log4j configuration via JVM argument(s)?

Question

What variables do I have to set/pass as arguments to the JVM to get log4j to run properly? And by properly I mean not complain and print to the console. Can I see a typical example?

Note: I need to avoid creating a log4j.properties file in the application.

Answer 1

Late to the party as since 2015, Log4J 1.x has reached EOL.

Log4J 2.x onwards the JVM option should be -Dlog4j.configurationFile=<filename>

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P.S. <filename> could be a file relative to the class path without the file: as suggested in the other answers.

Answer 2

The solution is using of the following JVM argument:

-Dlog4j.configuration={path to file}

If the file is NOT in the classpath (in WEB-INF/classes in case of Tomcat) but somewhere on you disk, use file:, like

-Dlog4j.configuration=file:C:\Users\me\log4j.xml

More information and examples here: http://logging.apache.org/log4j/1.2/manual.html

Answer 3

Relative Path is also ok:

java -Dlog4j.configuration=file:".\log4j.properties" -jar com.your-1.0-SNAPSHOT.jar

or

java -Dlog4j.configuration=file:".\log4j.xml" -jar com.your-1.0-SNAPSHOT.jar

Answer 4

I know this is already answered, but because you said, this isn't exactly what you are looking for, I would like to point out the following alternative:

You can also use a configuration class instead of the properties or xml file.

-Dlog4j.configuratorClass=com.foo.BarConfigurator

See http://logging.apache.org/log4j/1.2/manual.html for details.

Answer 5

Do you have a log4j configuration file ? Just reference it using

-Dlog4j.configuration={path to file}

where {path to file} should be prefixed with file:

Answer 6

This seems to have changed (probably with log4j2) to:

-Dlog4j.configurationFile=file:C:\Users\me\log4j.xml

See: https://logging.apache.org/log4j/2.x/manual/configuration.html