void trace_out(const char *fmt, ... ) {
  static FILE *trace_file = 0L;

  time_t now = time(0L);
  char date_string[23];
  strftime(date_string, 256, "%Y-%m-%d %H.%M.%S", localtime(&now));

  if (!trace_file) {
    trace_file = fopen("trace.txt", "a+");

    if (!trace_file)
      return;
  }

  va_list v;
  va_start(v, fmt);

  fprintf(trace_file, "%s |", date_string);
  vfprintf(trace_file, fmt, v);
  fputc('\n', trace_file);
  fflush(trace_file);
}