Mailing-List: contact user-help@ant.apache.org; run by ezmlm
Precedence: bulk
Reply-To: "Ant Users List" <user@ant.apache.org>
Content-Class: urn:content-classes:message
MIME-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain;
	charset="iso-8859-1"
Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable
Subject: Log4jListener, <record> and any good logger for builds? (long)
Date: Mon, 27 Oct 2003 18:37:20 -0500
Message-ID: <72068298CD99104AAEDE2FDF89AC160D0800E9@avanti.corp.workscape.net>
Importance: normal
Priority: normal
Thread-Topic: Log4jListener, <record> and any good logger for builds? (long)
thread-index: AcOc40OTKMOa0AirQj2n8VDnfL8cKg==
From: "Stirling, Scott" <scott.stirling@workscape.com>
To: <user@ant.apache.org>

Hi,

For one of our products I am writing a complex build/deploy tool.  I am i=
mplementing it as an Ant build script primarily because of time constrain=
ts and because Ant has lots of awesome stuff built in that I don't want (=
or have time) to re-invent.

I had a requirement to make my tool keep a log for debugging and tech sup=
pport purposes.  So my first pass was with using the <record> task.  This=
 worked fine for basic logging -- as long as you don't twiddle it on and =
off too much throughout the build script, otherwise your script is clutte=
red with <record> all over the place.  Basically I turn it on in one targ=
et and have the others depend on it and the initial <record> setting work=
s all the way through.

Naturally the success of having a decent build log has led to more reques=
ts for logging features like log rotation, log levels, etc.  Previously I=
 overwrote the log every time, and eventually that's my fallback position=
 if this gets too time-consuming. :-)

<record> doesn't do all the nice logging subsystem stuff that Log4J can, =
obviously, although integrating the two together would bring me closer to=
 what PM and QA are asking for.  So, that's one possibility I think may b=
e worth investigating.

My experiences with the Log4jListener and CommonsLoggingListener were edu=
cational and I thought I would share here.

1. Log4jListener doesn't seem to recognize or use the -Dlog4j.configurati=
on parameter *unless* you use the URL format to pass the path to the conf=
ig file.  It doesn't pick up the config file in the current directory eit=
her.

2. CommonsLoggingListener is in the Hatcher/Loughran book, but not in the=
 Ant docs.  Probably OK because it doesn't seem to work any better than L=
og4jListener.

3. Most importantly, Log4jListener isn't useful for build consumers anywa=
y, since it logs internal Ant log events and messages, *not* user-defined=
 (at the build script level) messages.  So even if you can get it to work=
, Log4jListener probably isn't what you want unless you're logging messag=
es in your own custom task code or you are an Ant developer.

Any thoughts or advice?  Similar experiences?

Thanks,
Scott Stirling
Workscape, Inc.

***********************************************************************
This message is intended only for the use of the intended recipient and
may contain information that is PRIVILEGED and/or CONFIDENTIAL.  If you
are not the intended recipient, you are hereby notified that any use,
dissemination, disclosure or copying of this communication is strictly
prohibited.  If you have received this communication in error, please
destroy all copies of this message and its attachments and notify us
immediately.
***********************************************************************


---------------------------------------------------------------------
To unsubscribe, e-mail: user-unsubscribe@ant.apache.org
For additional commands, e-mail: user-help@ant.apache.org