timestamped.log

An example of the timestamped.log file, as exported from a modified Half-Life 2.

timestamped.log is a log file internally created and referenced by the Source engine. Using the COM_TimestampedLog function, arbitrary log entries can be added to this file, prepended by the current timestamp.

The file will only be generated on the Xbox 360, or with the -profile / -etwprofile command line arguments. Alternatively, the assembly of COM_TimestampedLog can be patched to permanently enable the logging.

The log is used extensively throughout the engine, almost two hundred times^[1]. At a high level, everything the game does is documented in the log. As such, it is quite good for finding issues / crash points, better than most other logging methods.

References

References
1. Every reference to the COM_TimestampedLog function in the engine code, as exported from grep. .