From: PFLAHERTY@MSUS1.BITNET (Patricia Flaherty)
Newsgroups: bit.listserv.pacs-l
Subject: Transaction Log Surveyi Analysis
Date: 6 Nov 92 21:54:36 GMT
Comments: Gated by NETNEWS@AUVM.AMERICAN.EDU
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Please respond directly to the author, not PACS-L.  Thanks, Dana

----------------------------Original message----------------------------

We are writing an article for Library Hi Tech on the topic of transaction log
analysis.  One of our goals is to describe the current state of affairs in the
transaction logging arena:  What kinds of transaction logging systems are out
there?  How prevalent are they?  How do they vary and differ?  How do they
work?  How are they being used?

If your system has a transaction logging system, please respond to the following
survey questions....just one response per site is all we need.  Respond
directly to me, Patricia Flaherty (rather than to the list) any time through
November 20, 1992.  If the responses warrant it, we will post a summary of
the results.  Thank you for your interest and cooperation.

Neal Kaske (US Dept. of Education)
Martin Kurth (Eastern Washington University)
Thomas Peters (Mankato State University)
Beth Sandore (U of Illinois/Urbana-Champaign)
Patricia Flaherty (MSUS/PALS)
  Mankato State University, Box 66
  Mankato, MN  56002
  internet: pflaherty@msus1.mankato.msus.edu    bitnet: pflaherty@msus1.bitnet
  phone: (507) 389-5063   FAX: (507) 389-5488   voice: (507) 389-5062

                            TRANSACTION LOG SURVEY


1.    Your Online System
      ------------------

       a.   What library are you with?
       b.   What online public access catalog system is used at your site?
       c.   What version of the system is currently being used?
       d.   What modules have been installed on your system?
       e.   What files are available to users on your system in addition to
            the OPAC?

2.    Transaction Log Records
      -----------------------
      What data elements are captured in your transaction logs?

      a.    Please list/describe the information stored about user entries.
            These are some commonly stored items:

            -  Date/time (how exact? to a hundredth of a second?)
            -  Terminal info - ID, location, type, user interface
            -  File/library searched
            -  Type of entry (e.g. author search, display, help)
            -  Statement entered by the user
            -  Statement length
            -  Number of hits
            -  Response code returned by system

      b.    Does your transaction log capture the system's response to user
            entries?  If so, please list/describe what is stored.

      c.    Is it possible to determine from the logs when a search session
            begins and ends?  If not, how do you do this?

      d.    Is there anything the transaction log doesn't capture that you wish
            it did?


3.    User Input Captured
      -------------------
      Not all transaction logs include a record of ALL keystrokes entered by
      users.  For example, the MSUS/PALS system captures only search commands;
      some systems capture all entries except backspacing and cursor movement.

      a.    Please list/describe what user input your system captures.

      b.    What about invalid entries?  That is, entries that the system
            does not recognize as valid commands and thus cannot process
            normally.


4.    Transaction Log Format
      ----------------------
      In what format can you receive the transaction log data?

      a.    Can you receive the data in a machine-readable (ASCII or other
            file format) form that you can manipulate?

      b.    Can you receive printed reports of the data?

      c.    Can you specify which transaction log records to include in your
            file or printed report of the data (e.g. only zero hits, only author
            searches)?

      d.    Can you specify which data elements to include in your file or
            printed report of the data?

      e.    Can you specify how you would like the data sorted (e.g. by
            command type, number of hits, terminal ID)?


5.    Miscellaneous
      -------------

      a.    Is transaction logging always on at your site?  Or can you turn it
            on and off?  Are transactions at ALL terminals captured?  Or can
            you (or must you) capture transactions at specific terminal(s) only?

      b.    Can remote use of the system (via dial access, local area networks,
            wide area networks, and internet access) be isolated and studied
            separately?

      c.    Are transaction logs available for studying CD-ROM use at your
            site?


6.    Transaction Log Use
      -------------------
      Do staff members or researchers at your site utilize transaction log
      data?  If so, may we contact them to discuss their goals, methods, and
      results (please provide names, surface mail addresses, and e-mail
      addresses)?  We are interested in both published and in-house research
      as well as both formal and informal uses of transaction log data.

Thanks you for your cooperation and time.