External log4j.xml file

Question

I am trying to run a jar with the log4j.xml file on the file system outside the jar like so:

java -jar MyJarName.jar -cp=/opt/companyName/pathToJar/ log4j.configuration=log4j.xml argToJar1 argToJar2

I have also tried:

java -jar MyJarName.jar -cp=/opt/companyName/pathToJar/ log4j.configuration=/opt/companyName/pathToJar/log4j.xml argToJar1 argToJar2

The log4j.xml is file is in the same directory as the jar (/opt/companyName/pathToJar/), yet I still get the standard warning message:

log4j:WARN No appenders could be found for logger (org.apache.axis.i18n.ProjectResourceBundle).
log4j:WARN Please initialize the log4j system properly.

Is it possible to have the config file outside the jar, or do I have to package it with the jar?

TIA

score 55 · Accepted Answer · edited May 23 '17 at 12:34

55

When using the -jar switch to launch an executable jar file, the classpath is obtained from the jar file's manifest. The -cp switch, if given, is ignored.

Jeff Storey's answer is going to be the easiest solution. Alternatively, you could add a Class-Path attribute to the jar file's manifest.

EDIT Try enabling log4j debugging, and making the path to log4j.xml a fully-qualified URL. For example:

java -Dlog4j.debug -Dlog4j.configuration=file:/path/to/log4j.xml -jar ...

edited May 23 '17 at 12:34

Community

1
1

answered Apr 07 '10 at 18:02

Jason Day

8,809
1
41
46

I added this to the manifest and it still did not work (but I am not sure relative paths are legal): Class-Path: . – javamonkey79 Apr 07 '10 at 18:31
java -Dlog4j.configuration=/path/to/log4j.xml -jar MyJarName.jar perhaps the space between the Class-Path: and the '.' is to blame. – javamonkey79 Apr 08 '10 at 03:23
3

This helped me, the file attribute is something i was missing to put – Raks Feb 28 '12 at 19:41
1

This worked for me: -Dlog4j.configuration=file:./log4j.properties, it finds the properties file in the same directory as the startup script. – Adriaan Koster Jun 22 '12 at 11:30
I faced the same issue with jdk 5. However , the issue was resolved when I moved to jdk6. – bluelurker Dec 24 '15 at 11:49
I've tried a few of these - and this is one that worked – wax_lyrical Jan 23 '16 at 10:46
for me, I had to define the file like this "file://{full path to log4j file}" – allkenang Jan 23 '19 at 05:47

score 18 · Answer 2 · answered Jul 13 '10 at 12:27

18

this works:

java -jar -Dlog4j.configuration="file:d:\log4j.xml" myjar.jar

answered Jul 13 '10 at 12:27

tibi

657
1
10
22

score 15 · Answer 3 · answered Dec 12 '14 at 07:02

15

For log4j2, use configurationFile option:

java -Dlog4j.configurationFile=/path/to/log4j2.xml -jar ...

http://logging.apache.org/log4j/2.0/manual/configuration.html

answered Dec 12 '14 at 07:02

r00tGER

391
2
11

score 8 · Answer 4 · answered Apr 07 '10 at 17:54

8

Have you tried java -Dlog4j.configuration=/path/to/log4j.xml -jar <rest-of-args>

answered Apr 07 '10 at 17:54

Jeff Storey

56,312
72
233
406

3

need file: in front of the path – Eric Hartford Sep 09 '13 at 19:50

score 6 · Answer 5 · answered Aug 30 '12 at 21:54

you can define a default properties file in the jar. if no custom properties is defined you can use this default file.if a custom property is defined you can override the default property.

myjar.jar file contains log4j.default.configuration

you can run your program with this parameters to start your application

java  -jar -Dlog4j.configuration=log4j.properties  target\yourfile-v01_000_01_c002.jar

Example code

public static void main(String[] args) {
    String filename = System.getProperty("log4j.configuration");
    if(null==filename||filename.trim().equals("")) {
        logger.info("Using default log4j configuration log4j.default.properties.");
        logger.info("If you would like to change the default configuration please add following param before startup -Dlog4j.configuration=<log4jfile>");
        PropertyConfigurator.configure( Main.class.getResourceAsStream("/log4j.default.properties"));
    } else {
        File file = new File(filename);
        if(!file.exists()) System.out.println("It is not possible to load the given log4j properties file :"+file.getAbsolutePath());
        else PropertyConfigurator.configure(file.getAbsolutePath());

    }
}

Thank you! This works for .properties-file. If you use .xml configuration file then use DOMConfigurator instead of PropertyConfigurator. — Martin Pabst, Jul 11 '16 at 14:11

score 2 · Answer 6 · edited May 23 '17 at 12:26

2

java -cp "path/to/your/log4jxml:path/to/yourjar.jar" your.package.MainClass

The log4j.xml in directory "path/to/your/log4jxml" will overwrite the log4j.xml file in "path/to/yourjar.jar".

Please refer to Setting multiple jars in java classpath.

edited May 23 '17 at 12:26

Community

1
1

answered Mar 10 '15 at 00:51

Dayong

5,614
1
14
6

This is worked for me. – Manolis P. Dec 01 '21 at 10:49
Besides I had to pass jvm args like this: `-Dlog4j.configurationFile=/pathtoconf/log4j2.xml` – iamsmkr Apr 21 '22 at 08:57

another · Answer 7 · 2017-10-08T22:10:42.757

The simplest path configuration for ``log4j2is using thestatic blocksettinglog4j.configurationFile`:

public class MyClass {

    static {
        System.setProperty("log4j.configurationFile", "./config/log4j2.xml");
    }

    protected final transient Logger logger =  LogManager.getLogger(IDOLTracker.class);

    public static void main(String[] args) {
         logger.info("");
    }
}

Then the structure could be as:

ProgramFolder
|---- /config/log4j2.xml
|---- MyClass.jar

When you run your jar, it will look outside the jar for the xml file.

score 1 · Answer 8 · answered Nov 29 '11 at 09:15

1

I had problems using log4j with Sun's JDK and automatic configuration.

You can use this:

String filename = System.getProperty("log4j.configuration");
DOMConfigurator(filename);

before using Logger.

answered Nov 29 '11 at 09:15

VlatkoB

1,219
1
12
12

score 0 · Answer 9 · edited Jul 14 '23 at 00:51

0

"-jar" only uses the classpath inside the executable jar, and -cp is ignored. Adding "." to the classpath in the executable jar should allow log4j.xml to be found.

edited Jul 14 '23 at 00:51

codersl

2,222
4
30
33

answered Apr 07 '10 at 20:02

Thorbjørn Ravn Andersen

73,784
33
194
347

External log4j.xml file

9 Answers9

Linked