Communication logging

Logging communication using LogWriter 

Communication logs are very useful when troubleshooting issues at the IMAP protocol on communication level. Whenever you run into a problem, a log makes it possible to see what is going on.

To start logging, just add the following line into your code (just after creating the Imap client object):

// create client instance
// ...

// start logging to a file
client.LogWriter = new Rebex.FileLogWriter(@"C:\MyData\log.txt");

' create client instance
' ...

' start logging to a file
client.LogWriter = New Rebex.FileLogWriter("C:\MyData\log.txt")

A sample IMAP log file :

2015-11-03 17:11:25.702 Opening log file.
2015-11-03 17:11:25.702 Using FileLogWriter version 2.0.0.0.
2015-11-03 17:11:25.708 INFO Imap(1)[6] Info: Connecting to imapserver.local:143 using Imap 2.0.0.0.
2015-11-03 17:11:25.834 INFO Imap(1)[6] Response: * OK The Microsoft Exchange IMAP4 service is ready.
2015-11-03 17:11:25.852 INFO Imap(1)[6] Command: R00001 CAPABILITY
2015-11-03 17:11:25.852 INFO Imap(1)[6] Response: * CAPABILITY IMAP4 IMAP4rev1 AUTH=GSSAPI AUTH=PLAIN STARTTLS IDLE NAMESPACE LITERAL+
2015-11-03 17:11:25.852 INFO Imap(1)[6] Response: R00001 OK CAPABILITY completed.
2015-11-03 17:11:25.855 INFO Imap(1)[6] Command: R00002 LOGOUT
2015-11-03 17:11:25.855 INFO Imap(1)[6] Response: * BYE Microsoft Exchange Server 2010 IMAP4 server signing off.
2015-11-03 17:11:25.855 INFO Imap(1)[6] Response: R00002 OK LOGOUT completed.

Log verbosity levels 

There are several levels of log verbosity:

• Error - logs error messages only
• Info - default level; logs important informative messages as well
• Debug - logs all messages useful for debugging purposes
• Verbose - very detailed log for advanced analysis; logs content of communication packets
  Warning: At the Verbose level, user credentials are written to the log as well.

To specify a log level, just pass an argument to FileLogWriter's constructor:

// create client instance
// ...

// start logging to a file at debug level
client.LogWriter = new Rebex.FileLogWriter(
    @"C:\MyData\log.txt", Rebex.LogLevel.Debug);

' create client instance
' ...

' start logging to a file at debug level
client.LogWriter = New Rebex.FileLogWriter("C:\MyData\log.txt", Rebex.LogLevel.Debug)

Built-in log writers 

Text file

To log into a text file, use FileLogWriter:

// create client instance
// ...

// start logging to a file at debug level
client.LogWriter = new Rebex.FileLogWriter(
    @"C:\MyData\log.txt", Rebex.LogLevel.Debug);

' create client instance
' ...

' start logging to a file at debug level
client.LogWriter = New Rebex.FileLogWriter("C:\MyData\log.txt", Rebex.LogLevel.Debug)

.NET trace listener

To log to .NET Trace Listeners, use TraceLogWriter:

// create client instance
// ...

// start logging to subscribed trace listeners
client.LogWriter = new Rebex.TraceLogWriter(Rebex.LogLevel.Debug);

' create client instance
' ...

' start logging to subscribed trace listeners
client.LogWriter = New Rebex.TraceLogWriter(Rebex.LogLevel.Debug)

Standard output stream

To log to the standard output stream, use ConsoleLogWriter:

// create client instance
// ...

// start logging to the standard output stream at debug level
client.LogWriter = new Rebex.ConsoleLogWriter(Rebex.LogLevel.Debug);

' create client instance
' ...

' start logging to the standard output stream at debug level
client.LogWriter = New Rebex.ConsoleLogWriter(Rebex.LogLevel.Debug)

Logging to multiple log writers

To log to more log writers at the same time, use TeeLogWriter:

var consoleLogWriter = new Rebex.ConsoleLogWriter(Rebex.LogLevel.Debug);
var fileLogWriter = new Rebex.FileLogWriter(@"C:\MyData\log.txt", Rebex.LogLevel.Info);

// start logging to both console and file log writers
client.LogWriter = new Rebex.TeeLogWriter(consoleLogWriter, fileLogWriter);

Dim consoleLogWriter = New Rebex.ConsoleLogWriter(Rebex.LogLevel.Debug)
Dim fileLogWriter = New Rebex.FileLogWriter("C:\MyData\log.txt", Rebex.LogLevel.Debug)

' start logging to both console and file log writers
client.LogWriter = New Rebex.TeeLogWriter(consoleLogWriter, fileLogWriter)

Writing custom log writers 

To implement your own LogWriter, either implement Rebex.ILogWriter interface or simply derive a class from Rebex.LogWriterBase:

// Sample log writer that logs to the standard error output stream
public class MyLogWriter : LogWriterBase
{
    protected override void WriteMessage(string message)
    {
        Console.Error.WriteLine("Rebex: {0}", message);
    }
}

' Sample log writer that logs to the standard error output stream
Public Class MyLogWriter
    Inherits LogWriterBase
    Protected Overrides Sub WriteMessage(message As String)
        Console.Error.WriteLine("Rebex: {0}", message)
    End Sub
End Class