Console User Guide

Question 1

What steps are involved in viewing log messages in Console on a Mac?

Answer 1

1. In the Console app, select your device from the Devices list
2. Click Start, and log messages will appear

Question 2

How do you view activities in the Console app on a Mac?

Answer 2

1. Open the Console app
2. click the Activities button in the toolbar or use the Touch Bar.
   2a. If the button is dimmed, click Start.
3. Select an activity to view its log messages

Question 3

How can you view and manage the details of log messages in Console?

Answer 3

1. Click a log message and press the Right Arrow key to expand it
   1a . Press the Left Arrow key to collapse it.
2. Click Details for more information
   2a. Use Command-F to search for specific messages

Question 4

How do you view different types of reports in Console on a Mac?

Answer 4

1. Select a report category under Reports in the sidebar
2. Then select a report to see details.

Question 5

Give a real-world example of using Console on a Mac for troubleshooting

Answer 5

Example (doesn’t need to match 100% just the concept):

If an app crashes, you can open Console, go to Crash Reports, select the relevant report, and analyze the details to understand what caused the crash

Question 6

What log window customizations can be made in Console on a Mac?

Answer 6

1. You can move columns
2. Change which columns appear
3. View the most recent activity
4. Apply saved searches to tailor the log window to your needs

Question 7

How does the Touch Bar enhance the use of Console on a Mac?

Answer 7

The Touch Bar provides shortcuts for:
1. Starting activity viewing
2. Accessing log message details
3. And other functions within Console

Question 8

How do you search for specific log messages in the Console app on Mac?

Answer 8

1. Type a word or phrase in the Console app and press Return.
2. To search activities, click the Activities button or use the Touch Bar.
3. You can refine results by changing search criteria or using property shortcuts like p:ProcessName for specific processes

Question 9

What are the steps to customize the appearance of log messages in the Console app?

Answer 9

1. Control-click any column to show/hide columns
2. Drag to resize or move columns
3. Use the Info button or View menu to show/hide log message details.
4. Use the Now button for real-time message updates

Question 10

What is the keyboard shortcut to search log messages and activities in the Console app?

Answer 10

Option-Command-F

Question 11

Give a real-world example of refining a search for log messages in the Console app.

Answer 11

Example (doesn’t need to match 100% just the concept):

To find log messages from the “Spotlight” process but not involving the “QuartzCore” library -
1. Use the search: and type PROCESS ∨ Spotlight LIBRARY ∨ QuartzCore.
1a. This uses property shortcuts and logical operators to refine the search

Question 12

How can you save a search in the Console app for future use?

Answer 12

1. After completing a search, click Save below the search field
2. Enter a name for the search, and click Save again.
   2a. The saved search appears in the Favorites bar for easy access

Question 13

How do you include debug messages in the Console app’s live stream?

Answer 13

1. Choose Action > Include Debug Messages.
   1a. Stop including these messages by selecting the option again to remove the checkmark.
2. This feature is only available in the live stream, not in log archives

Question 14

What is the keyboard shortcut to clear all log messages or activities in the Console app?

Answer 14

Command-K