NAME Log::Fine - Yet another logging framework SYNOPSIS Provides fine-grained logging and tracing. use Log::Fine; use Log::Fine::Levels::Syslog; # exports log levels use Log::Fine::Levels::Syslog qw( :masks ); # exports masks and levels # build a Log::Fine object my $fine = Log::Fine->new(); # specify a custom map my $fine = Log::Fine->new(levelmap => "Syslog"); # Get the name of the log object my $name = $fine->name(); # use logger() to get a new logger object. If "foo" is not # defined then a new logger with the name "foo" will be created. my $log = Log::Fine->logger("foo"); # get list of names of defined logger objects my @loggers = $log->listLoggers(); # register a handle, in this case a handle that logs to console. my $handle = Log::Fine::Handle::Console->new(); $log->registerHandle( $handle ); # log a message $log->log(INFO, "Log object successfully initialized"); DESCRIPTION Log::Fine provides a logging framework for application developers who need a fine-grained logging mechanism in their program(s). By itself, Log::Fine provides a mechanism to get one or more logging objects (called *loggers*) from its stored namespace. Most logging is then done through a logger object that is specific to the application. For a simple functional interface to the logging sub-system, see Log::Fine::Utils. Handles Handlers provides a means to output log messages in one or more ways. Currently, the following handles are provided: * Log::Fine::Handle::Console Provides logging to `STDERR' or `STDOUT' * Log::Fine::Handle::File Provides logging to a file * Log::Fine::Handle::File::Timestamp Same thing with support for time-stamped files * Log::Fine::Handle::Syslog Provides logging to syslog See the relevant perldoc information for more information. Additional handlers can be defined to the user's taste. Formatters A formatter specifies how Log::Fine displays messages. When a message is logged, it gets passed through a formatter object, which adds any additional information such as a time-stamp or caller information. By default, log messages are formatted as follows using the Basic formatter object. [<time>] <LEVEL> <MESSAGE> For more information on the customization of log messages, see Log::Fine::Formatter. INSTALLATION To install Log::Fine: perl Makefile.PL make make test make install METHODS The Log::Fine module, by itself, provides getters & setter methods for loggers and level classes. After a logger is created, further actions are done through the logger object. The following two constructors are defined: new Creates a new Log::Fine object. Parameters A hash with the following keys * levelmap [default: Syslog] Name of level map to use. See Log::Fine::Levels for further details * no_croak [optional] If set to true, then do not croak when "_fatal()" is called. Returns The newly bless'd object listLoggers Provides list of currently defined loggers Parameters None Returns Array containing list of currently defined loggers levelMap Getter for the global level map. Returns A Log::Fine::Levels subclass logger Getter/Constructor for a logger object. Parameters * logger name The name of the logger object. If the specified logger object does not exist, then a new one will be created. Returns an Log::Fine::Logger object name Getter for name of object Parameters None Returns String containing name of object, otherwise undef _fatal Private method that is called when a fatal (nonrecoverable) condition is encountered. Will call croak unless the {no_croak} attribute is set. For internal Log::Fine use *only!* This method can be overridden per taste. Parameters message Message passed to croak. ACKNOWLEDGMENTS I'd like the thank the following people for either inspiration or past work on logging: Josh Glover for his work as well as teaching me all I know about object-oriented programming in perl. Dan Boger for taking the time and patience to review this code and offer his own suggestions. Additional thanks to Tom Maher and Chris Josephs for encouragement. Related Modules/Frameworks The following logging frameworks provided inspiration for parts of Log::Fine. Dave Rolsky's Log::Dispatch module Sun Microsystem's `java.utils.logging' framework The Python logging package BUGS Please report any bugs or feature requests to `bug-log-fine at rt.cpan.org', or through the web interface at http://rt.cpan.org/NoAuth/ReportBug.html?Queue=Log-Fine. I will be notified, and then you'll automatically be notified of progress on your bug as I make changes. SUPPORT You can find documentation for this module with the perldoc command. perldoc Log::Fine You can also look for information at: * AnnoCPAN: Annotated CPAN documentation http://annocpan.org/dist/Log-Fine * CPAN Ratings http://cpanratings.perl.org/d/Log-Fine * RT: CPAN's request tracker http://rt.cpan.org/NoAuth/Bugs.html?Dist=Log-Fine * Search CPAN http://search.cpan.org/dist/Log-Fine CONTRIBUTING Want to contribute? The source code repository for Log::Fine is now available at http://github.com/cfuhrman/log-fine. To clone your own copy: $ git clone git://github.com/cfuhrman/log-fine.git Signed patches generated by git-format-patch(1) may be submitted via email. REVISION INFORMATION $Id: 74a9a78fe2c62d8b703bc2055d7fad32a9180fc4 $ AUTHOR Christopher M. Fuhrman, `<cfuhrman at panix.com>' SEE ALSO perl, syslog, Log::Fine::Handle, Log::Fine::Formatter, Log::Fine::Logger, Log::Fine::Utils, Sys::Syslog COPYRIGHT & LICENSE Copyright (c) 2008-2011 Christopher M. Fuhrman, All rights reserved. This program is free software licensed under the... The BSD License The full text of the license can be found in the LICENSE file included with this module.