diff --git a/pyfpdb/Configuration.py b/pyfpdb/Configuration.py
index 639007f1..fd40b408 100644
--- a/pyfpdb/Configuration.py
+++ b/pyfpdb/Configuration.py
@@ -52,16 +52,19 @@ def get_default_config_path():
     return config_path
 
 def get_exec_path():
-    """Returns the path to the fpdb.(py|exe) file we are executing"""
+    """Returns the path to the fpdb(dir|.exe) file we are executing"""
     if hasattr(sys, "frozen"):  # compiled by py2exe
         return os.path.dirname(sys.executable)
     else:
-        return sys.path[0]
+        return os.path.dirname(sys.path[0])  # should be path to /fpdb
 
 def get_config(file_name, fallback = True):
     """Looks in cwd and in self.default_config_path for a config file."""
     exec_dir = get_exec_path()
-    config_path = os.path.join(exec_dir, file_name)
+    if file_name == 'logging.conf':
+        config_path = os.path.join(exec_dir, 'pyfpdb', file_name)
+    else:
+        config_path = os.path.join(exec_dir, file_name)
 #    print "config_path=", config_path
     if os.path.exists(config_path):    # there is a file in the cwd
         return config_path             # so we use it
@@ -80,11 +83,7 @@ def get_config(file_name, fallback = True):
     if os.path.exists(file_name + ".example"):
         try:
             print ""
-            if not os.path.isdir(default_dir):
-                msg = "Creating directory: '%s'" % (default_dir)
-                print msg
-                logging.info(msg)
-                os.mkdir(default_dir)
+            check_dir(default_dir)
             shutil.copyfile(file_name + ".example", config_path)
             msg = "No %s found in %s or %s\n" % (file_name, exec_dir, default_dir) \
                   + "Config file has been created at %s.\n" % config_path \
@@ -104,11 +103,17 @@ def get_config(file_name, fallback = True):
         sys.exit()
     return file_name
 
-def get_logger(file_name, config = "config", fallback = False):
-    conf = get_config(file_name, fallback = fallback)
-    if conf:
+def get_logger(file_name, config = "config", fallback = False, log_dir=None):
+    conf_file = get_config(file_name, fallback = fallback)
+    if conf_file:
         try:
-            logging.config.fileConfig(conf)
+            if log_dir is None:
+                log_dir = os.path.join(get_exec_path(), 'log')
+            check_dir(log_dir)
+            file = os.path.join(log_dir, 'logging.out')
+            file = file.replace('\\', '\\\\')  # replace each \ with \\
+#            print "    ="+file+" "+ str(type(file))+" len="+str(len(file))+"\n"
+            logging.config.fileConfig(conf_file, {"logFile":file})
             log = logging.getLogger(config)
             log.debug("%s logger initialised" % config)
             return log
@@ -120,8 +125,23 @@ def get_logger(file_name, config = "config", fallback = False):
     log.debug("config logger initialised")
     return log
 
+def check_dir(path, create = True):
+    """Check if a dir exists, optionally creates if not."""
+    if os.path.exists(path):
+        if os.path.isdir(path):
+            return path
+        else:
+            return False
+    if create:
+        msg = "Creating directory: '%s'" % (path)
+        print msg
+        log.info(msg)
+        os.mkdir(path)
+    else:
+        return False
+
 #    find a logging.conf file and set up logging
-log = get_logger("logging.conf")
+log = get_logger("logging.conf", "config")
 
 ########################################################################
 # application wide consts
@@ -421,7 +441,6 @@ class Tv:
 
 class Config:
     def __init__(self, file = None, dbname = ''):
-
 #    "file" is a path to an xml file with the fpdb/HUD configuration
 #    we check the existence of "file" and try to recover if it doesn't exist
 
@@ -435,6 +454,13 @@ class Config:
 
         if file is None: file = get_config("HUD_config.xml", True)
 
