Logging on Android phones

Question

call it crazy, but I never use debugging, just logging when developing software for mobile phones... So when coming from Symbian to Android platform I was looking for something similar here. After searching for a while I figured out a way of using logs (I need live logs during the devlopment and file with logs, when testers are using the application), and I would like to ask the audience to comment and might be make an interesting suggestions:

• I am using the Log class (http://developer.android.com/reference/android/util/Log.html)
• I am using the adb logcat to see the live output from emulator or USB connected device
• Since I am developing on Windows I am using the GNU grep port to filter data out from adb logcat, which do not belong to my application (http://gnuwin32.sourceforge.net/packages/grep.htm)
• If I need logs from testers I ask them to use the Log collector application to send logs over Bluetooth to the PC (http://code.google.com/p/android-log-collector/)

I welcome any comments to my approach...

BR

STeN

Answer 1

One way could be, you can add java.util.logger in your code. Instead of Log.v, use java.util.logger functionality. This is a powerful logger, which can help you publish the log on to a log file on the sdcard and logcat, both at the same time. You can check this link:-

How to configure java.util.logging.logger in android to use a logging properties file placed on the sdcard?

Answer 2

As suggested in the comments you need not use grep , logcat supports filtering.

I have never used the log-collector but what I prefer is to write all logs to the SD card and also have an UncaughtExceptionHandler which logs to separate files . Only a few lines of code are required and it can entirely be controlled by a configuration parameter.

Edit : UEH sample : How do I obtain crash-data from my Android application?