Which logs are required to submit a ticket to the technical support department

We provide our customers with high-quality software and constantly monitor its quality. If you encounter any issues while using TrueConf products and you are not able to solve them by yourself, you can contact TrueConf technical support department. Apart from the detailed issue description, our managers may ask for some additional information in the form of log files. This article describes which logs may be required to identify and eliminate the issue.

TrueConf Server

Log files are kept in the work path directory (С:\TrueConf by default for Windows OS or /opt/trueconf/server/var/log for Linux OS).

General Issues

One of the possible issues you might face is the inability to start TrueConf Server. Possible reasons are described in our blog. The main information about the TrueConf Server operation (start, restart, stop, etc.) is saved in the Stdout.log file located the in the work path directory for Windows OS, or /opt/trueconf/server/var/log/vcs/stdout.log for Linux OS. This data is useful to analyze such problems as:

• TrueConf Server cyclic restart
• «CHECK CERT: HW key is failed!» issue
• Active Directory connection error.

Problems with SMTP

If you face issues connecting to the SMTP server and sending email invitations, you can gather the information from the web_logs folder in the work path directory for Windows OS, or /opt/trueconf/server/var/log/webmanager for Linux OS.

Issues during Video Conferencing

There also might be certain difficulties during video meetings:

• video/audio delays or interrupts
• echo or extraneous noise
• reduced video quality
• users getting suddenly disconnected from the conference
• sudden conference end
• unexpected termination of TrueConf system services.

In the support ticket you need to specify the following parameters:

1. The exact time of reproducing the issue
2. TrueConf IDs of the users who had the issue
3. Conference details:
   • type of conference
   • conference schedule
   • number of invited/connected users
4. How the users connect to the conference: via TrueConf client application or via WebRTC.

In addition, you need to attach the following logs:

• Stdout.log file and svc_logs folder from the work path directory for Windows OS, or the /opt/trueconf/server/var/log/vcs/svc_logs folder for Linux OS. It contains the logs about hosted video calls and conferences.
• transceiver_logs folder from the work path directory for Windows OS, or the /opt/trueconf/server/var/log/vcs/transceiver_logs folder for Linux OS. It contains logs about transcoding, mixing and transmitting the media data in calls with WebRTC, SIP/H.323/RTSP endpoints, RTSP streaming).

If TrueConf Server services crash, please also provide archived files from the dumps folder from the work path directory for Windows OS, or the /opt/trueconf/server/var/log/dump folder for Linux OS.

Problems During SIP/H.323/RTSP Calls

To identify and analyze the issues related to SIP/H. 323/RTSP endpoints call difficulties, you may need to install additional software called WireShark to capture traffic.

Possible problems might be:

• SIP/H.323/RTSP call interruption
• inability to call SIP/H.323/RTSP endpoint
• decreased audio/video stream quality
• interruption/loss of audio or video stream
• inability to display content on SIP/H.323 endpoints
• problems with SIP/H.323 gateway.

In this case additional TCP dumps need to be collected.

Collection of TCP dumps on Windows

1. Install Wireshark on the computer where TrueConf Server is installed.
2. Run Wireshark as an administrator.
3. Start capturing packets and reproduce the problem you have specified in the support ticket.

   

4. Once you’ve reproduced the issue, stop capturing packets and save the file by pressing the Ctrl+Shift+S combination.

Collection of TCP dumps on Linux

We recommend using the command-line tool tcpdump on Linux.

1. Open the terminal (console).
2. Install tcpdump. It is available right from the repository for most operating systems; for example, on Debian, you can install with this command:
   sudo apt install tcpdump

   1	sudo apt install tcpdump

3. Run one of the following commands as the administrator to capture the network traffic:
   • coming through all network devices
     tcpdump -i any -w /path/dump.pcap

     1	tcpdump -i any -w /path/dump.pcap

     where /path/dump.pcap is the name of the file where dumps will be saved and the full path to this file if it will not be saved in the current folder;

   • coming through the selected network device
     tcpdump -i eth0 -w /path/dump.pcap

     1	tcpdump -i eth0 -w /path/dump.pcap

     where eth0 is the network card name in the OS. The command ip address may be used to get the list of devices and their statuses.

