Private SaveToFile() method:
This is the method writing the exception details to a flat file that developers provide when calling the Save() method or to the default file coded in the class.
Private Sub SaveToFile(ByVal TargetFile As String)
If TargetFile.Length = 0 Then
TargetFile = "C:\Temp\ApplicationErrors.log"
Else
If TargetFile.IndexOf(":\") < 0 Then
TargetFile = "C:\Temp\" & TargetFile
End If
End If
Dim OutputFile As New System.IO.StreamWriter(TargetFile, True)
Dim sOutput As String
sOutput = Me.ErrorDate & "/"
sOutput &= Me.ErrorTime & "/"
sOutput &= Me.MachineName & "/"
sOutput &= Me.OSVersion & "/"
sOutput &= Me.UserName & "/"
sOutput &= Me.Source & "/"
sOutput &= Me.ApplicationVersion & "/"
sOutput &= Me.ApplicationCulture & "/"
sOutput &= Me.Method & "/"
sOutput &= Me.MethodAction & "/"
sOutput &= Me.Message & "/"
sOutput &= Me.StackTrace.Trim
OutputFile.WriteLine(sOutput)
OutputFile.Close()
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TargetFile: This parameter contains the name and location of the file where the exception details will be written.
The first thing the method does is making sure a file name is provided, if the parameter is empty, it assigns the default target flat file: C:\Temp\ApplicationErrors.log, otherwise, it checks the given file name for a drive name sign within the name, searching for ":\" does the trick, if no evidence of a drive name is found, the code insert the folder "C:\Temp\".
WARNING: This approach has its weakness, and you may want to improve it.
- The log file could be at each user workstation's C:\Temp folder.
- Users' workstations C: drive could be hidden.
- The drive validation seems poorly implemented, what about a network drive name?
The method keep going by opening the TargetFile, building a long string with all the exception details, separating them with pipes, appending the long string to the file and finally closing the TargetFile.
Private SaveToAccess() Method:
This method write our application's exception details to an Access Database, the access database is accessed thru a connection string, so as long as it is reachable we have nothing to worry about.
Private Sub SaveToAccess(ByVal ConnectionStringKey As String)
Dim SQL_Connection As New OleDbConnection
Dim SQL_Command As New OleDbCommand
Dim sSQL_Command As String = ""
'
' Retrieve the connection string, from config file, pass it to the command object
'
If ConnectionStringKey.Length = 0 Then
ConnectionStringKey = DEFAULT_CONNECTION_STRING
End If
SQL_Connection.ConnectionString = AppSettings.Get(ConnectionStringKey)
SQL_Command.Connection = SQL_Connection
'
' Build the INSERT command
'
sSQL_Command = "INSERT INTO ErrorLog ( " & _
" [ErrorDate] " & _
" , [ErrorTime] " & _
" , [Machine] " & _
" , [OSVersion] " & _
" , [User] " & _
" , [Application] " & _
" , [Version] " & _
" , [Method] " & _
" , [Action] " & _
" , [Message] " & _
" , [ErrorStack] " & _
") " & _
"VALUES ( " & _
" @ErrorDate " & _
" , @ErrorTime " & _
" , @Machine " & _
" , @OSVersion " & _
" , @User " & _
" , @Application " & _
" , @Version " & _
" , @Method " & _
" , @Action " & _
" , @Message " & _
" , @ErrorStack " & _
")"
'
' We don't have to worry about apostrophes in the fields we are saving to the database
' because we are passing their values as parameters, and its add method takes care of them.
'
With SQL_Command
.Parameters.Add("@ErrorDate", Me.ErrorDate)
.Parameters.Add("@ErrorTime", Me.ErrorTime)
.Parameters.Add("@Machine", Me.MachineName)
.Parameters.Add("@OSVersion", Me.OSVersion)
.Parameters.Add("@User", Me.UserName)
.Parameters.Add("@Application", Me.Source)
.Parameters.Add("@Version", Me.ApplicationVersion)
.Parameters.Add("@Method", Me.Method)
.Parameters.Add("@Action", Me.MethodAction)
.Parameters.Add("@Message", Me.Message)
.Parameters.Add("@ErrorStack", Me.StackTrace.Trim)
.CommandText = sSQL_Command
End With
'
' We are now ready to go
'
Try
'
SQL_Connection.Open()
SQL_Command.ExecuteNonQuery()
Catch ex As OleDbException
'
' We got an error!!! saving the exception to file instead.
'
SaveToFile("")
'
End Try
'
' Cleaning up
'
SQL_Command.Dispose()
SQL_Connection.Close()
SQL_Connection.Dispose()
'
End Sub
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ConnectionStringKey: This parameter pass the connection string "key" as defined at the application's config file, for the database we are using. The sample application attached (Test_ErrorHandlingException) defined it as shown:
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<appSettings>
<!-- User application and configured property settings go here.-->
<!-- Example: <add key="settingName" value="settingValue"/> -->
<add key="DBConnStringErrorHandlingException" value="Provider=Microsoft.Jet.OLEDB.4.0;Data Source=C:\Temp\TargetErrorLog.mdb" />
</appSettings> |
Because, it is a connection string, you should replace it with the appropriated entry for your database location; the connection string key name is: DBConnStringErrorHandlingException, and the class uses it as a default when an empty connection string key is passed.
The connection string uses the access database TargetErrorLog.mdb located at the C:\temp folder, the database name could be anything, and there are no restrictions, the same goes with the folder C:\temp.
As we are retrieving the connection string from the application's config file, we should include the namespace: Imports System.Configuration.ConfigurationSettings at the top of the class file, as previously explained.
WARNING: Keep in mind the SaveToAccess method lacks an strong validation for a missing connection string, you should make sure the application's config file has its entry before playing around with this class.