# Tick-a-Stat Applet

Copyright © 2000 by Dan Mueth

# Tick-a-Stat Applet

`Tick-a-Stat` applet, shown in Figure 1, watches various aspects of your system and delivers information when certain events occur. For example, it can watch the CPU load and warn you when the CPU is being overloaded with concurrent processes. To add this applet to a Panel, right-click on the Panel and choose Panel->Add to panel->Applet->Utility->Tick-a-Stat.

Figure 1. Tick-a-Stat Applet

## Usage

After you have configured `Tick-a-Stat`, it will run continuously and does not require any input. General configuration of `Tick-a-Stat` is explained in the section called Customization. There are several modules which can be used. Their function and configuration is described in the section called Modules.

Right-clicking on the applet brings up a menu containing the following items:

- Properties… — opens the `Properties` dialog.

- Event Log… — opens the `Event Log` dialog.

- Help — displays this document.

- About… — shows basic information about `Tick-a-Stat Applet`, including the applet's version and the author's name.

## Customization

You can customize `Tick-a-Stat` applet by right-clicking on it and choosing Properties…. This will open the Properties dialog(shown in Figure 2), which allows you to change various settings.

Figure 2. Properties dialog

The `Modules` tab lists the various modules you can enable. Select a module from `Module` list on the left to configure it in the pane on the right. Each module and its configurable properties are described in the section called Modules.

The properties in the `General` tab are:

- Enable logging of events — If this button is checked, a log of each event detected by an enabled module will be written to the file named in the `Log path` entry.

- Log Path — This is name of the file which will be used to store the event log.

The properties in the `Display` tab are:

- Smooth scroll — Selecting this button causes old events to slowly scroll upwards when new events occur, instead of quickly moving up to make room.

- Smooth type — Selecting this button causes new text to be slowly typed across the applet as if somebody is typing it, instead of appearing very quickly.

- Delay when wrapping text — This is the time delay (in tenths of a second) that it pauses when it wraps a message around the right edge of the applet (ie. for a carriage return).

- Scroll speed between lines (Smooth scroll) — This is the speed at which lines are scrolled upwards.

- Width — This is the width(in pixels) of the applet.

- Use all room on panel — Selecting this button expands the applet along the Panel to fill all space (up to any neighboring Panel objects if they exist.)

- Height — This is the height(in pixels) of the applet.

- Use panel size hint — Selecting this button causes the applet to try to size itself to fit the Panel height.

After you have made all the changes you want, click on OK to apply the changes and close the Properties dialog. To cancel the changes and return to previous values, click the Cancel button.

## Modules

`Tick-a-Stat` has several modules. Each module watches a certain part of your system and responds to different evens. Multiple modules can be run enabled at once. The standard `Tick-a-Stat` modules are described below.

### Test Module

The Test module is a simple module that just prints "Testing line from test module :)" in the applet every few seconds.

### Core Dump Catcher Module

The Dump Monitor module monitors a certain path for core dumps. If it finds one, it time stamps it and logs the backtrace. It also displays a core dump logo and message in the main applet, as shown in Figure 3 and optionally will open a dialog displaying the backtrace.

Figure 3. Tick-a-Stat Showing a Core Dump

The Core Dump module settings are:

- Enable this module — Selecting this button activates the module.

- Show backtrace dialog on new core files — Selecting this button will cause `Tick-a-Stat` to open a dialog showing the backtrace each time a new core dump is found.

- Path to monitor — Enter the name of the directory you would like the Core Dump module to monitor for core dumps.

### Load Average Monitor Module

The Load Average Monitor module monitors the systems CPU usage and warns you when the number of processes(programs) sharing the CPU is too high. (This will cause poor performance of each process and can be indicative of an errant program or daemon.) When the CPU load is high it will display a warning, as shown in Figure 4. For even higher loads, an alert is displayed.

Figure 4. Tick-a-Stat Showing a Load Warning

The Load Average Monitor module settings are:

- Enable this module — Selecting this button activates the module.

- Check every (Seconds) — Set this to the interval (in seconds) between checking the load.

- Show pop-up dialog for this event — Select this button to have a pop-up dialog open each time a warning (or alert) is issued. (This option occurs in both the Warning and Alert sections.)

- Load average threshold — Set this to the load (the average number of running programs which request use of the CPU at any instant in time). (This option occurs in both the Warning and Alert sections.)

- Text to display — Enter the message which should be displayed when the load reaches the threshold level.

### File Tailer Module

The File Tailer module shows any lines which are added to the end of a given file. This is typically used to monitor the output log files created by many programs.

The File Tailerr module settings are:

- Enable this module — Selecting this button activates the module.

- Path to tail — Set this to the name of the file you wish to tail. (The term "tail" refers to watching the tail, or end, of a file. In a shell, one can do this using the tail command, typically with the "-f" flag.)

- Show pop-up dialog for new line — Select this to have a pop-up dialog showing the new line open each time a new line is added to the file.

## The Event Log

The event log is used to keep track of any events which register in `Tick-a-Stat`. The file used for the event log and whether event logging is enabled are specified in the `General` tab of the `Properties` dialog. To view the event log, right click on the applet and select Event log….

## Known Bugs and Limitations

This applet has no known bugs.

## Authors

`Tick-a-Stat Applet` was written by John Ellis (`<johne@bellatlantic.net>`). Please send all comments, suggestions, and bug reports to the GNOME bug tracking database. (Instructions for submitting bug reports can be found on-line. If you are using GNOME 1.1 or later, you can also use `Bug Report Tool` (bug-buddy), available in the Utilities submenu of Main Menu, for submitting bug reports.

This manual was written by Dan Mueth (`<d-mueth@uchicago.edu>`). Please send all comments and suggestions regarding this manual to the GNOME Documentation Project by sending an email to `<docs@gnome.org>`. You can also submit comments online by using the GNOME Documentation Status Table.

## License

This program is free software; you can redistribute it and/or modify it under the terms of the GNU General Public License as published by the Free Software Foundation; either version 2 of the License, or (at your option) any later version.

This program is distributed in the hope that it will be useful, but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE. See the GNU General Public License for more details.

A copy of the GNU General Public License is included as an appendix to the GNOME Users Guide. You may also obtain a copy of the GNU General Public License from the Free Software Foundation by visiting their Web site or by writing to

Free Software Foundation, Inc.
59 Temple Place - Suite 330
Boston, MA 02111-1307
USA