4. While the console is still opened, press Ctrl + C to end dump collection and save dumps in the file specified above.

When submitting a ticket, attach the following logs to the ticket:

• .pcapng file with TCP dumps saved during the previous step (if Wireshark is used) or a .pcap file (when working with tcpdump);
• Stdout.log;
• gateway.pcap;
• svc_logs folder from the work path directory for Windows OS, or the /opt/trueconf/server/var/log/vcs/svc_logs folder for Linux OS;
• transceiver_logs folder from the work path directory for Windows OS, or the /opt/trueconf/server/var/log/vcs/transceiver_logs folder for Linux OS.

Also, you need to specify:

• the exact time of reproducing the issue
• TrueConf ID and/or IP address of the endpoint which you face the issue with.

Troubleshooting TrueConf Client Application

Possible problems are:

• incorrect application launch.
• instant or unplanned shutdown of the application.
• hardware compatibility issues.

TrueConf for Windows client application

Get the configuration file of TrueConf client application:

1. Run Command Prompt (cmd).
2. Enter "C:\Program Files\TrueConf\Client\TrueConf.exe" -hwtest and press Enter.
3. Configuration file tc_configuration.txt will be generated in the current user folder (C:\Users\ by default) under the path \AppData\Local\TrueConf\Client.

Client application log files will be created automatically. You can find them in the following folder:
C:\Users\<username>\AppData\Local\TrueConf\Client\logs
To quickly access the folder C:\Users\<username>\AppData\Local\ type %localappdata% in the explorer address bar and press Enter.

TrueConf client application for macOS

Get the configuration file of TrueConf client application:

1. Proceed to /Applications/Utilities folder and run Terminal.app.
2. Open /Applications folder and find  TrueConf Client.app.
3. Open the context menu and choose Show Package Contents.
4. Drag TrueConf Client.app into the terminal.
5. Enter the parameter /hwtest at the end of the command and press Enter.
6. To extract the log file, enter tc_configuration.txt in the search field of Finder.

Client application log files will be created automatically. You can find them in the following directory:

Users/<username>/Library/Containers/org.trueconf.client/Data/Library/Application Support/TrueConf/Logs

TrueConf client application for Linux

Get the configuration file of TrueConf client application. To do it, run Terminal, enter trueconf -hwtest and press Enter. Configuration file tc_configuration.txt will be created in the directory ~/.

Client application log files will be created automatically. You can find them in the following directory:

~/.config/trueconf/logs
Please note that ~/.config directory can be hidden by default and may not be displayed in the file manager. You may need to enable the display of hidden files in the file manager settings.

Problems with audio streams

If you are having problems when sending or receiving audio, you will need to check the Enable diagnostic audio dump box in the application settings to make sure that the cause of the problem could be correctly identified. If this box is activated, the working memory of the process related to audio streams will be saved in special files. This will make it much easier to identify and troubleshoot potential issues.

This feature may be helpful in multiple cases, for example:

• You or the person you are talking to are hearing echo.
• Some phrases cannot be heard due to interruptions.
• Audio and video are not synced.
• Stuttering can be observed.
• No audio is sent even though the speaker and microphone are turned on.

Memory dump files will be saved to:

• Windows – in the current user folder (by default C:\Users\) under the path \AppData\Local\TrueConf\Client
• Linux distros – in the directory ~/.config/trueconf/logs
• macOS – in the folder Users//Library/Containers/org.trueconf.client/Data/.

These files will have the .pcm extension. Besides, the .log file will be added to this folder; it will include detailed logs related to the work of audio devices.

If the audio problem occurs on a regular basis, you need to collect more detailed dump files. To do it, run the application with this parameter --log=1 and activate the checkbox Enable diagnostic audio dump. Use the application up until the moment when the problem is reproduced and attach .pcm and .log files to your request.

TrueConf MCU

To save your call history, go to the Logs section in the sidebar. Then, click the Export button in the Call history tab.

