Adding a property to the LogRecordData struct

[AB027PS]

Fixes #5274

Changes

This would add a new property to the LogRecordData struct with a default value, which would allow us to set LogRecord.CategoryName when using the logging bridge API

Merge requirement checklist

• CONTRIBUTING guidelines followed (license requirements, nullable enabled, static analysis, etc.)
• Unit tests added/updated
• Appropriate CHANGELOG.md files updated for non-trivial changes
• Changes in public API reviewed (if applicable)

[linux-foundation-easycla]

The committers listed above are authorized under a signed CLA.

• ✅ login: AB027PS / name: Julius Koval (d1e9171)

[reyang]

Need to understand the user scenario regarding why new APIs need to be introduced. (working around an exporter exception doesn't justify adding new API in the SDK)

[AB027PS]

Hi, sorry I should have explained this. I created an NLog target in order to export NLog logs using the OtlpExporter. The idea there is that I could create multiple NLog loggers, all logs would be sent to one OpenTelemetry logger and CategoryName of each log would then be set to the name of the original NLog logger.

[CodeBlanch]

@AB027PS Right here where you retrieve your Logger: https://github.com/juliuskoval/NLog.Targets.OpenTelemetryProtocol/blob/64022137497508953f227457401d320171e1a7e3/NLog.Targets.OpenTelemetryProtocol/OtlpTarget.cs#L57

At the moment you aren't supplying a name. What you probably want to do is do something like loggerProvider.GetLogger(nlogLoggerInstance.Name) (essentially create a Logger for each NLog logger). That will establish the "instrumentation scope" as the spec describes it. Then if you modify the OtlpExporter to check LogRecord.Logger.Name when it doesn't have a CategoryName everything should work as you want.

[AB027PS]

I see what you mean. I created a new PR.

[CodeBlanch]

I don't think this is a change we're willing to take at this time. LogRecordData and the Log Bridge API is meant to be fully spec-compliant. CategoryName is not something the spec allows: https://github.com/open-telemetry/opentelemetry-specification/blob/main/specification/logs/bridge-api.md#emit-a-logrecord

I don't speak for everyone, but I think we would be willing to accept a PR which updates the OtlpExporter to use LogRecord.Logger.Name if LogRecord.CategoryName is NOT set. That would be spec-compliant IMO.

[cijothomas]

+1 to what Blanch suggested.

[AB027PS]

@CodeBlanch I had seen the spec, but the way I understood it is that the bridge API must accept the listed parameters, but that it may accept others.