How to configure log4j with a properties file

Question

How do I get log4j to pick up a properties file.

I\'m writing a Java desktop app which I want to use log4j. In my main method if have this:

   Proper         


        

Answer 1

just set -Dlog4j.configuration=file:log4j.properties worked for me.

log4j then looks for the file log4j.properties in the current working directory of the application.

Remember that log4j.configuration is a URL specification, so add 'file:' in front of your log4j.properties filename if you want to refer to a regular file on the filesystem, i.e. a file not on the classpath!

Initially I specified -Dlog4j.configuration=log4j.properties. However that only works if log4j.properties is on the classpath. When I copied log4j.properties to main/resources in my project and rebuild so that it was copied to the target directory (maven project) this worked as well (or you could package your log4j.properties in your project jars, but that would not allow the user to edit the logger configuration!).