8.5. Generating Logs
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## 8.5. Generating Logs

After all of the appropriate hours have been populated in a service's grid, it's time to start generating logs. To do this, touch the `Generate Logs` button in RDLogManager's Main Menu to open the Generate Log dialog.

Depending upon how many external scheduling sources are involved, generating a log involves one, two or three steps. Before performing any of the steps, it is first necessary to select the relevant service for which to generate the log (using the `Service` control) and the log date (either by entering the date in the `Date` control or by touching the `Select` button and picking it off of the calendar).

The Generate Log Dialog

In all cases, a new log is initially generated by touching the `Create New Log` button. If the log for the selected date and service does not already exist, it will be created at this point (becoming visible in RDLogEdit). It the log already exists, it will be overwritten. (NOTE: if completed voicetracks exist in the old log, they will be deleted when the log is overwritten!)

When generating a log, RDLogManager will look for possible problems (such as scheduled carts that are missing in the Library) and generate an exception report if it finds any.

Once generated, the status lights in the Generate Log dialog indicate which (if any) additional import data are needed to complete the log. Two types of status light exist: `Available`, which indicates if the required data file is available to RDLogManager, and `Merged`, indicating whether the data has been merged into the log as yet. Each light can show one of three different colors: GREEN, meaning "yes", RED, meaning "no" and WHITE, meaning "not required".

The Generate Log Dialog (music merge required)

For an example, see the figure above. This is showing a log that has been generated and has music data available but not yet merged. To perform the merge, touch the `Merge Music` button. The dialog now changes to that shown below, indicating that Music data has been merged but that traffic data is still needed.

The Generate Log Dialog (traffic merge required)

Once a log has reached this state – that of having any necessary music data merged – it can be voicetracked without having to wait for traffic data to become available. Traffic data can be merged at any time before, during or after the generation of voicetracks. The actual traffic merge is performed by touching the `Merge Traffic` button, resulting in a dialog as illustrated. (NOTE: the configuration of the various data file names and parser parameters needed for data import is done in the RDAdmin module and is covered in the Rivendell Technical and Administration Guide).

It is important to note that the sequence of operations from the example above is typical, but may vary depending upon how the system administrator has configured RDLogManager at each site. Some services, for example, will have no music data, only traffic, so the music indicator lights will be "whited out" accordingly.

The Generate Log Dialog (fully merged)

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