ysudhakar/fluent-log4net

A fluent interface for configuring log4net

Fluent Log4Net

An alternative to XML-based log4net configuration, allowing logging to be configured using a strongly-typed fluent interface.

The goal of the project is to fully support all built-in appenders and other log4net configuration settings, and make the intention of the various settings less opaque and easier to read at a glance.

Usage

All configuration begins with the root Log4Net class and its Configure() method. The simplest possible configuration with a single console appender would be:

Log4Net.Configure()
    .Logging.Default(log => log.To.Console())
    .ApplyConfiguration();

More advanced scenarios including repository settings and custom renderers, as well as individual logger configurations can also be done. Note that most of the specific appender configurations haven't been written yet, but they are coming.

Log4Net.Configure()
    .Global.Threshold(Level.Debug)

    .Logging.Default(log => log
        .To.Console(c => c.Targeting.ConsoleOut))

    .Logging.For<MyClass>(log => log
        .At(Level.Warn)
        .To.File( ... )
        .To.Database( ... )
        .To.ColoredConsole( ... )

    .Logging.For<MyOtherClass>(log => log
        .At(Level.Error)
        .To.EventLog( ... )

    .Render.Type<Int32>().Using<Int32Renderer>()
    .Render.Type<Int64>().Using(typeof(Int64Renderer))
    .Render.Type(typeof(Single)).Using(typeof(SingleRenderer))
    .Render.Type(typeof(Double)).Using<DoubleRenderer>()

    .ApplyConfiguration();

In most cases, appenders are usually shared among several loggers. The above syntax creates separate appenders for each logger, which may not be desired. To share appender references, you can define them ahead of time using the Append.To definition builder.

var myConsoleAppender = Append.To.Console(c => c.Targeting.ConsoleOut);
var myFileAppender = Append.To
    .File(f => f
        .Named("myfile.log")
        .Append(true)
        .LockingMinimally());

Log4Net.Configure()
    .Logging.Default(log => log
        .At(Level.Debug)
        .To.Appender(myConsoleAppender))

    .Logging.For<MyClass>(log => log
        .At(Level.Error)
        .To.Appender(myFileAppender))

    .Logging.For<MyOtherClass(log => log
        .At(Level.Error)
        .To.Appender(myFileAppender))

    .ApplyConfiguration();    

Todo List

• Support for all built-in log4net appenders
• Validate config before applying
• Common threshold, filter, layout, and error-handler interfaces for appenders