Question about using org.apache.log4j.rolling.RollingFileAppender

[Doal Miller]

I've been playing around with the RollingFileAppender out of the extra jar and 
I've gotten it working in a couple of different ways but I'm not getting 
exactly what I want.

What I want is to roll a file when the maximum size is reached and to keep a 
large number of files around, like around 250. With my following configuration 
file it rolls at 10,000 bytes but the FixedWindowRollingPolicy doesn't allow me 
to keep over 12 files. If I try to set MaxIndex higher than 12 it complains and 
resets it. I tried using the TimeBasedRollingPolicy instead, in conjunction 
with SizeBasedTriggeringPolicy but I guess TimeBasedRollingPolicy uses its own 
triggering policy.

Is there a way to set the max number of files for the FixedWindowRollingPolicy 
to 250 without cracking open the code?

Thanks in advance for any suggestions.


<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8" ?>
<!DOCTYPE log4j:configuration SYSTEM "log4j.dtd" >
<log4j:configuration debug="true">
  <appender name="DebugLog" 
class="org.apache.log4j.rolling.RollingFileAppender">

    <rollingPolicy class="org.apache.log4j.rolling.FixedWindowRollingPolicy">
      <param name="ActiveFileName" value="logs/be-debug.log"/>
      <param name="FileNamePattern" value="logs/be-debug.log.%i.gz"/>
      <param name="MinIndex" value="1"/>
      <param name="MaxIndex" value="12"/>
    </rollingPolicy>

    <triggeringPolicy 
class="org.apache.log4j.rolling.SizeBasedTriggeringPolicy">
      <param name="MaxFileSize" value="10000"/>
    </triggeringPolicy>

    <layout class="org.apache.log4j.PatternLayout">
      <param name="ConversionPattern" value="%d{DATE} %-5p [%t] %-17c{2} 
(%13F:%L) - %m\r\n"/>
    </layout>
  </appender>
  <root>
    <priority value="error"></priority>
    <appender-ref ref="DebugLog"/>
  </root>
</log4j:configuration>

Doal Miller
Sr. Software Engineer