Action Logging

For TinkerPlots Research Edition 2.1 and TinkerPlots 2.2

Overview

Action Logging was created for researchers studying the use of TinkerPlots in educational settings, originally for the S-CASTS project. When a user turns on action logging, a transcript of the actions they perform is saved in a private file on their computer.

Starting, Stopping, and Clearing the Action Log

To start the Action Log, use File | Start Action Log. The Start Action Log menu item will be checked if logging has been started.

To stop the Action Log, use File | Start Action Log again, to uncheck the menu item.

To clear the Action Log, use File | Clear Action Log. This will erase the any previously generated logging data.

Viewing the raw Action Log data

The action log is stored in the same folder as the TinkerPlots preferences for each user. The exact location of application preferences is determined by the operating system (Windows or Mac OS X) and may vary depending on the version and language used.

On Mac OS X, the action log is stored in this file, in the user's preferences folder: /Users/{username}/Library/Preferences/TinkerPlots_Action_Log.txt . To view the raw log data on Mac OS X, start up Applications > Utilities > console, and use File | Open. If you exit Console without closing the window, TinkerPlots_Action_Log.txt will automatically open next time, or you can use File | Open Recent to find the log again. When Action Logging has started and the Console log window is open, the display instantly updates as the log changes.

On Windows 7, 8, or Vista, the action log is stored in this file, in the user's preferences folder, which is: {C: or boot disk}\Users{user name}\App Data\Roaming\TinkerPlots_Action_Log.txt . "App Data" is a hidden folder that can be made visible in Windows Explorer. For Windows 7: Unchecking "Hide protected operating system files" in the Organize menu > Folder and Search Options > View (Tab). For Windows 8: click on the View menu on the ribbon, now tick 'Hidden items'. Important: close the Explorer then reopen, refresh does not seem to work here.

On Windows XP, the action log is stored in this file, in the user's preferences folder: {C: or boot disk}\Documents and Settings{user name}\Application Data\TinkerPlots_Action_Log.txt .