Allow log configuration

[midopa]

Description

I set Appium's log level to warn so my console output is decluttered. But when I want to debug an issue, I have to set it to info. I'd like to have the best of both worlds without having to rerun my tests. IOW, I'd like the console to only output warning level messages and above and I'd like a file log with verbose logging.

For this reason, I would like the ability to configure Appium's logging. Maybe with a logging properties file?

If I use the builder.withLogFile(File) API, this doesn't suppress logging to the console.

I use log4j2. I've tried using logging bridges (Java util logging, Commons Util, and log4j1), but my logging configuration isn't being picked up.

Environment

• java client build version or git revision if you use some shapshot: 3.4.1
• Appium server version or git revision if you use some shapshot: 1.5.3
• Desktop OS/version used to run Appium if necessary: OS X El Capitan
• Node.js version (unless using Appium.app|exe) or Appium CLI or Appium.app|exe: 6.1.0
• Mobile platform/version under test: N/A
• Real device or emulator/simulator: N/A

Code To Reproduce Issue

Current code:

AppiumServiceBuilder builder = new AppiumServiceBuilder();
// this filters ALL appium logs to warning level
builder.withArgument(GeneralServerFlag.LOG_LEVEL, "warn");
// now a log file will be created that has warning logs AND the console will output warning logs
builder.withLogFile(myLogFile);

Desired:

AppiumServiceBuilder builder = new AppiumServiceBuilder();
// console will only output warning and above level logs
builder.withArgument(GeneralServerFlag.LOG_LEVEL, "warn");
// a log file will be created for all info and above level logs
builder.withLogFile(myLogFile, "info");
// this will use the current logging level, either default or the user-set LOG_LEVEL argument
builder.withLogFile(myLogFile);

[TikhomirovSergey]

Hi @midopa

I think it is impossible to make that

AppiumServiceBuilder builder = new AppiumServiceBuilder();
// console will only output warning and above level logs
builder.withArgument(GeneralServerFlag.LOG_LEVEL, "warn");
// a log file will be created for all info and above level logs
builder.withLogFile(myLogFile, "info");
// this will use the current logging level, either default or the user-set LOG_LEVEL argument
builder.withLogFile(myLogFile);

This string manages the output log level of the server and client doesn't do anything with it.

builder.withArgument(GeneralServerFlag.LOG_LEVEL, "warn");

Server has it is own logger so that is why your log4j2 config is not picked up.
But there is a feature which may help you. Please take a look at:

https://github.com/appium/java-client/blob/master/src/main/java/io/appium/java_client/service/local/AppiumDriverLocalService.java#L203

and use cases:

https://github.com/appium/java-client/blob/master/src/test/java/io/appium/java_client/localserver/ServerBuilderTest.java#L224

I think it is possible to to re-use the same output stream as log4j2 uses and filter log messages there.

[midopa]

Thanks! That's very close to what I'd like. Would it be possible to expose an API that would give me a bit more control? In my case, I just want to clear out the existing streams so nothing goes to the console. Or maybe a different ctor/builder API for that?

[TikhomirovSergey]

@midopa
I was thinking about your quetion.
I'm not sure. We use the same approach as the Selenium project uses.

[alexander-poulikakos]

This is solved by #1014