System Diagnostics (Info & Stats)
ABCD includes a built-in diagnostic dashboard that allows administrators to instantly verify the server health, PHP extensions, and the physical integrity of the database files.
Access: Administration > ABCD Configuration > System Info & Stats
1. Server Capabilities (PHP Extensions)
The top section of the report checks if the required PHP extensions are loaded. This is the critical troubleshooting step if a specific feature (like Z39.50 import or LDAP login) fails silently.
| Extension | Importance | Function in ABCD |
|---|---|---|
| mbstring | CRITICAL | Handles Unicode/UTF-8 characters. If missing, data may appear corrupted. |
| gd | Required | Used for barcode generation and image processing. |
| yaz | Optional | Required for the Z39.50 Client (importing records from LoC, Oxford, etc.). |
| curl | Recommended | Used for checking updates and communicating with external APIs. |
| ldap | Optional | Required only if you use remote user authentication (Active Directory/OpenLDAP). |
| xml | Required | Parsing XML configuration files (ABCD Site). |
PHP Info
The dashboard usually provides a link to the standard phpinfo() output. This allows you to check:
- The location of
php.ini. - The
upload_max_filesize(often needs increasing for digital libraries). - The
max_execution_time.
2. Database Health Check
The tool scans the bases.dat registry and then physically inspects every database folder listed there. It generates a summary table:
- Database: The internal folder name.
- Total Records (MFN): The current count of records in the Master File (
.mst). - Encoding: Detects if the database is configured as ANSI or UTF-8 based on the control files (
dr_path.defor.cnv). - Status: Performs a file existence check.
Interpreting the Status
| Status | Meaning | Action Required |
|---|---|---|
| OK | All core files (.mst, .xrf, .fdt, etc.) are present. | None. |
| Missing files | Critical files are missing (e.g., .mst not found). | Check folder permissions or restore from backup. |
| Writable | Checks if the web server has permission to write to the data folder. | If "No", fix Linux/Windows permissions immediately. |
If a database appears in the main menu selection but gives an error (e.g., "breaks") when you try to open it, check this report first. It acts as a "sanity check" to ensure the operating system can actually see and touch the database files.