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Version: 25.2 (main)

Debug on the Target Device

Despite thorough testing during development, its's important to acknowledge that environments can sometimes present unexpected challenges. It's possible that your HELIO application is encountering performance issues and connectivity problems when running on target hardware.

The good news is that HELIO includes debugging tools designed to help us quickly identify and resolve issues on target devices.

By enabling detailed logging and sharing it with our support team, we can identify the root cause of a problem, monitor system performance, and gather the information needed to optimize your application for production use.

  1. Stop the HELIO Runtime

Before enabling diagnostic logging, ensure the HELIO Runtime is stopped. The logging functionality is activated through a command line parameter, requiring a fresh start of the runtime.

  1. Enable Logging

Start HELIO with the --logdir parameter to enable file-based logging. This will create rolling log files that are automatically managed and timestamped for easy analysis.

Open a terminal or a command prompt and navigate to your HELIO installation directory, then start HELIO like this:

./HELIO --logdir /path/to/logs

Example for common scenarios:

  • On Windows:
    HELIO.exe --logdir C:\helio-logs
  • On Linux or macOS:
    ./HELIO --logdir /var/log/helio

HELIO will now write detailed diagnostic information to log files in the specified directory instead of just displaying them in the console. The log files are automatically rotated to prevent them from growing too large.

For more command line options, see Command Line Parameters.

  1. Package and Share Log Files

Once you've captured the relevant logging data, compress the log files into a ZIP archive before sharing them. Log files compress extremely well, often reducing file sizes by 90% or more, making them much easier to send and analyze.

Our support team can analyze these logs to quickly identify the root cause and provide targeted solutions. For assistance, visit our Get Support page to get in touch.

When contacting support:

  • Include the compressed log files
  • Provide a detailed description of the issue you're experiencing
  • Mention the steps that led to the problem
  • Include your HELIO version and target device information

Include logs from both before and during the problem occurrence when possible. This helps our team understand the transition from normal to problematic behavior.

Mission accomplished!

Now you've taken your project from development to target device, you've updated it and know how to debug and share logs! Amazing job!