Package java.util.logging

Class FileHandler

java.lang.Object

java.util.logging.Handler

java.util.logging.StreamHandler

java.util.logging.FileHandler

public class FileHandler
extends StreamHandler

A FileHandler writes logging records into a specified file or a rotating set of files.

When a set of files is used and a given amount of data has been written to one file, then this file is closed and another file is opened. The name of these files are generated by given name pattern, see below for details. When the files have all been filled the Handler returns to the first and goes through the set again.

By default, the I/O buffering mechanism is enabled, but when each log record is complete, it is flushed out.

XMLFormatter is the default formatter for FileHandler.

FileHandler reads the following LogManager properties for initialization; if a property is not defined or has an invalid value, a default value is used.

• java.util.logging.FileHandler.append specifies whether this FileHandler should append onto existing files, defaults to false.
• java.util.logging.FileHandler.count specifies how many output files to rotate, defaults to 1.
• java.util.logging.FileHandler.filter specifies the Filter class name, defaults to no Filter.
• java.util.logging.FileHandler.formatter specifies the Formatter class, defaults to java.util.logging.XMLFormatter.
• java.util.logging.FileHandler.encoding specifies the character set encoding name, defaults to the default platform encoding.
• java.util.logging.FileHandler.level specifies the level for this Handler, defaults to Level.ALL.
• java.util.logging.FileHandler.limit specifies the maximum number of bytes to write to any one file, defaults to zero, which means no limit.
• java.util.logging.FileHandler.pattern specifies name pattern for the output files. See below for details. Defaults to "%h/java%u.log".

Name pattern is a string that may include some special substrings, which will be replaced to generate output files:

• "/" represents the local pathname separator
• "%g" represents the generation number to distinguish rotated logs
• "%h" represents the home directory of the current user, which is specified by "user.home" system property
• "%t" represents the system's temporary directory
• "%u" represents a unique number to resolve conflicts
• "%%" represents the percent sign character '%'

Normally, the generation numbers are not larger than the given file count and follow the sequence 0, 1, 2.... If the file count is larger than one, but the generation field("%g") has not been specified in the pattern, then the generation number after a dot will be added to the end of the file name.

The "%u" unique field is used to avoid conflicts and is set to 0 at first. If one FileHandler tries to open the filename which is currently in use by another process, it will repeatedly increment the unique number field and try again. If the "%u" component has not been included in the file name pattern and some contention on a file does occur, then a unique numerical value will be added to the end of the filename in question immediately to the right of a dot. The generation of unique IDs for avoiding conflicts is only guaranteed to work reliably when using a local disk file system.

Constructor Summary

Constructors

Constructor	Description
FileHandler()	Construct a FileHandler using LogManager properties or their default value.
FileHandler(String pattern)	Constructs a new FileHandler.
FileHandler(String pattern, boolean append)	Construct a new FileHandler.
FileHandler(String pattern, int limit, int count)	Construct a new FileHandler.
FileHandler(String pattern, int limit, int count, boolean append)	Construct a new FileHandler.

Method Summary

Modifier and Type	Method	Description
void	close()	Flushes and closes all opened files.
void	publish(LogRecord record)	Publish a LogRecord.

Methods inherited from class java.util.logging.StreamHandler

flush, isLoggable, setEncoding, setOutputStream

Methods inherited from class java.util.logging.Handler

getEncoding, getErrorManager, getFilter, getFormatter, getLevel, reportError, setErrorManager, setFilter, setFormatter, setLevel

Methods inherited from class java.lang.Object

clone, equals, finalize, getClass, hashCode, notify, notifyAll, toString, wait, wait, wait

Constructor Details

FileHandler

public FileHandler()
            throws IOException

Construct a FileHandler using LogManager properties or their default value.

Throws:

IOException - if any I/O error occurs.

FileHandler

public FileHandler(String pattern)
            throws IOException

Constructs a new FileHandler. The given name pattern is used as output filename, the file limit is set to zero (no limit), the file count is set to one; the remaining configuration is done using LogManager properties or their default values. This handler writes to only one file with no size limit.

Parameters:

pattern - the name pattern for the output file.

Throws:

IOException - if any I/O error occurs.

IllegalArgumentException - if the pattern is empty.

NullPointerException - if the pattern is null.

FileHandler

public FileHandler(String pattern,
boolean append)
            throws IOException

Construct a new FileHandler. The given name pattern is used as output filename, the file limit is set to zero (no limit), the file count is initialized to one and the value of append becomes the new instance's append mode. The remaining configuration is done using LogManager properties. This handler writes to only one file with no size limit.

Parameters:

pattern - the name pattern for the output file.

append - the append mode.

Throws:

IOException - if any I/O error occurs.

IllegalArgumentException - if pattern is empty.

NullPointerException - if pattern is null.

FileHandler

public FileHandler(String pattern,
int limit,
int count)
            throws IOException

Construct a new FileHandler. The given name pattern is used as output filename, the maximum file size is set to limit and the file count is initialized to count. The remaining configuration is done using LogManager properties. This handler is configured to write to a rotating set of count files, when the limit of bytes has been written to one output file, another file will be opened instead.

Parameters:

pattern - the name pattern for the output file.

limit - the data amount limit in bytes of one output file, can not be negative.

count - the maximum number of files to use, can not be less than one.

Throws:

IOException - if any I/O error occurs.

IllegalArgumentException - if pattern is empty, limit < 0 or count < 1.

NullPointerException - if pattern is null.

FileHandler

public FileHandler(String pattern,
int limit,
int count,
boolean append)
            throws IOException

Construct a new FileHandler. The given name pattern is used as output filename, the maximum file size is set to limit, the file count is initialized to count and the append mode is set to append. The remaining configuration is done using LogManager properties. This handler is configured to write to a rotating set of count files, when the limit of bytes has been written to one output file, another file will be opened instead.

Parameters:

pattern - the name pattern for the output file.

limit - the data amount limit in bytes of one output file, can not be negative.

count - the maximum number of files to use, can not be less than one.

append - the append mode.

Throws:

IOException - if any I/O error occurs.

IllegalArgumentException - if pattern is empty, limit < 0 or count < 1.

NullPointerException - if pattern is null.

Method Details

close

public void close()

Flushes and closes all opened files.

Overrides:

close in class StreamHandler

publish

public void publish(LogRecord record)

Publish a LogRecord.

Overrides:

publish in class StreamHandler

Parameters:

record - the log record to publish.