I’m delighted to announce the release of new versions of my free log browsers Ulbow and Consolation, versions 1.5 and 3.11 respectively.

Both of these improve the handling of preference settings, and for first-time use no longer need installation of preference files before the apps are first run. They also both have new controls which allow you to reset them to their default settings.

Although these are unglamorous matters, what I refer to as trench-digging in code, I appreciate that these preference issues have caused many users apparently intractable problems when they first try to use either app. Not only do both apps open ready for action without messing around copying preference files, but each can now reset itself to defaults, so unscrambling any mess that the user might get their preferences into.

You can also use these updates to refresh your current settings. Open the app first and export its current customisations to a property list file. Then reset its preferences, import your customisations from that exported file, and save the settings for further use.

Ulbow version 1.5 is available from here: ulbow15
Consolation version 3.11 is available from here: consolation311
and both are available from Downloads above, from their Product Page, and via their auto-update mechanisms.

Both apps are Universal, and fully compatible with macOS from Sierra to Big Sur 11.2. Unfortunately, neither can address the bug in macOS 11.1 and 11.2 affecting the log show command on M1 Macs, I’m afraid, but unlike Apple’s Console, at least you can use them easily to browse the log during startup.