Configuring Java FileHandler Logging to create directories if they do not exist

Question

I\'m trying to configure the Java Logging API\'s FileHandler to log my server to a file within a folder in my home directory, but I don\'t want to have to create those direc

Answer 1

As a possible solution I think there are 2 approaches (look at some of the previous answers). I can extend a Java Logging Handler class and write my own custom handler. I could also copy the log4j functionality and adapt it to the Java Logging framework.

Here's an example of copying the basic FileHandler and creating a CustomFileHandler see pastebin for full class:

The key is the openFiles() method where it tries to create a FileOutputStream and checking and creating the parent directory if it doesn't exist (I also had to copy package protected LogManager methods, why did they even make those package protected anyways):

// Private method to open the set of output files, based on the
// configured instance variables.
private void openFiles() throws IOException {
    LogManager manager = LogManager.getLogManager();

...

    // Create a lock file. This grants us exclusive access
    // to our set of output files, as long as we are alive.
    int unique = -1;
    for (;;) {
        unique++;
        if (unique > MAX_LOCKS) {
            throw new IOException("Couldn't get lock for " + pattern);
        }
        // Generate a lock file name from the "unique" int.
        lockFileName = generate(pattern, 0, unique).toString() + ".lck";
        // Now try to lock that filename.
        // Because some systems (e.g. Solaris) can only do file locks
        // between processes (and not within a process), we first check
        // if we ourself already have the file locked.
        synchronized (locks) {
            if (locks.get(lockFileName) != null) {
                // We already own this lock, for a different FileHandler
                // object. Try again.
                continue;
            }
            FileChannel fc;
            try {
                File lockFile = new File(lockFileName);
                if (lockFile.getParent() != null) {
                    File lockParentDir = new File(lockFile.getParent());
                    // create the log dir if it does not exist
                    if (!lockParentDir.exists()) {
                        lockParentDir.mkdirs();
                    }
                }

                lockStream = new FileOutputStream(lockFileName);
                fc = lockStream.getChannel();
            } catch (IOException ix) {
                // We got an IOException while trying to open the file.
                // Try the next file.
                continue;
            }
            try {
                FileLock fl = fc.tryLock();
                if (fl == null) {
                    // We failed to get the lock. Try next file.
                    continue;
                }
                // We got the lock OK.
            } catch (IOException ix) {
                // We got an IOException while trying to get the lock.
                // This normally indicates that locking is not supported
                // on the target directory. We have to proceed without
                // getting a lock. Drop through.
            }
            // We got the lock. Remember it.
            locks.put(lockFileName, lockFileName);
            break;
        }
    }

... }