “Unique” buttons.
Double clicking on a web site in the IISPICKSite dialog should select the web site and close the dialog instead of having to click the button “Select”. ps: the title maybe would be better as “IIS Pick Site”
July 23rd, 2008 at 3:43 am
Chris,
Thanks for the input, as far as the security issue, I never considered a non-admin user Accessing IIS. Even for Windows IIS MMC I believe you would need to use runas command if you where not an admin.
In any case, its a great suggestion. I will impement some code to prompt the user for credientials if the method fails.
As far as the log file name, I have been meaning to get to that as well. Double clicking is definetly a great usability plus, and I just noticed the the IISPickSite Close button does no function
November 25th, 2008 at 12:59 pm
Hi Alex.
Thanks for the tool. It is great.
One suggestion regarding filter. In contextual menu, there are “Show only items that start with” or “… that end with”. It would be really helpful to have “NOT start with” ,”NOT end with” and “NOT contains”.
Additionally, still about filter, it would be great that the filter can take acccount of customized values stored in local TXT file. By example, you could have a select-file menu command such as “Show only items which {contains | does NOT contain} substring available into file”.
The button RESIZE is truncated because the tool main window contains too much controls on header.
Thanks. Thierr