In many of our .NET projects, we need to log exceptions/errors/information in either Windows event log or a custom text Log file for debugging/review/reporting purposes. Here is a generic class written for logging, you can use this class to any of your C# .NET projects and use WriteToLogFile OR WriteToEventLog methods wherever required in you code.

  1. To achieve this, add ‘Common’ folder or project in your visual studio solution.

    Add a class file named ‘Logging’ and use the following code. Make sure to add all the required reference assemblies.

    Code:
    1. using System;
    2. using System.Collections.Generic;
    3. using System.Linq;
    4. using System.Text;
    5. using System.Diagnostics;
    6. using System.IO;
    7. using System.Security.Permissions;
    9. namespace Common {
    10. /*This Class is used for logging messages to either a custom EventViewer or in a plain text file located on web server.*/
    12. public class Logging {#region "Variables"
    14. private string sLogFormat;
    15. private string sErrorTime;
    17. #endregion
    20. #region "Local methods"
    22. /* Write to Txt Log File*/
    23. public void WriteToLogFile(string sErrMsg) {
    24. try {
    25. //sLogFormat used to create log format :
    26. // dd/mm/yyyy hh:mm:ss AM/PM ==> Log Message
    27. sLogFormat = DateTime.Now.ToShortDateString().ToString() + " " + DateTime.Now.ToLongTimeString().ToString() + " ==> ";
    29. //this variable used to create log filename format "
    30. //for example filename : ErrorLogYYYYMMDD
    31. string sYear = DateTime.Now.Year.ToString();
    32. string sMonth = DateTime.Now.Month.ToString();
    33. string sDay = DateTime.Now.Day.ToString();
    34. sErrorTime = sYear + sMonth + sDay;
    36. //writing to log file
    37. string sPathName = "C:\\Logs\\ErrorLog" + sErrorTime;
    38. StreamWriter sw = new StreamWriter(sPathName + ".txt", true);
    39. sw.WriteLine(sLogFormat + sErrMsg);
    40. sw.Flush();
    41. sw.Close();
    42. } catch (Exception ex) {
    43. WriteToEventLog("MySite", "Logging.WriteToLogFile", "Error: " + ex.ToString(), EventLogEntryType.Error);
    44. }
    45. }
    Write to Event Log
    1. public void WriteToEventLog(string sLog, string sSource, string message, EventLogEntryType level) {
    2. //RegistryPermission regPermission = new RegistryPermission(PermissionState.Unrestricted);
    3. //regPermission.Assert();
    5. if (!EventLog.SourceExists(sSource)) EventLog.CreateEventSource(sSource, sLog);
    7. EventLog.WriteEntry(sSource, message, level);
    8. }
    10. #endregion
    11. }
    12. }
  2. Call WriteToLogFile AND/OR WriteToEventLog with appropriate parameters in other functions as required.

  3. Build & deploy the solution. Check Windows’ event viewer or custom Log file to see if it’s working.

    Happy Coding!!!