Simple way to perform error logging?

Question

I've created a small C# winforms application, as an added feature I was considering adding some form of error logging into it. Anyone have any suggestions for good ways to go about this? This is a feature I've never looked into adding to previous projects, so I'm open to suggestions from Developers who have more experience.

I was considering something along the lines of writing exceptions to a specified text file, or possibly a database table. This is an application that will be in use for a few months and then discarded when a larger product is finished.

Answer 1

Heres example for log4net:

1. Create a new console project called Log4NetTest
   
2. Add log4net [1.2.13] nuget package into project
   

3. Write following program:
   

   using System.Threading.Tasks;
   using log4net;
   using System.Text;
   using System.CollectionsGeneric;
   using System;
   namespace Log4NetTest
   {
       class Program
       {
   
           private static readonly ILog _logger = LogManager.GetLogger("testApp.LoggingExample");
   
           static void Main(string[] args)
           {
               // Configure from App.config. This is marked as obsolete so you can also add config into separate config file
               // and use log4net.Config.XmlConfigurator method to configure from xml file.            
               log4net.Config.DOMConfigurator.Configure(); 
   
               _logger.Debug("Shows only at debug");
               _logger.Warn("Shows only at warn");
               _logger.Error("Shows only at error");
   
               Console.ReadKey();
           }
       }
   }
   

4. Change your app.config to following:
   

   <!-- language: xml -->
   <?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8" ?> 
   <configuration> 
       <configSections> 
           <section name="log4net" type="log4net.Config.Log4NetConfigurationSectionHandler, log4net" /> 
       </configSections> 
           <startup> 
                   <supportedRuntime version="v4.0" sku=".NETFramework,Version=v4.5" /> 
           </startup> 
       <log4net debug="false"> 
           <appender name="LogFileAppender" type="log4net.Appender.FileAppender,log4net" > 
               <param name="File" value="myLog.log" /> 
               <param name="AppendToFile" value="true" /> 
               <layout type="log4net.Layout.PatternLayout,log4net"> 
                   <param name="ConversionPattern" value="%date [%thread] %-5level %logger %ndc - %message%newline" /> 
               </layout>      
           </appender> 
           <root> 
               <priority value="ALL" /> 
               <appender-ref ref="LogFileAppender" /> 
           </root> 
           <category name="testApp.LoggingExample"> 
               <priority value="ALL" /> 
           </category> 
       </log4net> 
   </configuration>
   

5.Run application and you should find following file from bin\Debug folder:

2013-12-13 13:27:27,252 [8] DEBUG testApp.LoggingExample (null) - Shows only at debug
2013-12-13 13:27:27,280 [8] WARN  testApp.LoggingExample (null) - Shows only at warn
2013-12-13 13:27:27,282 [8] ERROR testApp.LoggingExample (null) - Shows only at error

Answer 2

You just write out your exception errors to a text file. Write to Text File. One suggestion is to put the file you create in a userdata or appdata directory though, so you do not have to struggle with permissions.

Since this is only needed for a few months and will be discarded there is no reason to go overboard with DB. A simple text file should suffice.