How to custom XML layout in Log4j ?

Question

Can we write logs into XML files with Log4j, with a customed XML layout (or pattern) ?

I found this : http://howtodoinjava.com/log4j/how-to-create-logs-in-xml-format-using-log4j/
Where logs are like :

<log4j:event logger="com.howtodoinjava.Log4jXMLLayoutExample" timestamp="1368417841893" level="ERROR" thread="main">
    <log4j:message><!&#91;CDATA&#91;Sample error message&#93;&#93;></log4j:message>
    <log4j:locationInfo class="com.howtodoinjava.Log4jXMLLayoutExample" method="main" file="Log4jXMLLayoutExample.java" line="16"/>
</log4j:event>

But I would like generate logs with a custom pattern, by addings some 'Element' (for example):

<log4j:event logger="com.howtodoinjava.Log4jXMLLayoutExample" timestamp="1368417841893" level="ERROR" thread="main">
    <log4j:message><!&#91;CDATA&#91;Sample error message&#93;&#93;></log4j:message>
    <log4j:locationInfo class="com.howtodoinjava.Log4jXMLLayoutExample" method="main" file="Log4jXMLLayoutExample.java" line="16"/>
    <log4j:color>yellow<log4j:color>
    <log4j:posX>yellow<log4j:posX>
    <log4j:posY>yellow<log4j:posY>
</log4j:event>

Someone has already found a solution to generate this type of logs ?

Thank you !

Answer 1

In log4j 2, it is fairly easy to create a custom Layout for this.

This link (for writing a custom Appender) may be useful to get you started: https://stackoverflow.com/a/24220688/1446916

The Log4j 2 manual has examples for Extending Log4j and writing plugins.