Patent ID: 8219582

Claim:
A method for identifying a user-initiated log file record in a log file, the method comprising: a computer selecting the log file having a plurality of log file records therein, the plurality of log file records having at least in part a repeating pattern of log file records automatically generated by a software program; the computer executing a first software command to store a first timestamp value in a memory device, the first timestamp value indicating a first time; the computer executing at least a first user-initiated software command by a user that induces the computer to store at least a user-initiated log file record having a second timestamp value in the log file and to store the second timestamp value, the second timestamp value indicating a second time after the first time; wherein the computer stores the at least one user-initiated log file record responsive to the user selecting a perform action button, the perform action button being configured to cause execution of the first user-initiated software command and to generate the at least one user-initiated log file record for storage in the log file; the computer executing a second software command to store a third timestamp value in the memory device, the third timestamp value indicating a third time, the third time being after the second time and after execution of the first user-initiated software command is completed; the computer analyzing the plurality of log file records in the log file to identify the repeating pattern of log file records stored therein, the repeating pattern of log file records being generated by a software application at predetermined time intervals; the computer distinguishing between the user-initiated log file record generated by the user selecting the perform action button and the repeating pattern of log file records generated by the software application at the predetermined time intervals; the computer displaying the user-initiated log file record in a graphical user interface that is devoid of the repeating pattern of log file records generated by the software application at the predetermined time intervals; and the computer storing the user-initiated log file record in the memory device; wherein distinguishing between the user-initiated log file record generated by the user selecting the perform action button and the repeating pattern of log file records generated by the software application at the predetermined time intervals comprises the computer removing the repeating pattern of log file records from the plurality of log file records in order to identify the user-initiated log file record; and wherein the user selecting the perform action button causes generation of the at least one user-initiated log file record to correspond to at least one of performing migrate task, performing an assign task, and performing a submit task.