Can't change file log format in GlassFish 3.1.2.2

Question

I've been trying to set up logging for my application which is deployed on GlassFish 3.1.2.2. Firstly, I've read some tutorials how to configure SLF4J and apply it to my app and GF. I found that one which was very helpful because logging started to work. However the way Glassfish stores logs is very annoying for me. I found some answers (this post seemed to be the satisfying one) but unfortunately I met some problem which I can't solve. I wrote my own formatter and put it into Glassfish just like in the post above and it works but only partly. When I see the logs in NetBeans console they look the way I would like them to look:

INFO: 2014-03-30 20:48:51,768 INFO  p.e.a.w.kino.rk.rest.SessionService - User (admin) has successfully logged out

However, in the server.log file they still have the GlassFish format

[#|2014-03-30 20:48:51.769|INFO|glassfish3.1.2|javax.enterprise.system.std.com.sun.enterprise.server.logging|_ThreadID=93;_ThreadName=Thread-2;|2014-03-30 20:48:51,768 INFO  p.e.a.w.kino.rk.rest.SessionService - User (admin) has successfully logged out.
|#]

I created two files with logging properties as it was suggested in the first link, so I attach this two files: _logging.properties

handlers = org.slf4j.bridge.SLF4JBridgeHandler
com.sun.enterprise.server.logging.GFFileHandler.flushFrequency=1
com.sun.enterprise.server.logging.GFFileHandler.file=${com.sun.aas.instanceRoot}/logs/server.log
com.sun.enterprise.server.logging.GFFileHandler.rotationTimelimitInMinutes=0
com.sun.enterprise.server.logging.GFFileHandler.logtoConsole=false
com.sun.enterprise.server.logging.GFFileHandler.rotationLimitInBytes=2000000
com.sun.enterprise.server.logging.GFFileHandler.alarms=false
com.sun.enterprise.server.logging.GFFileHandler.formatter=pl.edu.amu.wmi.kino.rk.utils.ReportKeeperLogFormatter
com.sun.enterprise.server.logging.GFFileHandler.retainErrorsStasticsForHours=0
com.sun.enterprise.server.logging.GFFileHandler.level=ALL
java.util.logging.FileHandler.formatter=pl.edu.amu.wmi.kino.rk.utils.ReportKeeperLogFormatter

logback.xml

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<configuration>
 <appender name="console" class="ch.qos.logback.core.ConsoleAppender">
  <layout class="ch.qos.logback.classic.PatternLayout">
   <Pattern>%d %-5level %logger{36} - %msg%n</Pattern>
  </layout>
 </appender>

    <appender name="FILE" class="ch.qos.logback.core.FileAppender">        
    <file>${com.sun.aas.instanceRoot}/logs/server.log</file>        
    <encoder>
        <pattern>%date %level [%file:%line] %msg%n</pattern>
    </encoder>
    </appender>

 <logger name="com.sido">
  <level value="debug" />
 </logger>

 <logger name="org.springframework">
  <level value="debug" />
 </logger>

 <root>
  <level value="debug" />
  <appender-ref ref="console" />
 </root>
</configuration>

On some other site I found that thing with another appender in logback.xml but it didn't work.

UPDATE I changed the file in "FILE" appender in logback.xml to some other file, i.e. temp_server.log and the file was created but nothing was appended to it.

Could you tell me what am I missing or doing wrong?

The Glassfish logger works with the Glassfish console which is very useful. Why can't you use it? — Thorbjørn Ravn Andersen, Mar 30 '14 at 19:28
I don't know if it's connected with my modifying the config files but I get such error when I use the Console: `Caused by: java.text.ParseException: Unparseable date: "2014-03-30 21:32:16.309"` Also, I'd like to have just the log file very clear because sometimes the easiest way is to lookup the log with using as simple tools as possible. — Błażej Kubiński, Mar 30 '14 at 19:45
Well, if you change the log format it is to be expected that log parsers break. — Thorbjørn Ravn Andersen, Mar 30 '14 at 20:57
But it still has the GlassFish format. Anyway, I would still like to have own log format in server.log. — Błażej Kubiński, Mar 30 '14 at 21:30
This approach Will break Glassfish functionality. Consider instead writing a converter from Glassfish format to a form you like. — Thorbjørn Ravn Andersen, Mar 30 '14 at 21:35
OK, that's a good point. In my post I added my another trial which concerned changing the log file name in logback.xml. The file was created but remained empty. — Błażej Kubiński, Mar 30 '14 at 21:42

score 0 · Answer 1 · answered Mar 31 '14 at 16:58

I found solution today. I didn't read exactly how to deal with file appenders. Now everything is alright so I'll post my solution - changed logback.xml. Now it supports File Rolling Policy and saves logs the way I wanted.

logback.xml

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<configuration>
 <appender name="console" class="ch.qos.logback.core.ConsoleAppender">
  <layout class="ch.qos.logback.classic.PatternLayout">
   <Pattern>%d %-5level %logger{36} - %msg%n</Pattern>
  </layout>
 </appender>

    <appender name="FILE" class="ch.qos.logback.core.rolling.RollingFileAppender">
        <File>${com.sun.aas.instanceRoot}/logs/rk_log.log</File>
        <rollingPolicy class="ch.qos.logback.core.rolling.TimeBasedRollingPolicy">
            <FileNamePattern>${com.sun.aas.instanceRoot}/logs/rk_log_%d{yyyy-MM-dd}.log</FileNamePattern>
        </rollingPolicy>

        <layout class="ch.qos.logback.classic.PatternLayout">
            <Pattern>%date{YYYY-MM-dd HH:mm:ss} %-5level %logger{35} - %msg%n</Pattern>
        </layout>
    </appender>

 <root level="INFO">
    <appender-ref ref="FILE"/>
 </root>   

 <logger name="com.sido">
  <level value="debug" />
 </logger>

 <logger name="org.springframework">
  <level value="debug" />
 </logger>

 <root>
  <level value="debug" />
  <appender-ref ref="console" />
 </root>
</configuration>

Note: you are still breaking the specification by writing directly to the file system (just think what will happen in a clustered environment). That said you can just do normal logging to a file outside Glassfish and not mess with the Glassfish configuration. — Thorbjørn Ravn Andersen, Mar 31 '14 at 21:31

Can't change file log format in GlassFish 3.1.2.2

1 Answers1