log4net with ASP.NET MVC: nothing happens

Question

I am trying to use log4net with ASP.NET MVC and I cannot get anything to happen with it. I\'ve created a config that is in my web project root:

Answer 1

Confuguring Log4Net in ASP.NET MVC 4 Web Application

1. Download Log4Net:

   • http://logging.apache.org/log4net/download.html

2. Add reference in ASP.Net MVC 4 application:

   1. Solution Explorer
   2. Right click on project-name
   3. Add references
   4. Browse Log4Net.dll

3. Modify Web.config file (source):

<configuration> 
    <configSections>
        <section
            name="log4net"
            type="log4net.Config.Log4NetConfigurationSectionHandler, log4net" />
    </configSections>
    <log4net>
        <appender name="LogFileAppender" type="log4net.Appender.RollingFileAppender">
            <param name="File" value="LOGS\log.txt"/>
            <lockingModel type="log4net.Appender.FileAppender+MinimalLock" />
            <appendToFile value="true" />
            <rollingStyle value="Size" />
            <maxSizeRollBackups value="2" />
            <maximumFileSize value="10MB" />
            <staticLogFileName value="true" />
            <layout type="log4net.Layout.PatternLayout">
                <param name="ConversionPattern" value="%d [%t] %-5p %c %m%n"/>
            </layout>
        </appender>
        <root>
            <level value="ALL" />
            <appender-ref ref="LogFileAppender" />
        </root> 
        <logger name="test">
            <level value="DEBUG"></level>
        </logger>
    </log4net>
</configuration>
 

4. Modify AssemblyInfo.cs:

[assembly: log4net.Config.XmlConfigurator(ConfigFile = "Web.config", Watch = true)]

5. Modify global.asax.cs:

protected void Application_Start()
{
    log4net.Config.XmlConfigurator.Configure(new FileInfo(Server.MapPath("~/Web.config")));
}

6. Add logger declaration in class for which you want to make logs:

readonly log4net.ILog log =
    log4net.LogManager.GetLogger(
        System.Reflection.MethodBase.GetCurrentMethod().DeclaringType
    );

7. Use log functions:

log.Error("make mistakes");

Further reading: http://anandsonake.blogspot.in/2013/08/log4net-in-aspnet-mvc.html

Answer 2

Ensure that you call

log4net.Config.XmlConfigurator.Configure();

At the startup of your application.

Answer 3

Add below line in AssemblyInfo.cs :

[assembly: log4net.Config.XmlConfigurator(Watch = true)]

Answer 4

Do you have something like this in global.asax?

void Application_Start(object sender, EventArgs e)
{
    string l4net = Server.MapPath("~/log4net.config");
    log4net.Config.XmlConfigurator.ConfigureAndWatch(new System.IO.FileInfo(l4net));

    ...