Configure Log4Net in ASP.NET 2.0

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Introduction

Log4net is an Open Source utility used for log/report statements to various kinds of output targets (text file, email, database, event viewer etc.): http://logging.apache.org/. It can be a very handy utility for application instrumentation purposes.

Configuring Log4net

Step 1: Add a reference of Log4net.dll to the project.

Step 2: Add Global.asax to the project, if not already added. In the "Application_Start" event of global.asax, add the following code:

log4net.Config.XmlConfigurator.Configure();

Step 3: In the web.config file, under Configuration->Configsections, add the following section:

<section name="log4net" type="log4net.Config.Log4NetConfigurationSectionHandler, log4net"/>

Step 4: In web.config, add a new section "<log4net>". This section will contain all the settings related to the Log4net configuration.

Step 5: In web.config, under "log4net" section, add the required appenders (output target) configuration sections in the following way:

<appender name="LogFileAppender" type="log4net.Appender.FileAppender">
  <param name="File" value="Logs\\Log4Net.log"/>
  <layout type="log4net.Layout.PatternLayout">
    <param name="ConversionPattern" value="%d [%t] %-5p %c %m%n"/>
  </layout>
</appender>

<appender name="SmtpAppender" type="log4net.Appender.SmtpAppender">
<to value="" />
<from value="" />
<subject value="" />
<smtpHost value="" />
<bufferSize value="512" />
<lossy value="true" />
<evaluator type="log4net.Core.LevelEvaluator">
<threshold value="WARN"/>
</evaluator>
<layout type="log4net.Layout.PatternLayout">
<conversionPattern value="%newline%date [%thread] %-5level 
          %logger [%property] - %message%newline%newline%newline" />
</layout>
</appender>

Step 6: In the web.config file, under "log4net" section, for each appender, add loggers in the following way:

<logger name="File">
<level value="All" />
<appender-ref ref="LogFileAppender" />
</logger>
<logger name="EmailLog">
<level value="All" />
<appender-ref ref="SmtpAppender" />
</logger>

Step 7: Now, whenever we want to log any information/error/warning, call the appropriate method in the following manner:

//for logging to file
log4net.ILog logger = log4net.LogManager.GetLogger("File");

//for emailing
log4net.ILog logger = log4net.LogManager.GetLogger("EmailLog");

logger.Info("Starting page load");