SmartStandards Logging

• Change Log

First of all, SmartStandards Logging is a stack of best practice conventions of how logging can be done (independent of any technology). Plus, a lightweight .net library (no dependencies) which allows to emit logging to any target (.net Trace, console, SeriLog, etc.). The only built in target is .net Trace - for any other target you can inject a delegate which redirects messages to anywhere you want.

Get Started

For dotnet, install the "SmartStandards Logging" Nuget Package.

Emitting Log Messages

DevLogger.LogInformation(123, "Text without placeholders");

InfrastructureLogger.LogWarning(222, "{thingy} space is low: {space} MB", "Disk", 5);

ProtocolLogger.LogError(
  4711, @"User "{UserLogonName}" does not have sufficient rights to perform "{Interaction}" on environment \"{Environment}\".",
  "Müller", "Delete", "Productive"
);

Registering log handlers

ILogger dotNetDevLogger = loggerfactory.CreateLogger("Dev");

ILogger dotNetInfrastructureLogger = loggerfactory.CreateLogger("Ins");

ILogger dotNetProtocolLogger = loggerfactory.CreateLogger("Pro");

DevLogger.LogMethod = (channelName, level, id, messageTemplate, args) => dotNetDevLogger.Log(level, id, messageTemplate, args);

InfrastructureLogger.LogMethod = (channelName, level, id, messageTemplate, args) => dotNetInfrastructureLogger.Log(level, id, messageTemplate, args);

ProtocolLogger.LogMethod = (channelName, level, id, messageTemplate, args) => dotNetProtocolLogger.Log(level, id, messageTemplate, args);

Structure

LogEntry (Definition)

Property	Type	Example Value	Semantic
Channel	Integer	0	Aka "category". Reflects the audience (see below).
Level	Integer	4	See below.
Id	Integer	4711	Can be used as return (and error) code for functions (see below).
MessageTemplate	String	"{thing} not found on {place}."	Contains named placeholders (curly braces).
Args	String[]	["File","Disk"]	Contains placeholder values in the same order as in the template.

Channels

• In .net core logging this is called "category", in .net trace "source name"

• In contrast to other concepts which suggest to use this to specify "the name of the application that generated the message", we use this to specify an abstract target group for a message.

Value	Technical Name	Friendly Name	Target group
22692	Dev	Development	Developers of a software component who want to do bug fixing.
19913	Ins	Infrastructure	Dev ops people who want to monitor the health of their infrastructure.
15952	Pro	Protocol	End users (business people) who want to judge the outcome of a business process.

Levels

Value	Alpha3	Friendly	Suggested Color	Suggested Usage for Dev Channel	Suggested Usage for Ins Channel	Suggested Usage for Pro Channel
5	Cri	Critical	Magenta	Report a (unexpected) bug in the code.	Report unwanted states. Immediate fix necessary.	An issues was detected, that can never be compensated or that creates subsequent errors. Higher level process(es) should be aborted.
4	Err	Error	Red	Report a (robust) bug in the code.	Report unwanted states. Fix can be postponed.
3	Wrn	Warning	DarkYellow	Report usage of hack/design debts.
2	Inf	Info	Black	(never use, doesn't make sense.)
1	Dbg	Debug	DarkGray	Temporarily existing logging for bug investigation.
0	Trc	Trace	DarkCyan	Report program flow.

FormattedLogEntry (Definition)

Represents a complete log entry as a single, specially formatted string (with already resolved placeholders).

Variation	Syntax	Example
Message Only	ResolvedMessage	"File not found on Disk!"
With Level	[LevelAsAlpha3]:ResolvedMessage	"[Err]:File not found on Disk!"
With Level + Id	[LevelAsAlpha3]Id:ResolvedMessage	"[Err]4711:File not found on Disk!"