Add Timestamp to Trace.WriteLine()

Question

In my C# .NET application I have an issue with the Trace.WriteLine()-method. I uses this method alot, and want to add a TimeStamp every time I use it.

Instead of Trace.WriteLine(DateTime.Now + " Something wrong!"), is there a solution where the DateTime is on default?

Fair

You can use Essential Diagnostics just like so – Warnke

Answer 1

Just write your own "TraceLine(string msg)" method and start calling that:

void TraceLine(string msg, bool OmitDate)
{
    if (!OmitDate)
        msg = DateTime.Now + " " + msg;
    Trace.WriteLine(msg);
}

void TraceLine(string msg) {TraceLine(msg, false);}

Obrien

These should be static methods, as no dependency on the object calling them. – Derose

I'd suggest logging with UTC timestamps to avoid any ambiguity in timezones etc. - also you might want to use Format or StringBuilder to avoid all those temporary strings – Sickroom

actually, the most efficient string concatenation method is probably string.Concat(). Not that it would matter anyway. – Sylphid

Answer 2

Via code

You can configure the TraceOutputOptions flags enum.

var listener = new ConsoleTraceListener() { TraceOutputOptions = TraceOptions.Timestamp | TraceOptions.Callstack };
Trace.Listeners.Add(listener);

Trace.TraceInformation("hello world");

This does not work for Write and WriteLine, you have use the TraceXXX methods.

Via app.config

This can also be configured in your App.config with a somewhat equivalent and using TraceSource:

<configuration>
  <system.diagnostics>
    <trace autoflush="true">
      <sources>
        <source name="TraceSourceApp">
          <listeners>
            <add name="myListener" type="System.Diagnostics.ConsoleTraceListener" traceOutputOptions="Timestamp" />
          </listeners>
        </source>
      </sources>
    </trace>
  </system.diagnostics>
</configuration>

And in code you can:

private static TraceSource mySource =   
        new TraceSource("TraceSourceApp");
static void Main(string[] args)
{
  mySource.TraceInformation("hello world");
}

Michelinemichell

Config file equivalent: traceOutputOptions = "DateTime, Timestamp" to the system.diagnostics/sources/listeners/add tag. Save an MSDN lookup - http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/a10k7w6c(v=vs.110).aspx, and it is mentioned in one of the other answers here. Somehow ended up seeing the MSDN one before the other answer. – Tube

Note that the trace output options do not apply to Trace.WriteLine, only Trace.TraceInformation / Trace.Trace* methods. – Courbevoie

Answer 3

You can set the app.config file to use a timestamp (relative and current time) for all trace listeners using the traceOutputOptions

traceOutputOptions = "DateTime, Timestamp";

Radome

As per one of the more popular answers, this is only effective when the TraceXXX methods are used. – Tube

This is the approach when using the trace listeners <listeners> <add name="fileTrace" traceOutputOptions = "DateTime, Timestamp" type="System.Diagnostics.TextWriterTraceListener" initializeData="trace.log" /> <remove name="Default" /> </listeners> – Twotone

Answer 4

You could write a wrapper method that did it:

public static void DoTrace(string message)
{
    DoTrace(message,true);
}

public static void DoTrace(string message, bool includeDate)
{
    if (includeDate) {
        Trace.WriteLine(DateTime.Now + ": " + message);
    } else {
        Trace.WriteLine(message);
    }
}

Damalas

This wouldn't work because DoTrace is static and you don't have access to Trace. You could use HttpContext.Current.Trace.WriteLine(DateTime.Now + ": " + message) – Apraxia

Isn't System.Diagnostics.Trace.WriteLine() also static? Depends which he's using I guess :/ – Damalas

Answer 5

We use log4net TraceAppender where you can config layout or filtering easily.

Ali

Answer 6

You could write your own TextWriterTraceListener, as mentioned here.

Patriciapatrician