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+Gecko Logging
+=============
+
+A minimal C++ logging framework is provided for use in core Gecko code. It is
+enabled for all builds and is thread-safe.
+
+This page covers enabling logging for particular logging module, configuring
+the logging output, and how to use the logging facilities in native code.
+
+Enabling and configuring logging
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
+
+Caveat: sandboxing when logging to a file
+-----------------------------------------
+
+A sandboxed content process cannot write to ``stderr`` or any file. The easiest
+way to log these processes is to disable the content sandbox by setting the
+preference ``security.sandbox.content.level`` to ``0``, or setting the environment
+variable ``MOZ_DISABLE_CONTENT_SANDBOX`` to ``1``.
+
+On Windows, you can still see child process messages by using DOS (not the
+``MOZ_LOG_FILE`` variable defined below) to redirect output to a file. For
+example: ``MOZ_LOG="CameraChild:5" mach run >& my_log_file.txt`` will include
+debug messages from the camera's child actor that lives in a (sandboxed) content
+process.
+
+Logging to the Firefox Profiler
+-------------------------------
+
+When a log statement is logged on a thread and the `Firefox Profiler
+<https://profiler.firefox.com>`_ is profiling that thread, the log statements is
+recorded as a profiler marker.
+
+This allows getting logs alongside profiler markers and lots of performance
+and contextual information, in a way that doesn't require disabling the
+sandbox, and works across all processes.
+
+The profile can be downloaded and shared e.g. via Bugzilla or email, or
+uploaded, and the logging statements will be visible either in the marker chart
+or the marker table.
+
+While it is possible to manually configure logging module and start the profiler
+with the right set of threads to profile, ``about:logging`` makes this task a lot
+simpler and error-proof.
+
+
+The ``MOZ_LOG`` syntax
+----------------------
+
+Logging is configured using a special but simple syntax: which module should be
+enabled, at which level, and what logging options should be enabled or disabled.
+
+The syntax is a list of terms, separated by commas. There are two types of
+terms:
+
+- A log module and its level, separated by a colon (``:``), such as
+ ``example_module:5`` to enable the module ``example_module`` at logging level
+ ``5`` (verbose). This `searchfox query
+ <https://searchfox.org/mozilla-central/search?q=LazyLogModule+.*%5C%28%22&path=&case=true&regexp=true>`_
+ returns the complete list of modules available.
+- A special string in the following table, to configure the logging behaviour.
+ Some configuration switch take an integer parameter, in which case it's
+ separated from the string by a colon (``:``). Most switches only apply in a
+ specific output context, noted in the **Context** column.
+
++----------------------+---------+-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------+
+| Special module name | Context | Action |
++======================+=========+===========================================================================================+
+| append | File | Append new logs to existing log file. |
++----------------------+---------+-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------+
+| sync | File | Print each log synchronously, this is useful to check behavior in real time or get logs |
+| | | immediately before crash. |
++----------------------+---------+-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------+
+| raw | File | Print exactly what has been specified in the format string, without the |
+| | | process/thread/timestamp, etc. prefix. |
++----------------------+---------+-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------+
+| timestamp | File | Insert timestamp at start of each log line. |
++----------------------+---------+-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------+
+| rotate:**N** | File | | This limits the produced log files' size. Only most recent **N megabytes** of log data |
+| | | | is saved. We rotate four log files with .0, .1, .2, .3 extensions. Note: this option |
+| | | | disables 'append' and forces 'timestamp'. |
++----------------------+---------+-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------+
+| maxsize:**N** | File | Limit the log to **N** MB. Only work in append mode. |
++----------------------+---------+-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------+
+| prependheader | File | Prepend a simple header while distinguishing logging. Useful in append mode. |
++----------------------+---------+-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------+
+| profilerstacks | Profiler| | When profiling with the Firefox Profiler and log modules are enabled, capture the call |
+| | | | stack for each log statement. |
++----------------------+---------+-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------+
+
+This syntax is used for most methods of enabling logging, with the exception of
+settings preferences directly, see :ref:`this section <Enabling logging using preferences>` for directions.
+
+
+Enabling Logging
+----------------
+
+Enabling logging can be done in a variety of ways:
+
+- via environment variables
+- via command line switches
+- using ``about:config`` preferences
+- using ``about:logging``
+
+The first two allow logging from the start of the application and are also
+useful in case of a crash (when ``sync`` output is requested, this can also be
+done with ``about:config`` as well to a certain extent). The last two
+allow enabling and disabling logging at runtime and don't require using the
+command-line.
