FAQ — Generate a batch of Nodinite JSON Log Events (PowerShell)

This FAQ shows a PowerShell script to generate a batch of Nodinite JSON Log Event files suitable for use with the Pickup Log Events Service (or for demos/load tests).

Overview:

• Generates one JSON LogEvent file per order
• Randomizes city and order rows
• Each LogEvent has a distinct LogDateTime "some time ago today" (no date parameter required)
• Files are written UTF-8 (no BOM)

Usage (quick)

Open PowerShell 7+ and run:

pwsh .\Generate-Nodinite-LogEvents.ps1 -OrderCount 150 -OutputFolder 'C:\temp\logevents'

This will create 150 JSON files in the target folder with LogDateTime values scattered earlier today.

Script: Generate-Nodinite-LogEvents.ps1

Save this file next to your documentation or in a demo folder. It uses deterministic pseudo-random values (no external dependencies).

<#
Generates Nodinite-style LogEvent JSON files for demo/load-testing.
- PowerShell 7+ recommended
- Each file contains a single LogEvent object
#>
param(
    [int]$OrderCount = 150,
    [string]$OutputFolder = 'C:\temp\logevents',
    [int]$RowsMin = 1,
    [int]$RowsMax = 9,
    [int]$LogAgentValueId = 42,
    [string]$EndPointName = 'INT101: Demo Log Events',
    [string]$MessageType = 'Demo.Order/1.0'
)

# Ensure folder exists
if (-not (Test-Path -Path $OutputFolder)) {
    New-Item -Path $OutputFolder -ItemType Directory -Force | Out-Null
}

# City list for variety
$cities = @(
    'New York','London','Tokyo','Sydney','Mumbai','São Paulo','Cairo','Nairobi','Moscow','Berlin',
    'Paris','Madrid','Rome','Lisbon','Oslo','Stockholm','Helsinki','Reykjavik','Dubai','Singapore',
    'Hong Kong','Seoul','Beijing','Jakarta','Bangkok','Manila','Mexico City','Vancouver','Toronto','Los Angeles'
)

# Helper: base64 encode text
function To-Base64([string]$text) {
    return [Convert]::ToBase64String([System.Text.Encoding]::UTF8.GetBytes($text))
}

# Determine a start time "some time ago today" (random earlier time today)
$now = Get-Date
$maxHours = [Math]::Max(1, $now.Hour)
$startHour = Get-Random -Minimum 1 -Maximum ($maxHours + 1)
$startMinute = Get-Random -Minimum 0 -Maximum 59
$startSecond = Get-Random -Minimum 0 -Maximum 59
$startDate = $now.Date.AddHours($startHour).AddMinutes($startMinute).AddSeconds($startSecond)

# If startDate is in the future, fallback to now
if ($startDate -gt $now) { $startDate = $now.AddMinutes(-Get-Random -Minimum 1 -Maximum 60) }

Write-Host "Generating $OrderCount events starting around: $($startDate.ToString('o'))" -ForegroundColor Cyan

$current = $startDate.ToUniversalTime()

for ($i = 1; $i -le $OrderCount; $i++) {
    $orderId = 10000 + $i
    $city = $cities[Get-Random -Minimum 0 -Maximum $cities.Count]
    $rowCount = Get-Random -Minimum $RowsMin -Maximum ($RowsMax + 1)

    $rows = for ($r = 1; $r -le $rowCount; $r++) {
        @{ Id = $r; Amount = (Get-Random -Minimum 1 -Maximum 100) }
    }

    $payload = @{ OrderId = $orderId; City = $city; Date = $current.ToString('o'); Rows = $rows } | ConvertTo-Json -Depth 5

    # Build the LogEvent object (fields chosen to be compatible with Nodinite JSON Log Event)
    $logEvent = [ordered]@{
        LogAgentValueId = $LogAgentValueId
        EndPointName = $EndPointName
        EndPointUri = "C:\\temp\\pickup"
        EndPointDirection = 0
        EndPointTypeId = 60
        OriginalMessageTypeName = $MessageType
        LogDateTime = $current.ToString('o')
        EventDirection = 0
        ProcessingUser = "DEMO\\Generator"
        SequenceNo = $i
        EventNumber = $i
        LogText = "Demo order generated"
        ApplicationInterchangeId = "ORD-$orderId"
        LogStatus = 0
        ProcessName = "DemoOrderProcess"
        ProcessingMachineName = $env:COMPUTERNAME
        ProcessingModuleName = "Generate-Nodinite-LogEvents.ps1"
        ProcessingModuleType = "DemoGenerator"
        ProcessingTime = (Get-Random -Minimum 10 -Maximum 300)
        Body = To-Base64 $payload
        Context = @{ OrderNumber = "ORD-$orderId"; City = $city }
    }

    $json = $logEvent | ConvertTo-Json -Depth 10

    $fileName = "LogEvent_ORD{0}_{1}.json" -f $orderId, ([guid]::NewGuid())
    $filePath = Join-Path -Path $OutputFolder -ChildPath $fileName

    # Write UTF8 no BOM
    [System.IO.File]::WriteAllText($filePath, $json, [System.Text.Encoding]::UTF8)

    # Advance current by a few to tens of seconds (randomized)
    $current = $current.AddSeconds((Get-Random -Minimum 5 -Maximum 300))

    if ($i % 50 -eq 0) { Write-Host "  Created $i/$OrderCount events..." -ForegroundColor Green }
}

Write-Host "Done. Files written to: $OutputFolder" -ForegroundColor Cyan

---

Notes & tips:

• For correlated multi-step flows (receive/send pairs) review Generate-O2C-Demo-Data-REFACTORED.ps1 in the Troubleshooting\Demo folder and adapt the deterministic correlation IDs and step templates.
• If you want to send these events directly to Log API rather than to Pickup, wrap the JSON with an HTTP POST using your API key and the Log API endpoint.

---

If you'd like, I can commit this file (Troubleshooting/FAQ - bre - Hello World - .NET Sample.md) to the repository and update the original Getting started page to link to the new sample location. Let me know if you want multi-event (BPM-like) flows instead of single-event-per-order files.