Telnet Logging
Home Up Errata / Updates Why Shell? Using Telnet Telnet Logging Chapters 1&2 Chapters 3&7&13 Chapters 4&5 Chapters 6&8 Chapter 22 Chapter 23 Chapters 10&12 Chapter 14 Chapter 15
Updated:
2000-11-05 10:13

Telnet Logging

You need to know how to do Telnet Logging to do most of the Unix assignments.  Logging makes a record in a file of your Unix command line session for later printing.  This page covers the basic material you will need to use Telnet to log your work.

Before you start logging

  1. Know how to find and run the telnet executable program on your Windows computer.
  2. Follow the Using Telnet web page from start to end:
    1. Read the "Three Basic Rules" section and identify and memorize the Three Basic Rules for using telnet.
    2. Set up telnet correctly on Windows.
    3. Set up telnet correctly on Unix.

How to Start and Stop Logging

Any time after you start telnet, you may select the "Start Logging" entry from the Terminal menu to start keeping a log of the commands you are typing and their output on your telnet screen.

When it asks for a location for the log file, pick a location (a folder) where you can find the log when you need to print it. Type in some name for the log file, e.g. mylog.log. (Use any name you like; remember where the file is located.)  You might want to put the log file on your N: drive so you have access to the session log from any computer.  Or, you might log to an A: drive diskette so you can take the log with you.

Conduct a Unix session consisting of entering Unix commands and seeing their output. As you do your session, everything that displays on your screen is going into the log file on your Windows computer.  Note: The file on your Windows computer will appear empty until you Stop Logging and close the log file.

Do not use any full-screen text editors (such as vi or emacs) when logging your telnet session.  The output will not display correctly in the log file.  To display the contents of a file for the log, just use the cat command.  (We don't want the added junk inserted by pagination commands such as pg and more to appear in the log file.)

When you are done with your Unix session, again select the Terminal menu and select "Stop Logging". Now, you can open the log file (in the folder in which you created it) and print it.  Remember that the log file is stored in the directory accessible from the computer on which you created it. The log file is not stored on Unix.

Printing the Log File

Each Assignment will require you to print the telnet log file using a fixed-width, monospace (Courier-style) font.  For full marks, follow the Assignment Submission Standards and make sure the long lines do not wrap excessively.  A few very long, wrapped lines are acceptable; however, your font should be small enough to get at least 80 characters on a line.

A good program for opening and printing log files under Windows is Write or WordPad.  You can select a small Courier font for printing.  Notepad's font is too wide for most Unix output; the lines wrap excessively.  Don't use Notepad.

 

Web Author: Ian! D. Allen idallen@ncf.ca
Updated: 2000-11-05 10:13