+
+By default all logging output is disabled.
+
+Enabling logging using ``about:logging``
+''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''
+
+``about:logging`` allows enabling logging by entering a ``MOZ_LOG`` string in the
+text input, and validating.
+
+Options allow logging to a file or using the Firefox Profiler, that can be
+started and stopped right from the page.
+
+Logging presets for common scenarios are available in a drop-down. They can be
+associated with a profiler preset.
+
+It is possible, via URL parameters, to select a particular logging
+configuration, or to override certain parameters in a preset. This is useful to
+ask a user to gather logs efficiently without having to fiddle with prefs and/or
+environment variable.
+
+URL parameters are described in the following table:
+
++---------------------+---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------+
+| Parameter | Description |
++=====================+=============================================================================================+
+| ``preset`` | a `logging preset <https://searchfox.org/mozilla-central/search?q=gLoggingPresets>`_ |
++---------------------+---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------+
+| ``logging-preset`` | alias for ``preset`` |
++---------------------+---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------+
+| ``modules`` | a string in ``MOZ_LOG`` syntax |
++---------------------+---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------+
+| ``module`` | alias for ``modules`` |
++---------------------+---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------+
+| ``threads`` | a list of threads to profile, overrides what a profiler preset would have picked |
++---------------------+---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------+
+| ``thread`` | alias for ``threads`` |
++---------------------+---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------+
+| ``output`` | either ``profiler`` or ``file`` |
++---------------------+---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------+
+| ``output-type`` | alias for ``output`` |
++---------------------+---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------+
+| ``profiler-preset`` | a `profiler preset <https://searchfox.org/mozilla-central/search?q=%40type+{Presets}>`_ |
++---------------------+---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------+
+
+If a preset is selected, then ``threads`` or ``modules`` can be used to override the
+profiled threads or logging modules enabled, but keeping other aspects of the
+preset. If no preset is selected, then a generic profiling preset is used,
+``firefox-platform``. For example:
+
+::
+
+ about:logging?output=profiler&preset=media-playback&modules=cubeb:4,AudioSinkWrapper:4:AudioSink:4
+
+will profile the threads in the ``Media`` profiler preset, but will only log
+specific log modules (instead of the `long list
+<https://searchfox.org/mozilla-central/search?q="media-playback"&path=toolkit%2Fcontent%2FaboutLogging.js>`_
+in the ``media-playback`` preset). In addition, it disallows logging to a file.
+
+Enabling logging using environment variables
+''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''
+
+On UNIX, setting and environment variable can be done in a variety of ways
+
+::
+
+ set MOZ_LOG="example_logger:3"
+ export MOZ_LOG="example_logger:3"
+ MOZ_LOG="example_logger:3" ./mach run
+
+In the Windows Command Prompt (``cmd.exe``), don't use quotes:
+
+::
+
+ set MOZ_LOG=example_logger:3
+
+If you want this on GeckoView example, use the following adb command to launch process:
+
+::
+
+ adb shell am start -n org.mozilla.geckoview_example/.GeckoViewActivity --es env0 "MOZ_LOG=example_logger:3"
+
+There are special module names to change logging behavior. You can specify one or more special module names without logging level.
+
+For example, if you want to specify ``sync``, ``timestamp`` and ``rotate``:
+
+::
+
+ set MOZ_LOG="example_logger:3,timestamp,sync,rotate:10"
+
+Enabling logging usually outputs the logging statements to the terminal. To
+have the logs written to a file instead (one file per process), the environment
+variable ``MOZ_LOG_FILE`` can be used. Logs will be written at this path
+(either relative or absolute), suffixed by a process type and its PID.
+``MOZ_LOG`` files are text files and have the extension ``.moz_log``.
+
+For example, setting:
+
+::
+
+ set MOZ_LOG_FILE="firefox-logs"
+
+can create a number of files like so:
+
+::
+
+ firefox-log-main.96353.moz_log
+ firefox-log-child.96354.moz_log
+
+respectively for a parent process of PID 96353 and a child process of PID
+96354.
