Python’s Built-in Logging Module

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Today were going to talk about Pythons built-in logging module. This is a fancy way of saying that it comes with the language and you don’t have to install anything extra. It’s like having your very own personal assistant who can keep track of all those ***** errors and warnings for you!

Now, let me tell ya, this logging thingy isnt exactly rocket science. In fact, its pretty ***** simple. All you have to do is import the module (which we’ll call “logging” because that’s what it’s called) and then use a logger object to log your messages.

Here’s an example:

# Import the logging module
import logging

# Create a logger object with the name of the current module
logger = logging.getLogger(__name__)

# Define a function
def my_function():
    # Do some stuff here...
    
    # Check if something bad happened
    if something_bad_happened:
        # Log a warning message
        logger.warning('Watch out!')
        
    # More code...
    
# Check if the script is being run directly
if __name__ == '__main__':
    # Configure the logging settings, specifying the file to save logs and the level of logging
    logging.basicConfig(filename='mylogfile.txt', level=logging.INFO)
    # Call the function
    my_function()

# The logging module allows us to record events that occur during the execution of a program
# The logger object is used to log messages, warnings, and errors
# The function my_function() is defined to perform some tasks and log a warning message if something bad happens
# The if statement checks if the script is being run directly, and if so, configures the logging settings and calls the function
# The logging.basicConfig() function sets the basic configuration for the logging system, including the file to save logs and the level of logging
# The level=logging.INFO specifies that only messages with a severity level of INFO or higher will be logged
# The logger.warning() function logs a warning message with the specified message 'Watch out!'
# The __name__ variable is a special variable that holds the name of the current module, which is used as the name for the logger object
# The if statement checks if something bad happened and if so, logs a warning message
# The logger object is used to log the message, and the warning level is specified
# The logger object is created with the name of the current module, so the warning message will be associated with this module
# The logging module is a useful tool for debugging and troubleshooting code, as it allows us to track events and errors that occur during execution.

In this example, we’re using the `getLogger(__name__)` function to get a logger object for our current module (which is usually what you want). Then, inside of our function, if something bad happens, we log a warning message. And finally, in our main block, we set up some basic logging configuration by specifying where and at which level the logs should be written.

Now, those levels for a second. There are five different levels: DEBUG, INFO, WARNING, ERROR, and CRITICAL. Each one has its own severity and corresponds to a specific type of message that you might want to log. For example, if something is going wrong but it’s not necessarily an error (like a warning), then you would use the `WARNING` level.

Here’s what each level means:

– DEBUG: Detailed information, typically of interest only when diagnosing problems.
– INFO: Informational messages that highlight the progress of some activity.
– WARNING: An indication that something unexpected happened or indicative of some problem in the near future (e.g., ‘disk space low’). Warning is usually an indication that you should take immediate action.
– ERROR: Due to a more serious problem, the function or object cannot fulfill its basic contract with the caller or client.
– CRITICAL: A very serious error, indicating that the program itself may be unable to continue running.

Python’s built-in logging module is pretty straightforward and easy to use. And best of all, it comes with your favorite language for free!

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