ASP.NET MVC 5: log4net doesn't write to file

Question

i try to add log4net to my ASP.NET MVC 5 project, but it refuses to write to the log file. My log4net.xml file looks like this:

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8" ?>
<log4net>
  <root>
    <level value="ALL" />
    <appender-ref ref="console" />
    <appender-ref ref="file" />
  </root>
  <appender name="console" type="log4net.Appender.ConsoleAppender">
    <layout type="log4net.Layout.PatternLayout">
      <conversionPattern value="%date %level %logger - %message%newline" />
    </layout>
  </appender>
  <appender name="file" type="log4net.Appender.RollingFileAppender">
    <file value="C:/Users/Andreas/Documents/logs/myapp.log" />
    <appendToFile value="true" />
    <rollingStyle value="Size" />
    <maxSizeRollBackups value="5" />
    <maximumFileSize value="10MB" />
    <staticLogFileName value="true" />
    <layout type="log4net.Layout.PatternLayout">
      <conversionPattern value="%date [%thread] %level %logger - %message%newline" />
    </layout>
  </appender>
</log4net>

I load the config in my Startup.cs like this:

XmlConfigurator.Configure(new FileInfo(Path.Combine("log4net.xml")));

I include the logger in the classes i wanna log like this:

private static readonly log4net.ILog log = log4net.LogManager.GetLogger(System.Reflection.MethodBase.GetCurrentMethod().DeclaringType);

and my logging command:

log.Info("Hello logging world!");

I tried to activate the internal logging of log4net and either it doesnt throw any exceptions or it doesnt work, i don't get any log from log4net. Is there a better way to include log4net in project.json based projects? I have looked through similar topics on stackoverflow and other platforms but nothing helped.

Solution:

The tutorial under this link did the job: https://code.msdn.microsoft.com/How-to-use-Apache-log4net-0d969339

I had to include this code in *AssemblyInfo.cs* file: `log4net.Config.XmlConfigurator(Watch = true)`, try this and let me know if worked. — Ricardo Pontual, Jun 21 '18 at 11:15
@RicardoPontual I don't have an AssemblyInfo.cs file, can i include this somehow in the startup script? — Aragok, Jun 21 '18 at 11:17
@RicardoPontual Visual Studio 2015 doesn't let me use it in the Startup.cs, with the message 'Watch doesn't exist in the current context'. — Aragok, Jun 21 '18 at 11:41
I'm sorry to forget to mention, you should use as an attribute in Startup class, like this: `[assembly: log4net.Config.XmlConfigurator(Watch = true)] ` — Ricardo Pontual, Jun 21 '18 at 11:45
@RicardoPontual ok, as an attribute he accepts it but log4net still stays silent — Aragok, Jun 21 '18 at 11:58
ok, one more thing, try to change the path in configuration file to this : ``. — Ricardo Pontual, Jun 21 '18 at 12:03
Last check if is it the path or some permission, try this: ``. The file should be create at application folder — Ricardo Pontual, Jun 21 '18 at 12:20
@RicardoPontual this was actually the original value, doen't work either — Aragok, Jun 21 '18 at 12:30
I've compared your code with some of my applications, and the `ILog` variable I use, always reference to some configured appender, could you try this: `private static readonly log4net.ILog log = log4net.LogManager.GetLogger("file")`? — Ricardo Pontual, Jun 21 '18 at 12:44
@RicardoPontual I have tried that now, is it possible that the newest version of log4net doesn't work with ASP.NET MVC 5 anymore? — Aragok, Jun 21 '18 at 13:06
I don't think so, but I've found the link I used to help me configuring log4net with MVC 5, maybe can help you too: https://code.msdn.microsoft.com/How-to-use-Apache-log4net-0d969339 — Ricardo Pontual, Jun 21 '18 at 13:25

Hitesh Anshani · Accepted Answer · 2018-06-22T11:21:50.443

0

Use this Now

using log4net;
using log4net.Repository.Hierarchy;
using log4net.Core;
using log4net.Appender;
using log4net.Layout;

namespace Spectrum.Logging
{
    public class Logger
    {
        public static void Setup()
        {
            Hierarchy hierarchy = (Hierarchy)LogManager.GetRepository();

            PatternLayout patternLayout = new PatternLayout();
            patternLayout.ConversionPattern = "%date [%thread] %-5level %logger - %message%newline";
            patternLayout.ActivateOptions();

            RollingFileAppender roller = new RollingFileAppender();
            roller.AppendToFile = false;
            roller.File = @"Logs\EventLog.txt";
            roller.Layout = patternLayout;
            roller.MaxSizeRollBackups = 5;
            roller.MaximumFileSize = "1GB";
            roller.RollingStyle = RollingFileAppender.RollingMode.Size;
            roller.StaticLogFileName = true;            
            roller.ActivateOptions();
            hierarchy.Root.AddAppender(roller);

            MemoryAppender memory = new MemoryAppender();
            memory.ActivateOptions();
            hierarchy.Root.AddAppender(memory);

            hierarchy.Root.Level = Level.Info;
            hierarchy.Configured = true;
        }
    }
}

And then all I had to do was replace the code where I called the XML file with the following call:

//XmlConfigurator.Configure(new FileInfo("app.config")); // Not needed anymore
Logger.Setup();

Do this all and then try:-

For reference

Update :- Please refer this link Alternate solutions

edited Jun 22 '18 at 11:21

answered Jun 21 '18 at 11:22

Hitesh Anshani

1,499
9
19

I don't have an AssemblyInfo.cs my project uses uses the project.json. – Aragok Jun 21 '18 at 11:40
Please check under property path – Hitesh Anshani Jun 21 '18 at 11:41
see this https://www.codeproject.com/KB/aspnet/1040231/tcassmver_solution_small.png – Hitesh Anshani Jun 21 '18 at 11:42
I have already checked that and i don't have an AssemblyInfo.cs – Aragok Jun 21 '18 at 11:57
Alternate of this solutions https://code.msdn.microsoft.com/How-to-use-Apache-log4net-0d969339 – Hitesh Anshani Jun 21 '18 at 14:35
The Tutorial in the link did the job and now the looging runs. – Aragok Jun 22 '18 at 11:04
please upvote the answer if you found it useful so others can know also. – Hitesh Anshani Jun 22 '18 at 11:21

ASP.NET MVC 5: log4net doesn't write to file

1 Answers1