+        self.file = file
+        self.dir_self = get_exec_path()
+        self.dir_config = os.path.dirname(self.file)
+        self.dir_log = os.path.join(self.dir_config, 'log')
+        self.dir_database = os.path.join(self.dir_config, 'database')
+        log = get_logger("logging.conf", "config", log_dir=self.dir_log)
+
 #    Parse even if there was no real config file found and we are using the example
 #    If using the example, we'll edit it later
         log.info("Reading configuration file %s" % file)
@@ -449,9 +475,6 @@ class Config:
             sys.exit()
 
         self.doc = doc
-        self.file = file
-        self.dir = os.path.dirname(self.file)
-        self.dir_databases = os.path.join(self.dir, 'database')
         self.supported_sites = {}
         self.supported_games = {}
         self.supported_databases = {}        # databaseName --> Database instance
diff --git a/pyfpdb/Database.py b/pyfpdb/Database.py
index 754af54a..d91681be 100644
--- a/pyfpdb/Database.py
+++ b/pyfpdb/Database.py
@@ -224,6 +224,7 @@ class Database:
 
 
     def __init__(self, c, sql = None): 
+        log = Configuration.get_logger("logging.conf", "db", log_dir=c.dir_log)
         log.info("Creating Database instance, sql = %s" % sql)
         self.config = c
         self.__connected = False
@@ -379,11 +380,11 @@ class Database:
                 log.warning("SQLite won't work well without 'sqlalchemy' installed.")
 
             if database != ":memory:":
-                if not os.path.isdir(self.config.dir_databases):
-                    print "Creating directory: '%s'" % (self.config.dir_databases)
-                    log.info("Creating directory: '%s'" % (self.config.dir_databases))
-                    os.mkdir(self.config.dir_databases)
-                database = os.path.join(self.config.dir_databases, database)
+                if not os.path.isdir(self.config.dir_database):
+                    print "Creating directory: '%s'" % (self.config.dir_database)
+                    log.info("Creating directory: '%s'" % (self.config.dir_database))
+                    os.mkdir(self.config.dir_database)
+                database = os.path.join(self.config.dir_database, database)
             log.info("Connecting to SQLite: %(database)s" % {'database':database})
             print "Connecting to SQLite: %(database)s" % {'database':database}
             self.connection = sqlite3.connect(database, detect_types=sqlite3.PARSE_DECLTYPES )
@@ -787,6 +788,7 @@ class Database:
             
     def get_player_id(self, config, site, player_name):
         c = self.connection.cursor()
+        print "get_player_id: player_name =", player_name, type(player_name)
         p_name = Charset.to_utf8(player_name)
         c.execute(self.sql.query['get_player_id'], (p_name, site))
         row = c.fetchone()
diff --git a/pyfpdb/HUD_main.py b/pyfpdb/HUD_main.py
index df144e92..c792d802 100755
--- a/pyfpdb/HUD_main.py
+++ b/pyfpdb/HUD_main.py
@@ -51,10 +51,8 @@ import gobject
 #    FreePokerTools modules
 import Configuration
 
-print "start logging"
 log = Configuration.get_logger("logging.conf", config = 'hud')
-log.debug("%s logger initialized." % "dud")
-print "logging started"
+log.debug("%s logger initialized." % "hud")
 
 
 import Database
@@ -68,36 +66,40 @@ elif os.name == 'nt':
 import Hud
 
 
-log = Configuration.get_logger("logging.conf")
-
-
 class HUD_main(object):
     """A main() object to own both the read_stdin thread and the gui."""
 #    This class mainly provides state for controlling the multiple HUDs.
 
     def __init__(self, db_name = 'fpdb'):
-        self.db_name = db_name
-        self.log = log
-        self.config = Configuration.Config(file=options.config, dbname=options.dbname)
-        self.hud_dict = {}
-        self.hud_params = self.config.get_hud_ui_parameters()
+        try:
+            print "HUD_main: starting ..."
+            self.db_name = db_name
+            self.config = Configuration.Config(file=options.config, dbname=options.dbname)
+            log = Configuration.get_logger("logging.conf", "hud", log_dir=self.config.dir_log)
+            log.debug("starting ...")
+            self.hud_dict = {}
+            self.hud_params = self.config.get_hud_ui_parameters()
 
