Feature request: log continuously into a ring buffer to start logging retroactively

[emmericp]

I've seen some logs that are triggered by some auto-start feature that are missing events during the start that would have been useful to have. I'd love a feature where Transcriptor could behave kind of like a digital oscilloscope that can show you events that happened prior to the trigger.

Rough sketch of the feature as I'd imagine it:

• always have the events registered (controlled by some option, Store saved variable TranscriptIgnore separate from TranscriptDB #41 would be useful to have)
• have OnEvent do something like this:

function onEvent(...)
  if isLogging() then
    logEvent(...)
  else
     ringBuffer:add(...)
  end
end

• make startLogging do something like this:

function newStartLogging()
  oldStartLogging()
  for item in ringBuffer:iterator() do
    logEvent(unpack(item))
  end
end

notes:

• prior to startLogging the events aren't processed, just stored as is in the ring buffer
• memory overhead can be made constant, no per-event allocs necessary

[funkydude]

In BigWigs we resolve this by having an (optional) feature to start a log on X seconds remaining of a pull timer.
Assuming you are using DBM to auto toggle logging, have you considered such a feature?

[emmericp]

Yes, we have that, but we don't always use pull timers and sometimes I'm just like "I wish I would have logged that" because something interesting happened.

[MysticalOS]

I do agree with sentiment that I wouldn't want a buffer running constantly, at least by default. No reason to add overhead out of box.

However, I could see argument for those niche cases, to where such a feature exist and be off by default.

Transcriptor is a dev tool, after all, so no reason not to support additional options if said options don't create unneeded overhead by default. If a dev chooses to opt into the overhead though, that's on them.

if anything, just make paul write it. 🤣 I'm in same boat as you, I just solve this with pull timers, but I do understand classic era is such a different mentality (ook ook brained speed clear gotta go fast, no pull timers). These are same players that wanted speed clear timers in DBM for all the raids (although admittedly I stopped doing that after 3 of them)

[funkydude]

@emmericp If this is something you want to work on I'll accept a PR, just make it off by default

@MysticalOS I'd say speed run timers are a solved problem by WCL

[emmericp]

obsolete, i built a more sophisticated splitting tool (https://github.com/DeadlyBossMods/DeadlyBossMods/tree/master/DBM-Test/Tools) so i just log the whole raid in a single session