General Settings
The General tab of Settings controls LogRaker's appearance, its role as the default app for .log files, and software updates.
Appearance
The Appearance tiles choose whether LogRaker follows the system Light/Dark setting or overrides it:
- Automatic - follow the macOS Appearance setting (the default). LogRaker switches with the rest of the system, including automatic day/night changes.
- Light - always use the light appearance, even when macOS is set to Dark.
- Dark - always use the dark appearance, even when macOS is set to Light.
The choice takes effect immediately and applies to every LogRaker window. It affects only LogRaker; other apps and the rest of macOS are unchanged. The setting stays on this Mac rather than syncing to your other devices.
Default app for .log files
Make LogRaker the Default App for .log Files sets LogRaker as the app macOS uses to open .log files. Once it's the default, double-clicking a .log file in Finder opens it as a Stream.
macOS keeps Console as the default until you choose this, so the change is always opt-in. After you set it, the button is replaced by a confirmation that LogRaker is the default for .log files. You can switch back at any time from Finder: select a .log file, choose File ▸ Get Info, pick another app under Open with, and click Change All…
Automatically check for updates
Automatically check for updates lets LogRaker periodically check for a newer version. It is on by default.
When a new version is ready, a quiet 'Update available' card appears at the bottom of the sidebar. In the direct-download edition from lograker.app it shows the new version's highlights, and its button installs the update. In the Mac App Store edition its button opens LogRaker in the App Store, where you install the update. The ✕ beside it puts the card away until you next open LogRaker. After an update - from either source - the first launch of the new version shows a 'What's New' card at the bottom of the sidebar with the version's highlights. Its button opens that version's release notes on lograker.app; the ✕ dismisses it. Either way it appears once per version - and Help ▸ 'What's New in Version x.y' opens the same notes any time. On both cards, hold the pointer over highlights that are cut short to read the rest.
Launch at login
Launch LogRaker at login starts LogRaker automatically when you log in to your Mac. The registration appears in System Settings ▸ General ▸ Login Items, where it can also be turned off; the switch here always reflects the current system state.
Hide at login (on by default) keeps LogRaker out of your way on those automatic starts: no window appears, but the app is fully running - Streams set to Auto-stream begin tailing, and the MCP Server starts if you have enabled it. Click the LogRaker icon in the Dock whenever you want the window. Launches you start yourself - from the Dock, Finder, or Launchpad - always show the window, regardless of this setting.
See also the other Settings tabs - including Streams for the defaults applied to new Streams.
