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Where on the client to place the log4j.properties file?

A Java application makes use of the Apache logging but am unable to turn it on.
The application is a Java Web Start application which uses a signed Jar file so I am unable to make any changes to the Jar file or the code.
A log4j.properties file with the following content was created and place in all the Java_Home/bin directories on my machine to ensure it will be picked up.
log4j.appender.rollingFile=org.apache.log4j.RollingFileAppender
log4j.appender.rollingFile.File=c:/MyLoggingDir/application6.log
log4j.appender.rollingFile.layout=org.apache.log4j.PatternLayout
log4j.appender.rollingFile.layout.ConversionPattern=%d{yyyy-MM-dd HH:mm:ss} %-5p %m%n
log4j.appender.rollingFile.MaxFileSize=10MB
log4j.appender.rollingFile.MaxBackupIndex=5
log4j.appender.rollingFile.append=true
log4j.rootCategory=ALL, rollingFile
When the application starts no output is visible in the Java Console and no files are created in the c:/MyLoggingDir directory.
Is there another requirement missing that needs to be set in order to obtain output?

From the documentation of log4j:
Log4j will inspect the "log4j.configurationFile" system property and,
if set, will attempt to load the configuration using the
ConfigurationFactory that matches the file extension.
So, for example, if you put the property file in C:\Configuration\log4j.properties, you should run your application with the flag -Dlog4j.configuration="file:C:\Configuration\log4j.properties"
See also this other answer.

Stop JUNit from Logging

I am using Junit as my testing technology. Along with this I am also using log4j to log from my main application.
I am encountering an issue where, when Jenkins runs my test cases it is logging the output to my applications log file which is less than ideal.
Is it possible to suppress these log messages some how? My log4j properties is as follows;
log=/var/opt/jboss/standalone/log/myapp.log
org.apache.commons.logging.Log=org.apache.commons.logging.impl.Log4JLogger
log4j.rootLogger=DEBUG, FILE
log4j.appender.FILE=org.apache.log4j.FileAppender
log4j.appender.FILE.append=true
log4j.appender.FILE.file=${log}
log4j.appender.FILE.threshold=DEBUG
log4j.appender.FILE.layout=org.apache.log4j.PatternLayout
log4j.appender.FILE.layout.ConversionPattern=%d %-5p %c - %m%n

You can do this by having a custom log4j.properties file that you use only for testing, have that configuration tell log4j not to produce any logging, and place the custom properties file in a location that will cause it to be used during runs of your unit tests (and only those runs), by having it in a preferred directory in your classpath used for testing. If you are using Maven and/or eclipse, you would put your custom properties file in the directory src/test/resources.

Log is not working inside the java file. But works inside the servlet

I have issue in executing the logs. I have two projects: one is a servlet and the other one is a simple java file. private static Logger logger=Logger.getLogger(myServiceServlet.class); This was working fine. Its writing log wen i start running the Tomcat server. But the same thing is not achieve in my simple java file, it converted into WS and try to deploy in axis/Tomcat server
Servlet is directly running in Tomcat server.
But java file is converted into Webservice.aar inside the Axis2--->Tomcat server.
Log Properites
# Log levels
log4j.rootLogger=INFO,CONSOLE,R
# Appender Configuration
log4j.appender.CONSOLE=org.apache.log4j.ConsoleAppender
# Pattern to output the caller's file name and line number
log4j.appender.CONSOLE.layout=org.apache.log4j.PatternLayout
log4j.appender.CONSOLE.layout.ConversionPattern=%5p [%t] (%F:%L) - %m%n
# Rolling File Appender
log4j.appender.R=org.apache.log4j.RollingFileAppender
# Path and file name to store the log file
log4j.appender.R.File=C:/res backup/apache-tomcat-6.0.35/webapps/mylog/logs/servicelog.log
log4j.appender.R.MaxFileSize=2048KB
# Number of backup files
log4j.appender.R.MaxBackupIndex=50
# Layout for Rolling File Appender
log4j.appender.R.layout=org.apache.log4j.PatternLayout
log4j.appender.R.layout.ConversionPattern=%d - %c - %p - %m%n`

The .aar files are not running in the same context as the JARs in WEB-INF/lib.
They share some kind of context as you can load references to the WEB-INF/lib classes, however its not 100% consistent at this point.
I would recommend you build some kind of wrapper in your .aar files that do nothing else then forwarding the calls into methods of JAR files that are situated in WEB-INF/lib.
You just need to make sure you load the reference from the .aar to the methods in WEB-INF/lib context correctly.
To throw errors in the .aar classes I would recommend you catch them and then throw an "AxisFault".
throw new AxisFault(err.getMessage());
http://axis.apache.org/axis2/java/core/api/org/apache/axis2/AxisFault.html
That way we have have been able to solve almost all our issue with the context of .aar files.
Sebastian

log4j log file not getting updated

I am using a apache's log4j for logging errors in my application. When I start the tomcat server, the log info information is written into the log file as expected (Also the log info is written into the log file when I stop the tomcat server). But when I start using the application, I log information I am expecting to be written through the app is not written into the log file. For e.g. I am giving inputs that will give exception, but the log.error(e,e) isn't getting written in the log file.
this is how i am using the Logger
static Logger log = Logger.getLogger(MyClass.class);
log.info("my message" );
log.error(e,e);
Please help
EDIT: Adding log4j.properties file contents
log4j.rootLogger =INFO, FILE, stdout
log4j.appender.FILE=org.apache.log4j.RollingFileAppender
log4j.appender.FILE.File=${catalina.home}/logs/myapp.log
log4j.appender.FILE.layout=org.apache.log4j.PatternLayout
log4j.appender.FILE.layout.ConversionPattern=%d{ABSOLUTE} %5p\t\t%c{1} :%L - %m%n

It seems that you have not configured your logger. Please find log4j.xml or logging.properties typically located under TOMCAT_HOME/conf. Edit them to include your application's package.
This will help you to write your application level log messages to log file of your server (tomcat).
Better way is to manage your own logging configuration and files. Create log4j.xml file and put it under WEB-INF/classes into your application. You can find a lot of examples and tutorials that will help you to write your log4j.xml. For example this one: http://logging.apache.org/log4j/1.2/manual.html

Reduce logs of log4j in catalina.out

I am using the log4j API for logging in my Java based Tomcat application and using version 1.2.14 (log4j-1.2.14.jar). The problem is that it creates more logs in the catalina.out log file, which are very micro level logs and not required for me. I am facing the problem of memory in my machine, and I want to reduce the logging of the log4j logger. Is there a way to reduce logs such that I can save my memory?

Setting a properties or a XML configuration file will allow you to control log4j output as stated in the log4j manual.
An example of the properties file would be like this
# Root logger option
log4j.rootLogger=**ERROR**, file
# Direct log messages to a log file
log4j.appender.file=org.apache.log4j.RollingFileAppender
log4j.appender.file.File=C:\\mylogging.log
log4j.appender.file.MaxFileSize=1MB
log4j.appender.file.MaxBackupIndex=1
log4j.appender.file.layout=org.apache.log4j.PatternLayout
log4j.appender.file.layout.ConversionPattern=%d{ABSOLUTE} %5p %c{1}:%L - %m%n
Note the rootLogger parameter, as it controls how much information you get, whether you need only error messages or everything down to information messages.
In order to set it properly, look in Log4j Configuration Using Properties File for extra information as you can also use it in the XML version (see Multiple Appenders Using XML File). Tip: place it in src/ or in project root.

You will have to look at CATALINA_HOME/conf folder for log4j.properties and raise the logging level to say, warn or error depending upon your needs