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Log4Net config in external file does not work

Asked 2009-01-15T08:00:59.147
95

We are using log4net and want to specify it's configuration in an external config file (as we have done with other sections). To do this we have changed the log4net section in the App.config to:

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

And in the Log.Config file (same directory as the App.config) we have:

<log4net>
  <appender name="General" type="log4net.Appender.FileAppender">
    <file value="myapp.log" />
    <layout type="log4net.Layout.SimpleLayout" />
  </appender>
  <root>
    <appender-ref ref="General" />
  </root>
</log4net>

However, when we run the app, no log file is created (and no logging done). There are no error messages output to the console.

If we move the contents of the Log.config file back into the App.config (replacing the first code line above), it works as expected. Any idea why it is not working in an external file?

file logging configuration log4net external
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2 Answers

42

There is an open defect on this issue. Log4Net does not support the configSource attribute of configuration elements. To use a purely configuration file solution you use the log4net.Config key in appSettings.

Step 1: Include the normal configuration section definition: 

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

Step 2: Use the magic log4net.Config key in appSettings. 

<appSettings>
      <add key="log4net.Config" value="log4net.simple.config" />
</appSettings>

Step 3: Contribute a patch to fix the handling of configSource.

answered 2009-09-25T20:10:16.033
0

@Mitch, It turns out there is a file with the [assembly:...] declaration, but it did not have the ConfigFile property.

Once I added it and pointed it to Log.config, it started working. I would have thought that it would work like all the other config sections (ie AppSettings) and accept external config files with no modification.

We don't have the second statement you mentioned, as we wrap it in a global static log provider.

answered 2009-01-15T08:21:07.313

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