-#    a thread to read stdin
-        gobject.threads_init()                       # this is required
-        thread.start_new_thread(self.read_stdin, ()) # starts the thread
+    #    a thread to read stdin
+            gobject.threads_init()                       # this is required
+            thread.start_new_thread(self.read_stdin, ()) # starts the thread
+
+    #    a main window
+            self.main_window = gtk.Window()
+            self.main_window.connect("destroy", self.destroy)
+            self.vb = gtk.VBox()
+            self.label = gtk.Label('Closing this window will exit from the HUD.')
+            self.vb.add(self.label)
+            self.main_window.add(self.vb)
+            self.main_window.set_title("HUD Main Window")
+            self.main_window.show_all()
+        except:
+            log.debug("commit "+str(i)+" failed: info=" + str(sys.exc_info())
+                          + " value=" + str(sys.exc_value))
 
-#    a main window
-        self.main_window = gtk.Window()
-        self.main_window.connect("destroy", self.destroy)
-        self.vb = gtk.VBox()
-        self.label = gtk.Label('Closing this window will exit from the HUD.')
-        self.vb.add(self.label)
-        self.main_window.add(self.vb)
-        self.main_window.set_title("HUD Main Window")
-        self.main_window.show_all()
 
     def destroy(self, *args):             # call back for terminating the main eventloop
-        self.log.info("Terminating normally.")
+        log.info("Terminating normally.")
         gtk.main_quit()
 
     def kill_hud(self, event, table):
@@ -205,7 +207,7 @@ class HUD_main(object):
             t0 = time.time()
             t1 = t2 = t3 = t4 = t5 = t6 = t0
             new_hand_id = string.rstrip(new_hand_id)
-            self.log.debug("Received hand no %s" % new_hand_id)
+            log.debug("Received hand no %s" % new_hand_id)
             if new_hand_id == "":           # blank line means quit
                 self.destroy()
                 break # this thread is not always killed immediately with gtk.main_quit()
@@ -217,7 +219,7 @@ class HUD_main(object):
                 (table_name, max, poker_game, type, site_id, site_name, num_seats, tour_number, tab_number) = \
                                 self.db_connection.get_table_info(new_hand_id)
             except Exception, err:
-                self.log.error("db error: skipping %s" % new_hand_id)
+                log.error("db error: skipping %s" % new_hand_id)
                 continue
             t1 = time.time()
 
@@ -276,7 +278,7 @@ class HUD_main(object):
                     if type == "tour":
                         table_name = "%s %s" % (tour_number, tab_number)
 #                    sys.stderr.write("HUD create: table name "+table_name+" not found, skipping.\n")
-                    self.log.error("HUD create: table name %s not found, skipping." % table_name)
+                    log.error("HUD create: table name %s not found, skipping." % table_name)
                 else:
                     tablewindow.max = max
                     tablewindow.site = site_name
diff --git a/pyfpdb/Hand.py b/pyfpdb/Hand.py
old mode 100644
new mode 100755
index 9c7ea23f..0f69121a
--- a/pyfpdb/Hand.py
+++ b/pyfpdb/Hand.py
@@ -28,12 +28,14 @@ from decimal import Decimal
 import operator
 import time,datetime
 from copy import deepcopy
-from Exceptions import *
 import pprint
+
+import Configuration
+from Exceptions import *
 import DerivedStats
 import Card
 
-log = logging.getLogger("parser")
+log = Configuration.get_logger("logging.conf", "parser")
 
 class Hand(object):
 
@@ -46,7 +48,9 @@ class Hand(object):
     SITEIDS = {'Fulltilt':1, 'PokerStars':2, 'Everleaf':3, 'Win2day':4, 'OnGame':5, 'UltimateBet':6, 'Betfair':7, 'Absolute':8, 'PartyPoker':9, 'Partouche':10, 'Carbon':11 }
 
