Logging support for Android devices

Build requirements: Android SDK 1.5+ Runtime requirements: Android OS 1.5+

Setup

Set up an account with Logentries at https://logentries.com/, and register a host by selecting Hosts and then New (in the top right). The host name is for your own benefit.

Then create a logfile, by clicking New Log (in the top right) and give it a name for your own benefit. Be sure to choose Token TCP as the source type.

The token UUID used in green will be used in the next step.

Next, download the library jar file here and place it in the /lib folder of your Android project.

Add the android.permission.INTERNET to the project manifest file.

Use

In the desired Activity class, import com.logentries.android.AndroidLogger

To create an instance of the Logger object in an Activity class:

AndroidLogger logger = AndroidLogger.getLogger(Context context, String token);

Where

• context: for example, if in an Activity class, use getApplicationContext(), or if in an Application class, use getBaseContext().

• token: is the Token UUID we copied earlier which represents the logfile on Logentries

Log events are created using the following methods of the AndroidLogger class, which differ only in terms of the severity level they report:

• severe, debug, info, config, fine, finer, finest, verbose

Eg: logger.error("Log Event Contents"); creates the log Sat Jul 30 16:04:36 GMT+00:00 2011, severity=ERROR, Log Event Contents.

Each method corresponds to those used in android.util.Log and java.util.logging.Logger.

TODO

Use logger.setImmediateUpload(boolean) to control the buffering of logs

• false: logs are saved offline until logger.uploadAllLogs() is called Logs must be saved to a file when the application is closed: logger.saveLogs()

• true: logs are uploaded immediately The default value is true. logger.getImmediateUpload() returns the current value.

The logs will now be available in your Logentries account under hostname > logname.

Timedlogger - TODO

To upload log events at a particular interval, use TimedLogger (a subclass of AndroidLogger).

TimedLogger logger = TimedLogger.getLogger(context, userkey, hostname, logname)
logger.start(float timeDelay)

• timeDelay: time in seconds between uploads

Create logs in the same way as with Logger - eg. logger.warn(String logContents).

logger.uploadAllLogs() may still be used to force the upload of any saved events.

Modification - TODO

To extend or alter the function of the library, subclass le.android.AndroidLogger.

The protected AndroidLogger constructor requires the same parameters as getLogger(), and can simply call super() with them.

To add methods for the creation of different log severities, call process(String logContents, String severity) with the desired severity indicator.

saveLogs() and getSavedLogs() store and access log events in a file on the device's internal storage between sessions. This is private to the app and unseen by the user. Override these methods to save logs to a different location when the app is not in use. While the app is open, logs are saved to the protected List<String> logList.