Does MakeMKV write a log?

The place to discuss linux version of MakeMKV
russellbateman
Posts: 14
Joined: Thu Mar 08, 2018 7:05 pm

Does MakeMKV write a log?

Post by russellbateman »

If so, where does it live. I can't find anything. It would be useful to know if MakeMKV had already finished transcribing from a disc should I find my computer host crashed and wonder whether to restart the transcription or not. Could be useful for other reasons too like asking questions in this forum.

Thanks.
Woodstock
Posts: 10596
Joined: Sun Jul 24, 2011 11:21 pm

Re: Does MakeMKV write a log?

Post by Woodstock »

If you enable debug logging (FAQ link in my signature says how to do it), it will write a log. The location of the log file will be included in the opening display of the bottom window of the display.
BermudaLamb
Posts: 10
Joined: Sat Mar 16, 2019 8:35 pm

Re: Does MakeMKV write a log?

Post by BermudaLamb »

I've turned on Debug Logging, stopped and restarted the application. Even though "DEBUG" messages have been showing up in the log windows, I'm not seeing anything that indicates the location of the log file. Can you please provide the location of the log files?
Woodstock
Posts: 10596
Joined: Sun Jul 24, 2011 11:21 pm

Re: Does MakeMKV write a log?

Post by Woodstock »

When you start MakeMKV, the log window should show something like:

Code: Select all

MakeMKV v1.14.7 win(x64-release) started
Debug logging enabled, log will be saved as C:\Users\XXXXXXXXXX/MakeMKV_log.txt
70tas
Posts: 5
Joined: Sat Nov 02, 2013 8:31 pm

Re: Does MakeMKV write a log?

Post by 70tas »

I'm closing this thread because it appears that the collection has some big problems. This is the Louis Malle Collection, which someone got for me a long time ago. There are many problems with it, which I've been able to work around by enabling MakeMkv libraries for Windows, and then using HandBrake or VLC. But what Handbrake can rip, VLC can't, or MakeMkv has problems.
In any case, I believe this is a very old set from BN, I can't return it. ;)

Thank you for all of your help
Tas
Bandito
Posts: 12
Joined: Thu Jul 18, 2024 6:35 pm

Re: Does MakeMKV write a log?

Post by Bandito »

Hello,
i read and test it
Debug logging enabled, log will be saved as C:\Users\XXXXXXXXXX/MakeMKV_log.txt

Is it possible, that the logfile is saved to the same Folder where the ripped Movie are?
or the Logfile become the same NAME like the Move are?

That will be nice or a nice feature for the next update.
I think, no big thing to program it.
Woodstock
Posts: 10596
Joined: Sun Jul 24, 2011 11:21 pm

Re: Does MakeMKV write a log?

Post by Woodstock »

Theoretically possible, but not likely. The location will be listed during start-up, though, as shown in my example above.
Bandito
Posts: 12
Joined: Thu Jul 18, 2024 6:35 pm

Re: Does MakeMKV write a log?

Post by Bandito »

Woodstock wrote:
Sat Jul 27, 2024 7:27 pm
Theoretically possible, but not likely. The location will be listed during start-up, though, as shown in my example above.
I know the location, but every RIP will be have a own LOG will be nice.
Not clean the log and safe every time by hand.

It was only an idea...
I make it by hand... :)
mike admin
Posts: 4083
Joined: Wed Nov 26, 2008 2:26 am
Contact:

Re: Does MakeMKV write a log?

Post by mike admin »

The console makemkvcon has an option --debug which enables logging with no options and optionally allows to specify the log fie itself as in --debug=/path/to/file.log
flojo
Posts: 230
Joined: Thu Jun 22, 2023 4:27 am
Location: El Paso

Re: Does MakeMKV write a log?

Post by flojo »

In regards to the GUI, this isn't too bad as you could background a watching script and foreground makemkvgui. It seems that deleting the log file creates a stale file handler so it seems you have to use "truncate -s 0 $FILE". One good thing on my system is that it always seems to write the log to "/home/$USER/MakeMKV_log.txt". The starting line apparently starts with "005014:0000 Saving ". That is enough.