+
+Enabling logging using command-line flags
+'''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''
+
+The ``MOZ_LOG`` syntax can be used with the command line switch on the same
+name, and specifying a file with ``MOZ_LOG_FILE`` works in the same way:
+
+::
+
+ ./mach run -MOZ_LOG=timestamp,rotate:200,example_module:5 -MOZ_LOG_FILE=%TEMP%\firefox-logs
+
+will enable verbose (``5``) logging for the module ``example_module``, with
+timestamp prepended to each line, rotate the logs with 4 files of each 50MB
+(for a total of 200MB), and write the output to the temporary directory on
+Windows, with name starting with ``firefox-logs``.
+
+.. _Enabling logging using preferences:
+
+Enabling logging using preferences
+''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''
+
+To adjust the logging after Firefox has started, you can set prefs under the
+`logging.` prefix. For example, setting `logging.foo` to `3` will set the log
+module `foo` to start logging at level 3. A number of special prefs can be set,
+described in the table below:
+
++-------------------------------------+------------+-------------------------------+--------------------------------------------------------+
+| Preference name | Preference | Preference value | Description |
++=====================================+============+===============================+========================================================+
+| ``logging.config.clear_on_startup`` | bool | -- | Whether to clear all prefs under ``logging.`` |
++-------------------------------------+------------+-------------------------------+--------------------------------------------------------+
+| ``logging.config.LOG_FILE`` | string | A path (relative or absolute) | The path to which the log files will be written. |
++-------------------------------------+------------+-------------------------------+--------------------------------------------------------+
+| ``logging.config.add_timestamp`` | bool | -- | Whether to prefix all lines by a timestamp. |
++-------------------------------------+------------+-------------------------------+--------------------------------------------------------+
+| ``logging.config.sync`` | bool | -- | Whether to flush the stream after each log statements. |
++-------------------------------------+------------+-------------------------------+--------------------------------------------------------+
+| ``logging.config.profilerstacks`` | bool | -- | | When logging to the Firefox Profiler, whether to |
+| | | | | include the call stack in each logging statement. |
++-------------------------------------+------------+-------------------------------+--------------------------------------------------------+
+
+Enabling logging in Rust code
+-----------------------------
+
+We're gradually adding more Rust code to Gecko, and Rust crates typically use a
+different approach to logging. Many Rust libraries use the `log
+<https://docs.rs/log>`_ crate to log messages, which works together with
+`env_logger <https://docs.rs/env_logger>`_ at the application level to control
+what's actually printed via `RUST_LOG`.
+
+You can set an overall logging level, though it could be quite verbose:
+
+::
+
+ set RUST_LOG="debug"
+
+You can also target individual modules by path:
+
+::
+
+ set RUST_LOG="style::style_resolver=debug"
+
+.. note::
+ For Linux/MacOS users, you need to use `export` rather than `set`.
+
+.. note::
+ Sometimes it can be useful to only log child processes and ignore the parent
+ process. In Firefox 57 and later, you can use `RUST_LOG_CHILD` instead of
+ `RUST_LOG` to specify log settings that will only apply to child processes.
+
+The `log` crate lists the available `log levels <https://docs.rs/log/0.3.8/log/enum.LogLevel.html>`_:
+
++-----------+---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------+
+| Log Level | Purpose |
++===========+=========================================================================================================+
+| error | Designates very serious errors. |
++-----------+---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------+
+| warn | Designates hazardous situations. |
++-----------+---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------+
+| info | Designates useful information. |
++-----------+---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------+
+| debug | Designates lower priority information. |
++-----------+---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------+
+| trace | Designates very low priority, often extremely verbose, information. |
++-----------+---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------+
+
+It is common for debug and trace to be disabled at compile time in release builds, so you may need a debug build if you want logs from those levels.
+
+Check the `env_logger <https://docs.rs/env_logger>`_ docs for more details on logging options.
+
+Additionally, a mapping from `RUST_LOG` is available. When using the `MOZ_LOG`
+syntax, it is possible to enable logging in rust crate using a similar syntax:
+
+::
+
+ MOZ_LOG=rust_crate_name::*:4
+
+will enable `debug` logging for all log statements in the crate
+``rust_crate_name``.
+
+`*` can be replaced by a series of modules if more specificity is needed:
+
+::
+
+ MOZ_LOG=rust_crate_name::module::submodule:4
+
+will enable `debug` logging for all log statements in the sub-module
+``submodule`` of the module ``module`` of the crate ``rust_crate_name``.
