First, yes it is probably more complicated creating Appenders in Log4j 2 than in Logback. One of the differences between the two is that when Logback detects changes to its configuration it first clears the existing configuration before it starts to reconfigure. So while it is processing the new configuration log events are being lost. Log4j 2 treats the configuration as an atomic unit. Managers are used so that OutputStreams and Sockets do not have to be closed across reconfigurations if they don't need to be.
Creating a policy should be rather easy and straightforward. The best way to add Appenders is to create your own Configuration class, either by extending one of the existing implementations or by extending BaseConfiguration. The benefit with this is when a reconfiguration occurs (if you choose to support it) your appenders, etc will be recreated. As an alternative you can do Appender appender = createMyAppender(); appender.start(); LoggerContext ctx = (LoggerContext) LogManager.getContext(false); Configuration config = ctx.getConfiguration(); config.addLoggerAppender(logger, appender); Note though, that if the configuration is modified and reloaded this appender will be removed an not re-added. I should also point out that if you don't want the benefits using a Manager you don't have to. In addition, if you only want your components to be added programmatically you don't have to use the Plugin mechanism. In this case you would simply create a class that implements the Appender interface. The request for a programmatic way to force a rollover is captured in https://issues.apache.org/jira/browse/LOG4J2-89. I started to investigate this several months ago but didn't complete it as I was having trouble figuring out how to do the rollover in a safe manner. I'd like to get back to this soon as a number of people have asked about it. Ralph On Jul 15, 2013, at 4:13 AM, Sudharma Puranik wrote: > Hi Ralph, > > I have a scenario to create Appenders programmatically and so also the > Policies. I am finding it difficult to create each entity since Appender > delegates everything with RollingFileManager, and which is not hooked with > Appender. I have 2 questions like, > > 1. Does log4j support declarative and refrain from programmatically creating > the log configurations? > 2. Logback gives the flexibility to extend Appenders and also the > TriggeringPolicies with which I can customise my logging. > > Previously I had a scenario where I had to do a forceRollover in program for > monitoring reasons . This was easily achievable by logback by calling the > rollover of RollingFileAppender which is delegated to Policy. This I am > unable to do with Log4j 2, or rather I feel it is much more complex. > > Could you please help me in finding a better way, I had enough search on > google but couldnt find a suitable usecase. > > -Sudharma > > > On Mon, Jul 15, 2013 at 8:34 AM, Sudharma Puranik > <[email protected]> wrote: > OK fine . I will meanwhile evaluate the same as well . > > On 14 Jul 2013 20:52, "Ralph Goers" <[email protected]> wrote: > OK - I can't make any promises because it is really up to the community. But > we have been saying for some time that our target was to get a 2.0 GA release > this summer. > > Ralph > > > On Jul 14, 2013, at 7:20 AM, Sudharma Puranik wrote: > >> To be frank , I havent tested Log4j 2 rather I havent used it anytime. I >> have been long working with log4j but off late we want to move to abstract >> logging frameworks and precisely native SLF4J hence shifted to Logback but >> I see fewer solutions for problems and less crowd sourcing .Nonetheless >> looking at the log4j2 features and developments I am fascinated to use it >> with new features which we need but we are not willing to head because its >> still in beta . We are so hardly pressed with time that we have no time for >> experimentation with frameworks since we are already lagging the deadline >> for our beta. >> >> Now you have to suggest with your best experience that how safe/efficient is >> using beta versions. Looking at the current usage of log4j2 and your rapid >> beta releases I feel you guys are on right track and you should be able to >> make it :-) >> >> I am very positive on log4j2 and hoping to see the stable release. I will >> also definitely find some time and test log4j2. >> >> Thank you >> -Sudharma >> >> >> On Sun, Jul 14, 2013 at 12:48 PM, Ralph Goers <[email protected]> >> wrote: >> We have been trying to do releases about once a month. With each new release >> it is reasonable to ask if the next release should be 2.0 or another beta. >> Have you been testing Log4j 2 and do you consider it to be of GA quality? >> >> Ralph >> >> On Jul 13, 2013, at 10:15 PM, Sudharma Puranik wrote: >> >>> Hello Team, >>> >>> with the new beta release of log4j2 , I would like to know if there is >>> going to be a stable release of log4j2 this year anytime?. We are planning >>> to migrate from logback to log4j2. >>> >>> I had posted about the release date on SO >>> >>> http://stackoverflow.com/questions/17627672/stable-release-date-for-log4j2 >>> >>> Could you please let me know what is the planned date for this release >>> >>> >>> -Sudharma >>> >> >> > >
