Add Timestamp to Trace.WriteLine()

Question

In my C# .NET application I have an issue with the Trace.WriteLine()-method. I uses this method alot, and want to add a TimeStamp every time I use it.

Instead of Trace.WriteLine(DateTime.Now + " Something wrong!"), is there a solution where the DateTime is on default?

You can use [Essential Diagnostics](http://essentialdiagnostics.codeplex.com/) just [like so](http://stackoverflow.com/a/11361706/1353187) — Eugene Ryabtsev, Jul 06 '12 at 11:56

score 102 · Answer 1 · edited Aug 16 '17 at 20:27

Via code

You can configure the TraceOutputOptions flags enum.

var listener = new ConsoleTraceListener() { TraceOutputOptions = TraceOptions.Timestamp | TraceOptions.Callstack };
Trace.Listeners.Add(listener);

Trace.TraceInformation("hello world");

This does not work for Write and WriteLine, you have use the TraceXXX methods.

Via app.config

This can also be configured in your App.config with a somewhat equivalent and using TraceSource:

<configuration>
  <system.diagnostics>
    <trace autoflush="true">
      <sources>
        <source name="TraceSourceApp">
          <listeners>
            <add name="myListener" type="System.Diagnostics.ConsoleTraceListener" traceOutputOptions="Timestamp" />
          </listeners>
        </source>
      </sources>
    </trace>
  </system.diagnostics>
</configuration>

And in code you can:

private static TraceSource mySource =   
        new TraceSource("TraceSourceApp");
static void Main(string[] args)
{
  mySource.TraceInformation("hello world");
}

Config file equivalent: traceOutputOptions = "DateTime, Timestamp" to the system.diagnostics/sources/listeners/add tag. Save an [MSDN lookup - http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/a10k7w6c(v=vs.110).aspx](http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/a10k7w6c(v=vs.110).aspx), and it is mentioned in one of the other answers here. Somehow ended up seeing the MSDN one before the other answer. — Mayyit, Nov 26 '13 at 14:43
Note that the trace output options do not apply to Trace.WriteLine, only Trace.TraceInformation / Trace.Trace* methods. — Curtis Yallop, Nov 12 '14 at 18:12

score 20 · Answer 2 · edited Sep 03 '11 at 00:39

20

You can set the app.config file to use a timestamp (relative and current time) for all trace listeners using the traceOutputOptions

traceOutputOptions = "DateTime, Timestamp";

edited Sep 03 '11 at 00:39

dandan78

13,328
13
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78

answered Sep 01 '11 at 23:47

johara56

210
2
4

As per one of the more popular answers, this is only effective when the TraceXXX methods are used. – Mayyit Nov 26 '13 at 14:40
This is the approach when using the trace listeners – ozkary Dec 01 '16 at 14:37

score 3 · Accepted Answer · answered May 14 '09 at 13:45

3

Just write your own "TraceLine(string msg)" method and start calling that:

void TraceLine(string msg, bool OmitDate)
{
    if (!OmitDate)
        msg = DateTime.Now + " " + msg;
    Trace.WriteLine(msg);
}

void TraceLine(string msg) {TraceLine(msg, false);}

answered May 14 '09 at 13:45

Joel Coehoorn

399,467
113
570
794

5

These should be static methods, as no dependency on the object calling them. – JDunkerley May 14 '09 at 13:51
1

I'd suggest logging with UTC timestamps to avoid any ambiguity in timezones etc. - also you might want to use Format or StringBuilder to avoid all those temporary strings – morechilli May 14 '09 at 13:52
actually, the most efficient string concatenation method is probably string.Concat(). Not that it would matter anyway. – DonkeyMaster May 14 '09 at 15:15

score 1 · Answer 4 · answered May 14 '09 at 13:44

1

You could write a wrapper method that did it:

public static void DoTrace(string message)
{
    DoTrace(message,true);
}

public static void DoTrace(string message, bool includeDate)
{
    if (includeDate) {
        Trace.WriteLine(DateTime.Now + ": " + message);
    } else {
        Trace.WriteLine(message);
    }
}

answered May 14 '09 at 13:44

Lloyd

29,197
4
84
98

This wouldn't work because DoTrace is static and you don't have access to Trace. You could use HttpContext.Current.Trace.WriteLine(DateTime.Now + ": " + message) – Darin Dimitrov May 14 '09 at 13:47
2

Isn't System.Diagnostics.Trace.WriteLine() also static? Depends which he's using I guess :/ – Lloyd May 14 '09 at 13:59

score 0 · Answer 5 · edited May 23 '17 at 11:46

0

You could write your own TextWriterTraceListener, as mentioned here.

edited May 23 '17 at 11:46

Community

1
1

answered Jun 27 '11 at 13:21

tm1

1,180
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score 0 · Answer 6 · answered May 14 '09 at 13:47

0

We use log4net TraceAppender where you can config layout or filtering easily.

answered May 14 '09 at 13:47

treehouse

2,521
1
21
39

Add Timestamp to Trace.WriteLine()

6 Answers6

Via code

Via app.config

Linked