Capture a concise Kodi debug reproduction

The useful distinctions

• The guide enables debug logging before a clean restart.
• Restarting captures startup information and starts a fresh log.
• The problem must be reproduced while logging is active.
• Current and previous logs are distinct files.

Describe one reproducible action

A useful report starts with an action another person can understand: open one local recording, select one track and observe one result. Keep unrelated experiments out of the same capture. Write the expected result and the observed result before beginning. This makes it possible to connect the visible symptom with the corresponding point in the log instead of asking a maintainer to infer the whole session.

Capture context deliberately

Start the diagnostic session with logging enabled and a clean application restart. That preserves the initial context needed to interpret later messages. Use a short local test filename where possible so a report can describe the reproduction without revealing private media names. Note the approximate time and selected options, especially if the problem occurs only after a track change or a particular navigation action.

Review before sharing

A diagnostic log can contain local paths, network locations and other details unrelated to the issue. Review the captured file before choosing where to share it, and keep the original privately if a sanitised copy is prepared. Share enough surrounding context for interpretation rather than an isolated alarming line. Retain a small reproduction note with the log so the evidence still makes sense after the application has been restarted again.

A focused way to proceed

1. Enable debug logging in Settings, System Settings, Logging or with the documented keyboard toggle.
2. Restart through Kodi’s power menu.
3. Perform one short reproduction and record its approximate time.
4. Copy the relevant current log to a review location and check sensitive paths or URLs.
5. Disable debug logging after evidence collection.

Worked example · synthetic

File: /media/demo/workbench.mkv
Action: begin playback, select second audio track
Expected: chosen track plays
Observed: describe actual behavior
Approximate log time: record during your own test

Read the comparison

One warning line does not establish a cause; the useful unit is the startup context plus a timed reproduction.

When to stop or ask for help

Provide the reviewed log, Kodi version and reproduction steps to official support; no log upload is performed by this guide.