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Asked: 2026-05-11T13:53:04+00:00

This is a Bad Idea, I know, but… I want to configure log4net programmatically

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This is a Bad Idea, I know, but… I want to configure log4net programmatically from scratch with no config file. I’m working on a simple logging application for me and my team to use for a bunch of relatively small departmental applications we’re responsible for. I want them to all log to the same database. The logging application is just a wrapper around log4net with the AdoNetAppender preconfigured.

All of the applications are ClickOnce deployed, which presents a small problem with deploying the config file. If the config file were part of the core project, I could set its properties to deploy with the assembly. But it’s part of a linked application, so I don’t have the option of deploying it with the main application. (If that’s not true, somebody please let me know).

Probably because it’s a Bad Idea, there doesn’t seem to be much sample code available for programmatically configruating log4net from scratch. Here’s what I have so far.

Dim apndr As New AdoNetAppender() apndr.CommandText = 'INSERT INTO LOG_ENTRY (LOG_DTM, LOG_LEVEL, LOGGER, MESSAGE, PROGRAM, USER_ID, MACHINE, EXCEPTION) VALUES (@log_date, @log_level, @logger, @message, @program, @user, @machine, @exception)' apndr.ConnectionString = connectionString apndr.ConnectionType = 'System.Data.SqlClient.SqlConnection, System.Data, Version=1.0.3300.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=b77a5c561934e089' apndr.CommandType = CommandType.Text Dim logDate As New AdoNetAppenderParameter() logDate.ParameterName = '@log_date' logDate.DbType = DbType.DateTime logDate.Layout = New RawTimeStampLayout() apndr.AddParameter(logDate) Dim logLevel As New AdoNetAppenderParameter() logLevel.ParameterName = '@log_level' 'And so forth...

After configuring all the parameters for apndr, I at first tried this…

Dim hier As Hierarchy = DirectCast(LogManager.GetRepository(), Hierarchy) hier.Root.AddAppender(apndr)

It didn’t work. Then, as a shot in the dark, I tried this instead.

BasicConfigurator.Configure(apndr)

That didn’t work either. Does anybody have any good references on how to configure log4net programmatically from scratch with no config file?

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1 Answer

  1. One way I’ve done this in the past is to include the configuration file as an embedded resource, and just used log4net.Config.Configure(Stream).

    That way, I could use the configuration syntax I was familiar with, and didn’t have to worry about getting a file deployed.

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