 
-    def __init__(self, sitename, gametype, handText, builtFrom = "HHC"):
+    def __init__(self, config, sitename, gametype, handText, builtFrom = "HHC"):
+        self.config = config
+        log = Configuration.get_logger("logging.conf", "db", log_dir=self.config.dir_log)
         self.sitename = sitename
         self.siteId = self.SITEIDS[sitename]
         self.stats = DerivedStats.DerivedStats(self)
@@ -617,7 +621,8 @@ Map the tuple self.gametype onto the pokerstars string describing it
 
 
 class HoldemOmahaHand(Hand):
-    def __init__(self, hhc, sitename, gametype, handText, builtFrom = "HHC", handid=None):
+    def __init__(self, config, hhc, sitename, gametype, handText, builtFrom = "HHC", handid=None):
+        self.config = config
         if gametype['base'] != 'hold':
             pass # or indeed don't pass and complain instead
         log.debug("HoldemOmahaHand")
@@ -625,7 +630,7 @@ class HoldemOmahaHand(Hand):
         self.holeStreets = ['PREFLOP']
         self.communityStreets = ['FLOP', 'TURN', 'RIVER']
         self.actionStreets = ['BLINDSANTES','PREFLOP','FLOP','TURN','RIVER']
-        Hand.__init__(self, sitename, gametype, handText, builtFrom = "HHC")
+        Hand.__init__(self, self.config, sitename, gametype, handText, builtFrom = "HHC")
         self.sb = gametype['sb']
         self.bb = gametype['bb']
 
@@ -916,7 +921,8 @@ class HoldemOmahaHand(Hand):
         print >>fh, "\n\n"
 
 class DrawHand(Hand):
-    def __init__(self, hhc, sitename, gametype, handText, builtFrom = "HHC"):
+    def __init__(self, config, hhc, sitename, gametype, handText, builtFrom = "HHC"):
+        self.config = config
         if gametype['base'] != 'draw':
             pass # or indeed don't pass and complain instead
         self.streetList = ['BLINDSANTES', 'DEAL', 'DRAWONE', 'DRAWTWO', 'DRAWTHREE']
@@ -924,7 +930,7 @@ class DrawHand(Hand):
         self.holeStreets = ['DEAL', 'DRAWONE', 'DRAWTWO', 'DRAWTHREE']
         self.actionStreets =  ['BLINDSANTES', 'DEAL', 'DRAWONE', 'DRAWTWO', 'DRAWTHREE']
         self.communityStreets = []
-        Hand.__init__(self, sitename, gametype, handText)
+        Hand.__init__(self, self.config, sitename, gametype, handText)
         self.sb = gametype['sb']
         self.bb = gametype['bb']
         # Populate the draw hand.
@@ -1108,7 +1114,8 @@ class DrawHand(Hand):
 
 
 class StudHand(Hand):
-    def __init__(self, hhc, sitename, gametype, handText, builtFrom = "HHC"):
+    def __init__(self, config, hhc, sitename, gametype, handText, builtFrom = "HHC"):
+        self.config = config
         if gametype['base'] != 'stud':
             pass # or indeed don't pass and complain instead
 
@@ -1118,7 +1125,7 @@ class StudHand(Hand):
 
