What are Log & RTF Files in Lotus Notes Database?
Lotus Notes or IBM Notes is an enterprise level emailing application introduced in 1989 used for the exchange of information. Apart from emailing facility, it provides an efficient platform to develop applications and to collaborate business functions. For example, forum discussion, microblogging, file exchange, and much more. Moreover, it is a perfect example of a client-server architecture. At one end, Lotus Notes as a client and on the other end Domino as a server. It uses NSF file format to store the Lotus Notes database. However, there are some other components also in Lotus Notes database like log and RTF files. Thus, in the following section of the post, get to know about log and RTF files in Lotus Notes database.
What are Log Files in Lotus Notes?
The log files are basically used to keep the record of activity logs of IBM Notes. The log files in by default created in the Lotus Notes and named as Log.nsf. The total amount of information offered by the file totally depends upon the size of the file. Apart from all this, other details present in the Log.nsf file are mentioned below:
- Total Database Size
Any activity is done in the database and total size of the database are the two main aspects of any database. Now, the log file will show the percentage of space occupied by the database and amount of space used by the server database.
- Amount of Database Usage
In order to know about the total amount of space occupied by your data in the database is determined by the log files only. Apart from this, any other action such as read & write operation on the database is also recorded in the Log.nsf file of Lotus Notes.
- All Search Results
The searches results of any log analysis are also get saved in the Lotus Notes log files. It includes details like search starting time and server name.
Commonly Encountered Error In Log Files
Sometimes an error can halt the normal functioning of Lotus Notes. It becomes worse when it corrupts the log files also. Therefore, the most common error encountered by the user while working on Lotus Notes log files is discussed below:
“Recovery Manager: Log File is Full”
Cause: Whenever the log file exceeds its predefined size limit, it generates such type of errors and result Log.nsf file corruption. It is because log files keep a record of each & every information, so its size keeps on increasing frequently.
Solution:
To fix this log file error in Lotus Notes, follow the steps below:
- Stop using Lotus Notes application and exit
- After that, delete all the transaction logs
- Then, delete the control file from logdir
- Now, you can restart the Lotus Domino server
What are RTF Files in Lotus Notes?
Rich Text Fields are also called as RTF files in the IBM Notes. It is mainly used for storing multiple data like formatted text, a large amount of text, and attaching & embedding Lotus Notes database objects. These field types are very important and need to be handled properly even if they are copied to some different RTF. Moreover, if these RTF files contain any attachment and validation also, then, a great care is to be taken to prevent any type of error.
Different Types of RTF Validation
- First Method: In this only text field is validated. If it contains text (including single space character), it is considered as a valid input
- Second Method: If the field is having some non-space text, then it is validated.
- Third Method: In this case, the field is validated, if it does not include any text but all attachments, inline images or links.
If the field is validated for every validation simultaneously, then the validation process becomes complex. For example, the field includes all, the text, the formatted text or attachments, and no text.
Commonly Encountered Error In RTF Files
It can be possible that a user may face any error in RTF files while copying text to some other filed or while copying rich format text form any other application. Therefore, the most common error is discussed below:
Invalid RTF Data
Cause: If someone has copied the text from an external application such as copy Adobe PDF files into the RTF files and the copied text is not compatible in Lotus Notes, then it may result this error.
Solution:
In order to fix this error make sure that you use the Paste Special option whenever it is required to copy the content to email body in Lotus Notes database. Now, follow the steps below:
- First of all, copy the content that you need to paste in Notes database
- After that, open the Notes database and in the Edit option, choose Paste Special
- Then, number of options will appear, choose Text option and click on OK button
- All the text is copied and it will not prompt any error.
Conclusion
Lotus Notes database contains various components in it from which users are not aware at all. Therefore, to make it more clear to users, we have discussed basic concepts of both the Log and RTF files in Lotus Notes database. Apart from all this, the most common error encountered by these files and how it can be resolved is also discussed.