The latest release is available from Downloads above.

This version adds two new command options, which are primarily intended for use with Consolation’s new feature to export in CSV format.

• blowhole -s [integer] writes out just the value of the [integer] which is passed to it, with no other text. When exported as CSV, these comment fields are much easier to use in analysis.
• blowhole -m [integer] writes out the integers from 1 to the value of [integer] in a series of log entries, as quickly as possible. This allows you to measure the shortest time interval which could be achieved between log entries.

If you use the -m or -s option without specifying an integer, then one normal message is written instead.

Examples of use

The -s option is more useful, and is intended when you use calls to Blowhole to instrument another app. For example, you might want to write the loop counter variable from an AppleScript script to the log, to time how long your script takes to complete each loop, or record in the log the writing space number each time that a reader opens one in your Storyspace hypertext. You would then call, for example
blowhole -s 42
to write just 42 to the log.

This makes it easier to use those entries for later analysis, as there is no other text attached to that number.

The -m option was primarily for my own benefit, to discover how quickly log entries can be written. For example,
blowhole -m 5
will result in the numbers 1-5 being written out in five consecutive log entries, as quick as the tool can from a Swift 3 for loop. Normally the interval between the first and second is longest, and by the third log message the interval has stabilised. This gives you an idea of the temporal resolution of log messages, which you could compare with successive entries called from your scripting language or app.

My plan with Blowhole is to provide an installer which will make it easy to install, for those who wish to use it in combination with Consolation.

I hope that you find it useful.