         self.streetList = ['BLINDSANTES','THIRD','FOURTH','FIFTH','SIXTH','SEVENTH'] # a list of the observed street names in order
         self.holeStreets = ['THIRD','FOURTH','FIFTH','SIXTH','SEVENTH']
-        Hand.__init__(self, sitename, gametype, handText)
+        Hand.__init__(self, self.config, sitename, gametype, handText)
         self.sb = gametype['sb']
         self.bb = gametype['bb']
         #Populate the StudHand
@@ -1511,7 +1518,8 @@ limit 1""", {'handid':handid})
     #TODO: siteid should be in hands table - we took the scenic route through players here.
     res = c.fetchone()
     gametype = {'category':res[1],'base':res[2],'type':res[3],'limitType':res[4],'hilo':res[5],'sb':res[6],'bb':res[7], 'currency':res[10]}
-    h = HoldemOmahaHand(hhc = None, sitename=res[0], gametype = gametype, handText=None, builtFrom = "DB", handid=handid)
+    c = Configuration.Config()
+    h = HoldemOmahaHand(config = c, hhc = None, sitename=res[0], gametype = gametype, handText=None, builtFrom = "DB", handid=handid)
     cards = map(Card.valueSuitFromCard, res[11:16] )
     if cards[0]:
         h.setCommunityCards('FLOP', cards[0:3])
diff --git a/pyfpdb/HandHistoryConverter.py b/pyfpdb/HandHistoryConverter.py
old mode 100644
new mode 100755
index bec2ebae..45760ee6
--- a/pyfpdb/HandHistoryConverter.py
+++ b/pyfpdb/HandHistoryConverter.py
@@ -16,8 +16,6 @@
 #In the "official" distribution you can find the license in
 #agpl-3.0.txt in the docs folder of the package.
 
-import Hand
-import Tourney
 import re
 import sys
 import traceback
@@ -31,13 +29,16 @@ import operator
 from xml.dom.minidom import Node
 import time
 import datetime
+
+import Hand
+import Tourney
 from Exceptions import FpdbParseError
 import Configuration
 
 import gettext
 gettext.install('fpdb')
 
-log = Configuration.get_logger("logging.conf")
+log = Configuration.get_logger("logging.conf", "parser")
 
 import pygtk
 import gtk
@@ -57,12 +58,14 @@ class HandHistoryConverter():
     codepage = "cp1252"
 
 
-    def __init__(self, in_path = '-', out_path = '-', follow=False, index=0, autostart=True, starsArchive=False):
+    def __init__(self, config, in_path = '-', out_path = '-', follow=False, index=0, autostart=True, starsArchive=False):
         """\
 in_path   (default '-' = sys.stdin)
 out_path  (default '-' = sys.stdout)
 follow :  whether to tail -f the input"""
 
+        self.config = config
+        log = Configuration.get_logger("logging.conf", "parser", log_dir=self.config.dir_log)
         log.info("HandHistory init - %s subclass, in_path '%s'; out_path '%s'" % (self.sitename, in_path, out_path) )
         
         self.index     = index
@@ -283,11 +286,11 @@ which it expects to find at self.re_TailSplitHands -- see for e.g. Everleaf.py.
         if l in self.readSupportedGames():
             if gametype['base'] == 'hold':
                 log.debug("hand = Hand.HoldemOmahaHand(self, self.sitename, gametype, handtext)")
-                hand = Hand.HoldemOmahaHand(self, self.sitename, gametype, handText)
+                hand = Hand.HoldemOmahaHand(self.config, self, self.sitename, gametype, handText)
             elif gametype['base'] == 'stud':
-                hand = Hand.StudHand(self, self.sitename, gametype, handText)
+                hand = Hand.StudHand(self.config, self, self.sitename, gametype, handText)
             elif gametype['base'] == 'draw':
-                hand = Hand.DrawHand(self, self.sitename, gametype, handText)
+                hand = Hand.DrawHand(self.config, self, self.sitename, gametype, handText)
         else:
             log.info("Unsupported game type: %s" % gametype)
 
@@ -417,7 +420,7 @@ or None if we fail to get the info """
         list.pop() #Last entry is empty
         for l in list:
 #           print "'" + l + "'"
-            hands = hands + [Hand.Hand(self.sitename, self.gametype, l)]
+            hands = hands + [Hand.Hand(self.config, self.sitename, self.gametype, l)]
         # TODO: This looks like it could be replaced with a list comp.. ?
         return hands
 
