How to Use Logger in WPF Application

Steps to Follow

• Create a WPF application in Visual Studio.
  • Go to NuGet package manager.
  • Select Manage NuGet Packages for Solution.
  • Select log4net by Apache Software.
• Add a config file to project name it as “log4net.config”.
  • Select Application Configuration File from menu.
  • Rename file to “log4net.config”.
• Select log4net.config from solution explorer, see for options in properties :
  • Build Action → Change to “ Content”.
  • Copy to output directory → Change to “copy always”.

Making appropriate changes in "log4net.config" File

<log4net>
    <root>
      <level value="ALL" />
      <appender-ref ref="console" />
      <appender-ref ref="file" />
    </root>
    <appender name="console" type="log4net.Appender.ConsoleAppender">
      <layout type="log4net.Layout.PatternLayout">
        <conversionPattern value="%date %level %logger - %message%newline" />
      </layout>
    </appender>
    <appender name="file" type="log4net.Appender.RollingFileAppender">
      <file value="DIRECTORY WHERE YOU WANT TO COPY THE LOG FILES\LOG_FILE_NAME.log" />
      <appendToFile value="true" />
      <rollingStyle value="Size" />
      <maxSizeRollBackups value="5" />
      <maximumFileSize value="2MB" />
      <staticLogFileName value="true" />
      <layout type="log4net.Layout.PatternLayout">
        <conversionPattern value="%date [%thread] %level %logger - %message%newline" />
      </layout>
    </appender>
  </log4net>

Open AssemblyInfo.cs from solution explorer and add at the end

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

Configure App.xaml.cs file

• Add 'using log4net;' reference.
• Add these codes inside “public partial class App : Application” :

private static readonly ILog log = LogManager.GetLogger(typeof(App));
        protected override void OnStartup(StartupEventArgs e)
        {
            log4net.Config.XmlConfigurator.Configure();
            log.Info("        =============  Started Logging  =============        ");
            base.OnStartup(e);
        }

Open MainWindow.cs

• Add reference :

    using log4net;

• Add these codes inside “public partial class MainWindow”

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

• Inside public MainWindow() :

  log4net.Config.XmlConfigurator.Configure();

• Options available for logs :

    /*
    *  log.info
    *  log.error
    *  log.fatal
    *  log.debug
    */
  

Start Logging by running the solution

For Tutorial visit https://medium.com/nerd-stuff/logger-for-wpf-application-570eb9cbe546