Extended Search

Views

A views contains a set of queries. Each query has a collection of widgets which display messages and charts depending on the search string entered in the search bar and the selected time range. A view can be saved with a name to keep the current progress and continue later on. Saved views can be shared, so other people can use them in their processes. For a better work flow Parameters can be added in the search query. Parameters are part of the Graylog Enterprise plugin.

Widgets

A widget is either a Message Table or an Aggregation. It can be freely placed inside a query. A widget can be edited or duplicated by clicking on the chevron on the right side in the head of the widget. Next to the chevron is a filter symbol, where filters can be added to the top search query.

Aggregation

The goal of an aggregation is to reduce the number of data points in a meaningful way to get an answer from them. Data points can be numeric field types in a message (e.g. a took_ms field which contains how long a page needed to be rendered). Or string values which can be used for grouping the aggregation (e.g an action field which contains the name of the controller action).

Creating an aggregation

By clicking on + Create -> Custom Aggreatation a new empty widget will be shown on the very top of the Extended Search page. A click on the chevron icon on the right side of the head will open the widget in a modal in the edit mode.

METRICS

METRICS are a collection of functions to aggregate data points. The result of the aggregation depends on the grouping of ROWS and/or COLUMNS. The data points of a field will be aggregated to the grouping. Example The avg() function will find the average of the numeric data points took_ms around the configured grouping.

ROWS/COLUMNS

Allows selecting fields whose values will be used to group results into new rows/columns. If the field is a timestamp for a row it will divide the data points into intervals. Otherwise the aggregation will take by default up to 15 elements of the selected field and apply the selected METRICS function to the data points. Example The timestamp field is aggregated with avg() on took_ms. The column action will give the average loading time for a page per action for every 5 minutes.

VISUALIZATION

To display the result of an aggregation it is often easier to compare lots of result values graphically. Bar Chart, Data Table, Line Chart, Pie Chart, Scatter Plot, Single Number or World Map can be used as VISUALIZATION. The World Map needs geographical points in the form of latitude,longitude.

SORTING/DIRECTION

The order of the result values can be configured here. SORTING defines by which field the sorting should happen and DIRECTION configures if it will be ascending or descending.

Message Table

The Message Table displays the messages and their fields. The Message Table can be configured to show the message fields and the actual message. The actual message is rendered in a blue font, below the fields. Clicking on a message row opens the detailed view of a message with all its fields.

Value and Field Actions

In the Sidebar and on Data Tables and Detail Message Rows are values and fields visible. By clicking on a value or a field a context menu will be shown where different actions can be executed.

Field actions

Based on the type of the field and where the menu is opened different Field actions are shown when a field name (and not its value) is clicked.

Chart

This will generate a new Widget containing a line chart where the fields average value is displayed over time. This chart can be taken as an starting point for a more defined aggregation. This is only possible on fields from a numerical type.

Aggregate

This action will generate a new Widget containing a data table where the fields value are listed in the rows and the count of occurrence will be displayed next to it. This was formerly known as the “Quick Values” action.

Statistics

Here the field values will be given to various statistics function depending on the type of the field. The result will be displayed in a Data Table Widget.

Add to table

Add the field to the displayed fields of the message table where the Field Actions menu is shown.

Add to all tables

Add the field to the displayed fields of all tables.

Remove from table

Remove the field from the list displayed fields from this table.

Remove from table

Remove the field from the list displayed fields from all tables.

Value actions

The value actions produce different results depending on the type of the value and where the menu is opened. The following actions can be executed.

Insert into view

This action will open up a modal where a view can be selected. A select-able list of Parameters will be shown from the selected view and after choosing a parameter a new browser tab will be opened containing the view with the value used in the parameter. This action is only available in enterprise Graylog.

Exclude from results

Will add NOT field:value to the query to exclude all results where the field contains the value of the value action.

Add to query

Will add field:value to the query to filter the results additionally for where the field has the value of the value action.

Use in new query

Will open a new view tab with field:value as query string.

Show documents for value

Available in Data Tables it will show the documents which where aggregated to display this value.

Create extractor

For values of type string in Message Tables a short cut to create an extractor is given with this action.

Highlight this value

This action will highlight this value for this field in all Message Tables and Data Tables.