How to Check VDM Logs

Summary

When using VDM, the Logs are the best place to start when trying to answer important questions such as what happened, why it happened, when it occurred, and where the issue originated. VDM Logs track activity and events occurring throughout the application, providing valuable insight for troubleshooting and monitoring.

In this article, we will cover how to access and review Logs directly within VDM, as well as how to locate and review log files using File Explorer.

We recommend checking out our Log Overview Article to get a better understanding of what is being presented in the Logs.

How To Check Logs Inside VDM

1.  Click Logs located at the bottom of the VDM main screen.

2. Choose which logs you want to view (Application or Service).

3. Click the Refresh button to reload the logs.

4. Review the logs for the information you are looking for.

Locate the VDM Log Files Using File Explorer

Note: Log file locations may vary depending on your installation configuration or whether an OPTIONS file was imported. It may be helpful to review the settings within VDM to determine where the logs are stored on your system.

Default Location

The default Logs folder is typically located within the user’s Documents directory. The exact path may vary depending on whether OneDrive document backup is enabled. Please note that using OneDrive to back up documents or other files may introduce syncing-related issues.

Examples:

C:\Users\UserName\Documents\BridgeWorks VDM\Logs

C:\Users\UserName\OneDrive - CompanyName\Documents\BridgeWorks VDM\Logs

1. Locate your VDM Logs folder by opening VDM, clicking Settings at the bottom of the screen, scrolling to Folder Locations, and locating the Logs path.

2. Open File Explorer and navigate to the Logs folder location shown in the VDM settings.

Example: C:\Temp

3. Select the VDM log file you want to review. By default, the file will typically open in Notepad unless your system’s default application has been changed. While log files can be reviewed directly through a text editor, it is recommended to review logs within VDM whenever possible, as VDM provides filtering and grouping capabilities that make analyzing logs much easier.

Knowing the location of the log files is especially helpful when opening a support ticket.

Tip: When submitting a support ticket, include any logs relevant to the issue and timeframe being investigated. In most cases, this will be the most recent 1–3 log files.