JSLogger - a standalone logging facility for the browser

Logger is intended to be fairly basic, self-contained javascript object that allows other programs/objects to print output onto it. By being self-contained, Logger does not have to rely on any other javascript libraries for its functionality.

Usage

See example.html for examples.

No waiting

You can instantiate the logger and start logging before document.body is available.

Set up script tags: <script type="text/javascript" src="path/to/pretty_print.js" ></script> <script type="text/javascript" src="path/to/Logger.js" ></script> Then: var Logger = $web17_com_au$.logger.Logger; var logger,frame; frame = new Logger('some log'); logger = frame.logger;

This creates a frame for displaying a log and a log called 'some log'.

When you create a frame, it will use position:fixed and sit at right:0px;top:0px, ie the top right corner.

Configure appearance of the frame: frame = new Logger('some log', {width:'400px',height:'92%',minimize:true,wrap:true} ); Logging is as simple as: logger.log('test'); Logger can take multiple arguments: logger.log('this is ','a test'); // => 'this is a test'

Multiple logs

Frame can store multiple log instances and will display available log instances as entries in one of its toolbars.

When you instantiate using new Logger(name) a default instance of a Log object is created with name and stored in frame.

frame.logs is a javascript object with keys set to the names of the logs and values to the instances of the appropriate Log.

Hence frame.logs[name].log(message) is one way to log.

You can add a log like this var logger2 = frame.add(name);

You can get the frame to change the log it is displaying by doing frame.change(name); You can also click on name as displayed in the frame's toolbar.

Pretty print variables

Put your variables in an array and logger will pretty print them: var a = [1,2,3]; var b = {a:1,b:2,c:'foo'}; logger.log('a is ',[a],' and b is ',[b]); logger.log('a,b are ',[a,b]);

Extended pretty printing

In extended pretty printing, newlines and indenting will be respected. This can make reading large objects easier. Extended pretty printing can be toggled by clicking on the log entry. The pretty printing function (pp) in the pretty_print module needs to have pp.extended set to true which it is by default.

Highlight entries:

  logger.alert('error!');  // white text on red
  logger.red('fail!');    // red text on pink
  logger.green('passed!');  // green text on green
  logger.blue('relax!'); 
  logger.yellow('happy!');

You can create your own highlight logging functions: logger.makeLogFunction( 'foo', {backgroundColor:'blue',color:'white',fontWeight:'bold'});

Dividers

  logger.divider()

will create an hr tag as an entry.

Debugging execution with logger using "labels"

One way to selectively log execution is to use labels. Just add a property to the instance of logger (obviously nothing that clashes with the core logger functions). Simple labels like A, B etc will do: logger.A = true; doSomethingComplicated(); logger.A = false; In doSomethingComplicated and functions you can add lines like: logger.A && logger.log('log something');

This can be useful when are logging execution on something that you are testing. You may only want to analyze a particular assertion and the resulting execution of a piece of code but your tests and surrounding assertions may execute the same bit of code many many times.

Logger uses the packaging and namespacing standard specified in README.modules.html. The latest version can be found at: http://js.web17.com.au/specs/packaging-and-namespacing/index.xhtml .

Contact

dlb.id.au (AT) gmail.com

-- Daniel Bush

Fri Oct 1 12:07:26 EST 2010