ASP.NET Core trace logging on Azure with Application Insights

Question

I have an ASP.NET Core web project deployed to Azure with Application Insights configured. Insights is receiving data fine for requests etc. but I am unable to get it to display my logs.

I am using the vanilla Microsoft.Extensions.Logging framework and have a test error being logged on a controller action as

logger.LogError("Test application insights message");

In my Startup.cs Configure method I have set

loggerFactory.AddAzureWebAppDiagnostics();

... and can successfully see the error message appear in Azure logs streaming:

2017-04-14 11:06:00.313 +00:00 [Error] Test application insights message

However, I also want this message to appear in Application Insights trace but it is nowhere to be found. I think I need to configure the ILoggerFactory but not sure how and can't find any docs on the subject.

Thanks in advance for your help

Spelt

Did you configure the storage? I'm assuming that's what you're referring to? you want it saved in Azure Storage account? – Superhighway

@Superhighway - no, not storage account, in Application Insights trace which you get to on the Application Insights blade on the Azure portal under "Search" – Spelt

could you add a screenshot of how you have it all setup on the portal and some code on how you set it up (DI I assume). I think that would help to analyzing this problem – Superhighway

Answer 1

case anybody else trying to resolve this, I got the results I wanted with the following:

loggerFactory.AddApplicationInsights(app.ApplicationServices);

Spelt

I'm trying to do the same as what you did, but I still don't see the logs showing up in my application insights. Would you be able to share other parts of your StartUp.cs (and possibly Program.cs) code? – Around

Hi @WesternAussie, nothing special about my Program.cs... just .UseApplicationInsights(); on the hostBuilder object. In Startup.cs the only relevant pieces are loggerFactory.AddAzureWebAppDiagnostics(); // Ensures that it goes to azure logs for streaming and loggerFactory.AddApplicationInsights(app.ApplicationServices); // and in to Trace on insights – Spelt

Thanks for this. Just spent a couple of hours trying to figure out why my Informational logging was showing up in Application Insights when running in Dev, but not in Staging (not that I want it to all the time, but nice to know how to do it if needed later). I got to the same answer but via: github.com/Microsoft/ApplicationInsights-aspnetcore/wiki/… – Ingurgitate

ASP.NET Core 2.0 You don't have to install the provider package or call the AddAzureWebAppDiagnostics extension method. The provider is automatically available to your app when you deploy the app to Azure App Service github.com/aspnet/Docs/issues/5016 – Stereoscopic

AddApplicationInsights is obsolete – Stallworth

Answer 2

For me, It only worked when I specified the InstrumentationKey to services.AddLogging in my Startup.cs like this:

services.AddApplicationInsightsTelemetry();

services.AddLogging(builder =>
{
    // Only Application Insights is registered as a logger provider, get the key from appSettings.json file and add application insight
    var instrumentationKey = Configuration.GetValue<string>("ApplicationInsights:InstrumentationKey");
    builder.AddApplicationInsights(instrumentationKey);
});

Euripides