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NET logging | Better Stack Documentation

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Better Stack .NET logging

Start logging in 2 minutes

Which .NET logger do you want to use to send log to Better Stack?

NLog

Serilog

Send logs to Better Stack using NLog

1. Install

Install Logtail and NLog.Extension.Logging packages:

Dotnet CLI

dotnet add package Logtail

dotnet add package NLog.Extensions.Logging

Using Visual Studio?

Install packages in Tools → Manage NuGet Packages... .

2. Setup

Set up NLog logging with Logtail. Save the following config as nlog.config in
your project root:

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NLog config

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8" ?>

<nlog xmlns="http://www.nlog-project.org/schemas/NLog.xsd"
xmlns:xsi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance"
autoReload="true"
internalLogLevel="Warn"
internalLogFile="internal.txt">
<extensions>
<add assembly="Logtail" />
</extensions>

<targets>
<target xsi:type="Logtail"
name="logtail"
layout="${message}"
sourceToken="9dzNW5PYN4TNE7rh3ZLMSAW8" />
</targets>

<rules>
<logger name="*" minlevel="Trace" writeTo="logtail" />
</rules>
</nlog>

Your source token is included

The code above includes your production source token.

Only you can see it.

Add the following configuration to your .csproj file:

Project config

<ItemGroup>
<None Update="nlog.config" CopyToOutputDirectory="Always" />
</ItemGroup>

Using Visual Studio?

Right-click file nlog.config → Quick Properties → Copy to Output
Directory .

3. Start logging 🎉
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Use NLog logger as usual:

Send logs to Logtail

// Configures NLog to color properties based on their type, you can remove it if yo
NLog.Config.ConfigurationItemFactory.Default.ValueFormatter = new Logtail.NLog.Colo

var logger = NLog.LogManager.GetCurrentClassLogger();

logger.Error("Something bad happened.");

logger.Info("Log message with structured logging. {object}", new {
item="Orange Soda",
price=100.00,
});
logger.Info("User has bought {item} for {price}.", "Orange Soda", 100.00);

You should see your logs in Logtail → Live tail .

Find passed structured data under the context.properties field.

.NET version 5 or higher is required.

Send logs to Better Stack using Serilog

1. Install

Install Logtail , Serilog and Serilog.Sinks.NLog packages:

Dotnet CLI

dotnet add package Logtail

dotnet add package Serilog
dotnet add package Serilog.Sinks.NLog

Using Visual Studio?

Install packages in Tools → Manage NuGet Packages... .

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2. Setup

Set up logging with Logtail. Save the following config as nlog.config in your
project root:

NLog config

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8" ?>

<nlog xmlns="http://www.nlog-project.org/schemas/NLog.xsd"
xmlns:xsi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance"
autoReload="true"
internalLogLevel="Trace"
internalLogFile="internal.txt">
<extensions>
<add assembly="Logtail" />
</extensions>

<targets>
<target xsi:type="Logtail"
name="logtail"
layout="${message}"
sourceToken="9dzNW5PYN4TNE7rh3ZLMSAW8" />
</targets>

<rules>
<logger name="*" minlevel="Trace" writeTo="logtail" />
</rules>
</nlog>

Your source token is included

The code above includes your production source token.

Only you can see it.

Add the following configuration to your .csproj file:

<ItemGroup>
<None Update="nlog.config">
<CopyToOutputDirectory>Always</CopyToOutputDirectory>
</None>
</ItemGroup>

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3. Start logging

Use Serilog logger with configured .WriteTo.NLog() sink:

Send logs to Logtail

using Serilog;

Log.Logger = new LoggerConfiguration()

.WriteTo.NLog()
.MinimumLevel.Info()
.CreateLogger();

Log.Error("Something bad happened.");

Log.Info("Log message with structured logging. {object}", new {
item="Orange Soda",
price=100.00,
});
Log.Info("User has bought {item} for {price}.", "Orange Soda", 100.00);

You should see your logs in Logtail → Live tail .

Find passed structured data under the context.properties field.

.NET version 5 or higher is required.

Need help?

🙏
Please let us know at [email protected].
We're happy to help!

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