CODEWITHSUNDEEP
c#azure-application-insights
daxu
daxu

Reputation: 4084

Is this the right way to add custom fields in Application Insight?

I have a web API and would like to record an Internal Application Id agreed with my customer with AppInsight.

This is my code:

var requestTelemetry = System.Web.HttpContextExtension.GetRequestTelemetry(HttpContext.Current);
var appId= GetAppIdFromRequestHeader();
requestTelemetry.Context.GlobalProperties["ApplicationName"] = appId;
client.TrackRequest(requestTelemetry);

I am not sure about updating this GlobalProperties["ApplicationName"]. If multiple clients with different appId visited my app the same time, wouldn't this potentially trigger some concurrency issue? (I am thinking it won't, as HttpContext.Current will isolate different requests)

Also, do I need to call client.TrackRequest to send the request? I actually think I don't really need to do that.

Upvotes: 0

Views: 1236

Answers (2)

cijothomas
cijothomas

Reputation: 3171

Each request gets a new RequestTelemetry instance with own Context (and hence GlobalProperties), so you are safe to use it like the way you showed.

You don't need to call (and shouldn't) call TrackRequest yourself. TrackRequest() is to be called when you yourself track the telemetry manually. In this case you are relying on SDK to track the telemetry, as you are just retrieving the RequestTelemetry from context. Retrieve it, modify it, and let SDK sent it at the end of the request. Doing TrackRequest will cause duplicate, and the one you tracked will have less properties. (some properties are set at the end of the request by SDK)

Also if the cardinality of the "appid" is high, I suggest to use requestTelemetry.Properties instead of GlobalProperties.

Upvotes: 1

Ivan Glasenberg
Ivan Glasenberg

Reputation: 29995

If you're using requestTelemetry.Context.GlobalProperties to add custom fields:

1.It will not trigger concurrency issue, please refer to this github issue for more details.

2.You need to call client.TrackRequest, otherwise you cannot see the custom fields from portal.

And I suggest you can use ITelemetryInitializer and add your logic there, it will automatically add custom properties even if you don't call TrackRequest method.

Upvotes: 0

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