You really should have better options, in particular pre/post scripts. There's a CCExtractor option in the GUI, but I've never tried to jig it for other purposes. The GUI is open source, but I'm not sure that if you've made changes, that they would be incorporated, so that might lead to a maintenance nightmare.

Or use makemkvcon.
Dratikus
Posts: 8
Joined: Sun Feb 16, 2014 2:14 am

Re: Does MakeMKV write a log?

Post by Dratikus »

I am unable to find the MakeMKV log file in windows 11. does anyone know where it is?
Woodstock
Posts: 10596
Joined: Sun Jul 24, 2011 11:21 pm

Re: Does MakeMKV write a log?

Post by Woodstock »

Windows will try to hide it from you. It will be "MakeMKV_log.txt" by default, and found in your user area.

If your user ID is, say, "bobert", the default location will be "C:\Users\bobert\MakeMKV_log.txt".
melchioe
Posts: 2
Joined: Tue Jun 03, 2025 5:28 pm

Re: Does MakeMKV write a log?

Post by melchioe »

I've used a combination of MakeMKV and Handbrake to backup and convert about 900 Blueray and DVD disks in the past 3 months. I had great success for pretty much all 900 of them. It started throwing errors first in MakeMKV and then Handbrake about a month ago (could have been after a MacOS update, I wasn't paying super close attention. It started failing about every 15 disks, and now it simply throws a 'backup failed'message on almost every disk. I'm trying to troubleshoot, and I'd like to look at the MakeMKV log of the effort.

I can't find instructions how to activate the log. I'm having repeated failures while making backups of almost every DVD I process on my Mac, running Sequoia 15.6. I'd love to look in any log, but I cannot find out how to activate it (or find it if it's being written). Following this link: Activating Debug Logging )https://www.makemkv.com/faq/item/8) throws a series of errors in the browser:

----
Warning: include(/home/makemkv/public_html/faq/nucleus/libs/globalfunctions.php): failed to open stream: No such file or directory in /home/u235770/makemkv.com/faq/config.php on line 31
Warning: include(/home/makemkv/public_html/faq/nucleus/libs/globalfunctions.php): failed to open stream: No such file or directory in /home/u235770/makemkv.com/faq/config.php on line 31
Warning: include(): Failed opening '/home/makemkv/public_html/faq/nucleus/libs/globalfunctions.php' for inclusion (include_path='.:/nix/store/ncmrmkw1ags39sar7n38a843d9rns2xc-php-7.2.34/lib/php') in /home/u235770/makemkv.com/faq/config.php on line 31
Fatal error: Uncaught Error: Call to undefined function selector() in /home/u235770/makemkv.com/faq/index.php:12 Stack trace: #0 {main} thrown in /home/u235770/makemkv.com/faq/index.php on line 12
----

I've got over 3000 titles to go (902 of which are TV series with multiple discs) in digitizing my collection, and I'm fully stopped until I can get this figured out. I'd greatly appreciate any pointers on this. Thanks!
dcoke22
Posts: 3915
Joined: Wed Jul 22, 2020 11:25 pm

Re: Does MakeMKV write a log?

Post by dcoke22 »

melchioe wrote:
Thu Aug 14, 2025 3:38 am
I can't find instructions how to activate the log. I'm having repeated failures while making backups of almost every DVD I process on my Mac, running Sequoia 15.6. I'd love to look in any log, but I cannot find out how to activate it (or find it if it's being written). Following this link: Activating Debug Logging )https://www.makemkv.com/faq/item/8) throws a series of errors in the browser:
The Internet Archive's Wayback Machine can help out here: https://web.archive.org/web/20210731112045/https://makemkv.com/faq/item/8
melchioe
Posts: 2
Joined: Tue Jun 03, 2025 5:28 pm

Re: Does MakeMKV write a log?

Post by melchioe »

Thanks for the tip - I did find the log file (in the lowest level of my user directory). I'll be sending the resultant log file to support@makemkv.com. I was hoping to find hints directly in the log file, but it's not set up for that. Thanks again!
Post Reply