Log4j Tutorial : How to send the log messages to a File

In the previous post of the Log4j tutorial series, I wrote about the very basics of adding Log4j logging to your project. In this post, I’ll explain how to create a FileAppender to log messages into a file, instead of console.

Log4j FileAppender – example for Logging messages to a file:

In most cases, either RollingFileAppender or DailyRollingFileAppender classes are used in production scenarios for logging messages into a file. A RollingFileAppender will send all the log messages to the configured file, until the file reaches a certain size. Once the log file reaches a maximum size, the current file will be backed up and a new log file will be created (thus the name RollingFileAppender). The DailyRollingFileAppender is also similar to RollingFileAppender except that the rolling happens at given frequency. Below is an example for using RollingFileAppender

1. Add Log4j logging support to your project. Read this article for how to do it.
2. In your log4j.properties file, add below lines:

   log4j.appender.rollingFile=org.apache.log4j.RollingFileAppender
   log4j.appender.rollingFile.File=D:/myapp/mylog.log
   log4j.appender.rollingFile.MaxFileSize=2MB
   log4j.appender.rollingFile.MaxBackupIndex=2
   log4j.appender.rollingFile.layout = org.apache.log4j.PatternLayout
   log4j.appender.rollingFile.layout.ConversionPattern=%p %t %c - %m%n

3. As you can see from the above configuration, we are creating a new appender in the name of rollingFile and setting it’s options. I guess most of the options are self explanatory. The MaxBackupIndex tells the log4j to keep a maximum of 2 backup files for the log mylog.log. If the log file is exceeding the MaximumFileSize, then the contents will be copied to a backup file and the logging will be added to a new empty mylog.log file. From the above configuration, there can be a maximum of 2 backup files can be created.
4. Now the appender is created. Next we need to direct our logs to go into this appender. Let’s direct all the logs to go into this appender.

   log4j.rootLogger = INFO, rollingFile

5. That’s it. From now on, when you log something from your Java class, the log message will go into the mylog.log file.

Next: How to send log messages to different log files?

Previous: Adding Log4j logging to your project.

Related Articles (System generated)

• Log4j Tutorial: Additivity – what and why?
• Log4j Tutorial : Adding Log4j logging to your project
• How to create a new log file for each time the application runs?
• Log4j Tutorial : How to send log messages to different log files?
• Spring AOP Example: Profiling method execution time tutorial