+
+
+A table mapping Rust log levels to `MOZ_LOG` log level is available below:
+
++----------------+---------------+-----------------+
+| Rust log level | MOZ_LOG level | Numerical value |
++================+===============+=================+
+| off | Disabled | 0 |
++----------------+---------------+-----------------+
+| error | Error | 1 |
++----------------+---------------+-----------------+
+| warn | Warning | 2 |
++----------------+---------------+-----------------+
+| info | Info | 3 |
++----------------+---------------+-----------------+
+| debug | Debug | 4 |
++----------------+---------------+-----------------+
+| trace | Verbose | 5 |
++----------------+---------------+-----------------+
+
+Working with ``MOZ_LOG`` in the code
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
+
+Declaring a Log Module
+----------------------
+
+``LazyLogModule`` defers the creation the backing ``LogModule`` in a thread-safe manner and is the preferred method to declare a log module. Multiple ``LazyLogModules`` with the same name can be declared, all will share the same backing ``LogModule``. This makes it much simpler to share a log module across multiple translation units. ``LazyLogLodule`` provides a conversion operator to ``LogModule*`` and is suitable for passing into the logging macros detailed below.
+
+Note: Log module names can only contain specific characters. The first character must be a lowercase or uppercase ASCII char, underscore, dash, or dot. Subsequent characters may be any of those, or an ASCII digit.
+
+.. code-block:: c++
+
+ #include "mozilla/Logging.h"
+
+ static mozilla::LazyLogModule sFooLog("foo");
+
+
+Logging interface
+-----------------
+
+A basic interface is provided in the form of 2 macros and an enum class.
+
++----------------------------------------+----------------------------------------------------------------------------+
+| MOZ_LOG(module, level, message) | Outputs the given message if the module has the given log level enabled: |
+| | |
+| | * module: The log module to use. |
+| | * level: The log level of the message. |
+| | * message: A printf-style message to output. Must be enclosed in |
+| | parentheses. |
++----------------------------------------+----------------------------------------------------------------------------+
+| MOZ_LOG_TEST(module, level) | Checks if the module has the given level enabled: |
+| | |
+| | * module: The log module to use. |
+| | * level: The output level of the message. |
++----------------------------------------+----------------------------------------------------------------------------+
+
+
++-----------+---------------+-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------+
+| Log Level | Numeric Value | Purpose |
++===========+===============+=========================================================================================+
+| Disabled | 0 | Indicates logging is disabled. This should not be used directly in code. |
++-----------+---------------+-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------+
+| Error | 1 | An error occurred, generally something you would consider asserting in a debug build. |
++-----------+---------------+-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------+
+| Warning | 2 | A warning often indicates an unexpected state. |
++-----------+---------------+-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------+
+| Info | 3 | An informational message, often indicates the current program state. |
++-----------+---------------+-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------+
+| Debug | 4 | A debug message, useful for debugging but too verbose to be turned on normally. |
++-----------+---------------+-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------+
+| Verbose | 5 | A message that will be printed a lot, useful for debugging program flow and will |
+| | | probably impact performance. |
++-----------+---------------+-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------+
+
+Example Usage
+-------------
+
+.. code-block:: c++
+
+ #include "mozilla/Logging.h"
+
+ using mozilla::LogLevel;
+
+ static mozilla::LazyLogModule sLogger("example_logger");
+
+ static void DoStuff()
+ {
+ MOZ_LOG(sLogger, LogLevel::Info, ("Doing stuff."));
+
+ int i = 0;
+ int start = Time::NowMS();
+ MOZ_LOG(sLogger, LogLevel::Debug, ("Starting loop."));
+ while (i++ &lt; 10) {
+ MOZ_LOG(sLogger, LogLevel::Verbose, ("i = %d", i));
+ }
+
+ // Only calculate the elapsed time if the Warning level is enabled.
+ if (MOZ_LOG_TEST(sLogger, LogLevel::Warning)) {
+ int elapsed = Time::NowMS() - start;
+ if (elapsed &gt; 1000) {
+ MOZ_LOG(sLogger, LogLevel::Warning, ("Loop took %dms!", elapsed));
+ }
+ }
+
+ if (i != 10) {
+ MOZ_LOG(sLogger, LogLevel::Error, ("i should be 10!"));
+ }
+ }