50.1.3 Further Recording Options

Some additional options are available when recording logfiles.

From the File menu, choose Options, then choose Recording in the left-hand pane.

Default recording folder

Here you can change the default directory where logfiles will be saved.

Planned Route Path

If you want to display planned routes created in GPX format as an aid in drive testing, point here to the directory where the planned routes (with file extension .gpx) are stored. The GPX file may alternatively hold a track from an actual drive test.

Any routes pointed to in this field will be saved with all logfiles that you record. You can in fact proceed to store such logfiles (*.trp), rather than the GPX files themselves, in the Planned route path location in order to reuse the planned routes in TEMS Investigation later on.

See also section "Creating and Loading GPX-format Planned Routes/Tracks".

Storage type:

This setting controls the amount of data recorded to a logfile. Select either Raw, Refined or both.

See section "Storage type" for further information.

Clear presentation windows at start of new logfile

If you check this box, an internal history buffer (providing quick access to logfile data for presentation in the user interface) is cleared every time you start recording a new logfile. This reduces the consumption of disk space as well as the CPU load during recording.

To prevent out-of-memory issues, the history buffer in TEMS Investigation is automatically cleared on reaching a size of 410,000 messages. This function is automatic, and you cannot view or edit any settings controlling this behavior.

Enable quick recording

This option allows you to speed up the manual recording procedure so that it starts immediately when you click the Start Recording button. In the fields that follow beneath the checkbox, you define Subject, Tags, Description, and Buffer length once and for all so that you do not have to specify them for each logfile as detailed in section "Manual Recording". The logfile name is automatically generated according to the default format.

Quick recording also comes with options for limiting the logfile size: see below. These options can be combined, and the logfile is then closed as soon as either threshold is reached.

Enable message count threshold

This option is available for quick recording. If checked, the recording will switch to a new file each time a stipulated number of messages have been logged. Enter the desired number in the Threshold (#) box. See also the Note below.

Enable time interval threshold

This option is available for quick recording. If checked, the recording will switch to a new file whenever a fixed length of time has elapsed. Enter the desired interval in seconds in the Threshold (s) box. See also the Note below.

 

Note: Since quick recording will cause logfiles to end at arbitrary points irrespective of the testing being done, it must not be used when collecting data for KPIs or other statistical reporting that requires consideration of complete calls or sessions.
For example, in order to calculate dropped call rates or the percentage of successfully completed data sessions, it is vital that each call or session be contained in a single logfile; otherwise, the accuracy of the statistics cannot be guaranteed.
Note also that information elements presenting average throughputs, byte counts, and the like require a "Network Connect" activity at the start of the logfile (see Information Elements and Events, section "Updating of Data Service Testing IEs").
Therefore, always use scripted recording, governed by the "Start Recording" and "Stop Recording" activities as appropriate, when collecting data that is going to serve as input to any form of statistics.