What logging solutions to use while log-debugging

Question

I am currently using NSLog everywhere in my code just to test it, is there a better and more professional way besides using standard NSLog? Mind sharing what other professional objective-C coders use to do logging while debugging?

Answer 1

Here's my logging class. It just macros around NSLog but it allows you to have switchable levels. I borrowed and modified this from others but can't remember where - I wish I could give props. The comments are a good guide to use. Hope it helps.

/*
 * There are three levels of logging: debug, info and error, and each can be enabled independently
 * via the ENLOGGING_LEVEL_DEBUG, ENLOGGING_LEVEL_INFO, and ENLOGGING_LEVEL_ERROR switches below, respectively.
 * In addition, ALL logging can be enabled or disabled via the ENLOGGING_ENABLED switch below.
 *
 * To perform logging, use any of the following function calls in your code:
 *
 * ENDebug(fmt, …) – will print if ENLOGGING_LEVEL_DEBUG is set on.
 * ENInfo(fmt, …) – will print if ENLOGGING_LEVEL_INFO is set on.
 * ENHeading(fmt, …) – will print if ENLOGGING_LEVEL_INFO is set on.
 * ENError(fmt, …) – will print if ENLOGGING_LEVEL_ERROR is set on.
 *
 * Each logging entry can optionally automatically include class, method and line information by
 * enabling the ENLOGGING_INCLUDE_CODE_LOCATION switch.
 *
 * Logging functions are implemented here via macros, so disabling logging, either entirely,
 * or at a specific level, removes the corresponding log invocations from the compiled code,
 * thus completely eliminating both the memory and CPU overhead that the logging calls would add.
 */

#define ENLOGGING_ENABLED 1

// Set any or all of these switches to enable or disable logging at specific levels.

#define ENLOGGING_LEVEL_DEBUG 1
#define ENLOGGING_LEVEL_INFO 1
#define ENLOGGING_LEVEL_ERROR 1

// Set this switch to set whether or not to include class, method and line information in the log entries.
#define ENLOGGING_INCLUDE_CODE_LOCATION 0

//////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
//
// Implementation
//
//////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
#if !(defined(ENLOGGING_ENABLED) && ENLOGGING_ENABLED)
#undef ENLOGGING_LEVEL_DEBUG
#undef ENLOGGING_LEVEL_INFO
#undef ENLOGGING_LEVEL_ERROR
#endif

// Logging format
#define ENLOG_FORMAT_NO_LOCATION(fmt, lvl, ...) NSLog((@"[%@] " fmt), lvl, ##__VA_ARGS__)
#define ENLOG_FORMAT_WITH_LOCATION(fmt, lvl, ...) NSLog((@"%s [Line %d] [%@] " fmt), __PRETTY_FUNCTION__, __LINE__, lvl, ##__VA_ARGS__)

#if defined(ENLOGGING_INCLUDE_CODE_LOCATION) && ENLOGGING_INCLUDE_CODE_LOCATION
#define ENLOG_FORMAT(fmt, lvl, ...) ENLOG_FORMAT_WITH_LOCATION(fmt, lvl, ##__VA_ARGS__)
#else
#define ENLOG_FORMAT(fmt, lvl, ...) ENLOG_FORMAT_NO_LOCATION(fmt, lvl, ##__VA_ARGS__)
#endif

// Debug level logging

#if defined(ENLOGGING_LEVEL_DEBUG) && ENLOGGING_LEVEL_DEBUG
#define ENDebug(fmt, ...) ENLOG_FORMAT(fmt, @"debug", ##__VA_ARGS__)
#else
#define ENDebug(...)
#endif

// Info level logging

#if defined(ENLOGGING_LEVEL_INFO) && ENLOGGING_LEVEL_INFO
#define ENInfo(fmt, ...) ENLOG_FORMAT(fmt, @"info", ##__VA_ARGS__)
#define ENHeading(fmt, ...) ENLOG_FORMAT(@"####################  " fmt "  ####################", @"HD", ##__VA_ARGS__)
#else
#define ENInfo(...)
#define ENHeading(...)
#endif

// Error level logging

#if defined(ENLOGGING_LEVEL_ERROR) && ENLOGGING_LEVEL_ERROR
#define ENError(fmt, ...) ENLOG_FORMAT(fmt, @"***ERROR***", ##__VA_ARGS__)
#else
#define ENError(...)
#endif

#if defined(ENLOGGING_LEVEL_ERROR) && ENLOGGING_LEVEL_ERROR
#define ENResult(result, error) if (result == NO) ENError("%@", error)
#else
#define ENResult(...)
#endif

Answer 2

I'm debugging in Xcode, using standard tools, for example, by adding breakpoints to some lines and viewing values of iVars when it stopped there. You can also use Instruments to test performance and memory management.