SSIS log file created twice, would someone please try this

Question

I started off trying to explain the behavior, but it got too long and wasn't sure if people would follow it. So rather then trying to explain it, I would like to ask someone to try the following to see if they can dumplicate this odd behavior I am seeing on my side.
Please follow these steps, and let me know what you get.
(1) Take any simple working package, and create an SSIS log.
(2) Use the following for the expression to set the connection string for the log file's connection manager. For simplicity, let's say the file goes in a folder called "C:\SSIS_log\". For you it could be somewhere else.
Expression:
"C:\\SSIS_log\\"
+ "logfile_"
+ (DT_STR,4,1252)DATEPART( "yyyy" , @[System::StartTime]   )
+ RIGHT("0" + (DT_STR,4,1252)DATEPART( "mm" ,  @[System::StartTime]  ), 2)
+ RIGHT("0" + (DT_STR,4,1252)DATEPART( "dd" , @[System::StartTime]   ), 2)
+ RIGHT("0" + (DT_STR,4,1252)DATEPART( "hh" , @[System::StartTime]   ), 2)
+ RIGHT("0" + (DT_STR,4,1252)DATEPART( "mi" ,  @[System::StartTime]  ), 2)
+ RIGHT("0" + (DT_STR,4,1252)DATEPART( "ss" , @[System::StartTime]   ), 2)
+ ".txt"
When you evaluate this expression, you should see that it appends a time stamp that goes down to the minute and second of the package start time.
(3) Delete any existing files in the log directory.
(4) Run the package.
Make the following observations.
(A) How many log files do you get?
(B) And what do you see in the log file(s)?
(C) What time stamp do you have in name of the log file(s)?

Answer 1

Jia Li said:
Okay, my take is this: when you execute package in BIDS, BIDS first validate the package and then a new package object is instantiated and executed. The package object used for validation is the same as long as the package is not reopened, so the first log file has the same name. Because the execution phase load package from xml again, it is using a new pakcage object, so expression get re-evaluated and the second log file gets renamed every time.
Duane Douglas said:
Jia Li said:
The @StartTime of the first file is evaluated when you open the package in BIDS. So if you close the package, re-open it and execute, you will get two files again.
i just remembered that someone else here experienced a similar issue with the starttime variable.  i understand why it needs an intial value when a package is created or opened.  but i don't understand why this value isn't replaced at run-time?  can you please shed some light on this?
thanks
Duane Douglas, MCAD | http://www.ssisbi.com | Please mark the post(s) that answered your question.
ok.  but if i'm not mistaken,  the execution phase doesn't change the value of @starttime to reflect the current system time.  after validation, the execution phase should change the value of @starttime to the current system time.  no?Duane Douglas, MCAD | http://www.ssisbi.com | Please mark the post(s) that answered your question.