diff --git a/pyfpdb/fpdb.py b/pyfpdb/fpdb.py
index f202698d..12c05d11 100755
--- a/pyfpdb/fpdb.py
+++ b/pyfpdb/fpdb.py
@@ -695,6 +695,7 @@ class fpdb:
     def load_profile(self):
         """Loads profile from the provided path name."""
         self.config = Configuration.Config(file=options.config, dbname=options.dbname)
+        log = Configuration.get_logger("logging.conf", "fpdb", log_dir=self.config.dir_log)
         self.settings = {}
         self.settings['global_lock'] = self.lock
         if (os.sep=="/"):
diff --git a/pyfpdb/fpdb_import.py b/pyfpdb/fpdb_import.py
old mode 100644
new mode 100755
index 859a6bc0..a02d3d99
--- a/pyfpdb/fpdb_import.py
+++ b/pyfpdb/fpdb_import.py
@@ -65,6 +65,7 @@ class Importer:
         self.config     = config
         self.sql        = sql
 
+        log = Configuration.get_logger("logging.conf", "importer", log_dir=self.config.dir_log)
         self.filelist   = {}
         self.dirlist    = {}
         self.siteIds    = {}
@@ -429,7 +430,7 @@ class Importer:
                 idx = self.pos_in_file[file]
             else:
                 self.pos_in_file[file] = 0
-            hhc = obj(in_path = file, out_path = out_path, index = idx, starsArchive = self.settings['starsArchive'])
+            hhc = obj(self.config, in_path = file, out_path = out_path, index = idx, starsArchive = self.settings['starsArchive'])
             if hhc.getStatus():
                 handlist = hhc.getProcessedHands()
                 self.pos_in_file[file] = hhc.getLastCharacterRead()
diff --git a/pyfpdb/logging.conf b/pyfpdb/logging.conf
old mode 100644
new mode 100755
index 1b54b453..4ca06db1
--- a/pyfpdb/logging.conf
+++ b/pyfpdb/logging.conf
@@ -1,64 +1,69 @@
 [loggers]
-keys=root,parser,importer,config,db
+keys=root,fpdb,logview,parser,importer,config,db,hud
 
 [handlers]
-keys=consoleHandler,fileHandler
+keys=consoleHandler,rotatingFileHandler
 
 [formatters]
 keys=fileFormatter,stderrFormatter
 
 [logger_root]
 level=INFO
-handlers=consoleHandler,fileHandler
+handlers=consoleHandler,rotatingFileHandler
 
 [logger_fpdb]
 level=INFO
-handlers=consoleHandler,fileHandler
+handlers=consoleHandler,rotatingFileHandler
 qualname=fpdb
 propagate=0
 
 [logger_logview]
 level=INFO
-handlers=consoleHandler,fileHandler
+handlers=consoleHandler,rotatingFileHandler
 qualname=logview
 propagate=0
 
 [logger_parser]
 level=INFO
-handlers=consoleHandler,fileHandler
+handlers=consoleHandler,rotatingFileHandler
 qualname=parser
 propagate=0
 
 [logger_importer]
 level=DEBUG
-handlers=consoleHandler,fileHandler
+handlers=consoleHandler,rotatingFileHandler
 qualname=importer
 propagate=0
 
 [logger_config]
 level=INFO
-handlers=consoleHandler,fileHandler
+handlers=consoleHandler,rotatingFileHandler
 qualname=config
 propagate=0
 
 [logger_db]
 level=DEBUG
-handlers=consoleHandler,fileHandler
+handlers=consoleHandler,rotatingFileHandler
 qualname=db
 propagate=0
 
+[logger_hud]
+level=DEBUG
+handlers=consoleHandler,rotatingFileHandler
+qualname=hud
+propagate=0
+
 [handler_consoleHandler]
 class=StreamHandler
 level=ERROR
 formatter=stderrFormatter
 args=(sys.stderr,)
 
-[handler_fileHandler]
-class=FileHandler
+[handler_rotatingFileHandler]
+class=handlers.RotatingFileHandler
 level=DEBUG
 formatter=fileFormatter
-args=('logging.out', 'a')
-
+args=('%(logFile)s', 'a', 50000, 5)
 
 [formatter_fileFormatter]
 format=%(asctime)s - %(name)-12s %(levelname)-8s %(message)s