To download an archive with all system logs, click the Execution module tab of the Logs section. Then click on Export to the right of the Filters button and allow the pop-up window to appear. In the window that opens, specify the location where you want to save the archive.

Additionally, when contacting technical support, you need to specify:

• Whether the MCU is registered on the SIP server or the H.323 gatekeeper.
• The protocol used in the call.
• In which direction the call was being made when you were collecting the information.
• Bitrate.
• The models and IP addresses of the devices used in the call.

TrueConf Room

TrueConf Room creates log files automatically in the following folder:

• Windows C:\Users\<username>\AppData\Local\TrueConf\Room\logs
• Linux /home/$USER/.config/trueconf/room/logs

In the case of a program crash, additional logs are created. You can find them by following the path:

• Windows C:\Users\<username>\AppData\Local\TrueConf\Room\crashlogs
• Linux /home/$USER/.config/trueconf/room/crashlogs

TrueConf Group

You can download the console and traffic logs of your TrueConf Group endpoint via its web interface.

To collect console logs:

1. Restart the endpoint to remove unnecessary information from the log files.
2. Reproduce the issue in question.
3. Click the Settings button in the upper right corner of the web interface and select Diagnostics in the left sidebar.
4. In the System log subsection, save the syslog, user.log, and vita.log files using the browser context menu.

You can start traffic capturing on the same page below:

1. In the Network log subsection, press the Start button.
2. Call the required user from your endpoint, or answer the call.
3. When the call ends, click the Stop button.

Download the logs by clicking the button to the right of the required file. To save multiple captures, check the boxes to the left of their ordinal number and click the Download selected traffic captures button.

In addition, when submitting a request to the technical support department, you need to specify:

• Whether the endpoint is registered on TrueConf Server or MCU.
• The protocol used during the call.
• In which direction the call was being made when you were collecting the information.
• Bitrate.
• Models and IP addresses of the devices used in the call.

TrueConf Kiosk

TrueConf Kiosk also automatically creates log files after every launch.

The path for the log storage:
C:\Users\<username>\AppData\Roaming\TrueConf\TrueConf SDK for Windows

TrueConf Tracker

To generate the log file during TrueConf Tracker operation,  complete the following steps:

1. Launch TrueConf Tracker.
2. In a toolbar choose Tools – Show log.
3. Reproduce the issue.
4. After reproducing the issue, press Save and choose the folder to save the file.

TrueConf for Android

1. Tap on the button to open the main menu.
2. Open the application settings.
   
3. Go to the Advanced mode section and tap on the More button.
4. Scroll down to the System log section and tap on the Start button.
5. If you don’t need to test echo cancellation, just tap on the Start button; otherwise, activate the Echo debug switcher.
   

Then, try to reproduce the error you have encountered or just continue using the application until the error occurs.

If the problem is reproduced, take the following steps:

1. Complete the log collection (in the same section). To do it, tap on the Finish button in the System log section.
2. Tap on the Send button.
3. Select a mail client (we recommend using Gmail). You can also add a comment describing what went wrong.
   

TrueConf for iOS/iPadOS

Sending application logs

1. Open the TrueConf application on your device.
2. Go to the Options → About section.
3. Tap on the Share log file button.
4. Select the mail client available on your device, e.g. Mail or Gmail.
5. Describe the steps that led to the problem and send a request to crash@trueconf.com.

Sending crash logs

To send crash logs, take the following steps:

1. Go to Settings→  Privacy→ Analytics & Improvements→ Analytics Data.
2. Enter trueconf in the search field. The list will be updated. The names of crash log files will be formatted in this way: TrueConf-date-time.ips, for example:
   
   TrueConf-2022-11-24-205948.ips

   1	TrueConf-2022-11-24-205948.ips

3. Select the file and tap on the button   in the upper right corner of the screen.
4. Describe the steps that lead to the problem and send your request to crash@trueconf.com.

To make sure that the logs are sent automatically, take the following steps:

1. Go to the Settings→ Privacy → Analytics & Improvements.
2. Activate the switcher Share iPhone Analytics (may also be called Share iPhone & Watch Analytics).