I understand that an appender in log4j is another channel for which it will log a statement, however I cannot seem to get them to work. This is the bulk of my log4j.xml file: <!-- ================================= --> <!-- Preserve messages in a local file --> <!-- ================================= --> <!-- A time/date based rolling appender --> <!-- Rollover at midnight each day --> <!-- Rollover at the top of each hour <param name="DatePattern" value="'.'yyyy-MM-dd-HH"/> --> <!-- The default pattern: Date Priority [Category Message\n --> <!-- The full pattern: Date MS Priority [Category](Thread:NDC) Message\n <param name="ConversionPattern" value="%d %-5r %-5p [%c](%t:%x) %m%n"/> --> <!-- A time/date based rolling appender for BPM Custom Agents --> <!-- Rollover at midnight each day --> <!-- Rollover at the top of each hour <param name="DatePattern" value="'.'yyyy-MM-dd-HH"/> --> <!-- The full pattern: Date MS Priority [Category] (Thread:NDC) Message\n <param name="ConversionPattern" value="%d %-5r %-5p [%c] (%t:%x) %m%n"/> --> There are 2 appenders defined, one is FILE, which writes to server.log, and the other is CUSTOM_AGENTS, which writes to custom_agents.log. The problem is, I cannot seem to get anything to write to the second appender. For instance, in my class ConfigManager, in package org.test: private static Logger log = Logger.getLogger(ConfigManager.class); log.error("Test") This will write to server.log: ERROR [org.test.ConfigManager] Test I want to do the same thing, however to custom_agents.log insted. If I try what I've read on the internet, which is: private static Logger log = Logger.getLogger("CUSTOM_AGENTS"); log.error("Test") This instead writes to server log: ERROR [CUSTOM_AGENTS] Test What code do I need to write the following line to custom_agents.log? : ERROR [org.test.ConfigManager] Test I hope I have put this in a clear format Many thanks, any help would be greatly appreciated

add this lines to log4j.xml and then use this lines for logging: private static Logger log = Logger.getLogger(ConfigManager.class); log.error("Test") log will be appeared in both appenders Regards.

I will give that a go, many thanks for your post.

Using the below log4j.xml as an example you would just define a new logger which will only apply to the 'named' logger you were referring to in your code (the root logger is the default logger - everything will use it if it cannot find the named logger - or a parent of it - for example if you refer to logger named com.myclass it will look for loggers defined in your log4j.xml (or log4j.properties file) in this order: com.myclass com root So in my log4j.xml file everywhere I have 'UseThisName' for your example you would change it to 'CUSTOM_AGENTS'. In my log4j.xml file the logger 'UseThisName' is using the appender TOFILE (because of the line ). I believe it will also use the ROOT loggers appender as well (unless you set the setting telling it not to). <?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?><!DOCTYPE log4j:configuration SYSTEM "log4j.dtd" > <!-- ******************************************************************************* --> <!-- * This xml file requires that the log4j.dtd file be co-located with it --> <!-- ******************************************************************************* --> <!-- ******************************************************************************* --> <!-- * APPENDER DEFINITIONS - BEGIN * --> <!-- ******************************************************************************* --> <!-- * Note: you must have an appender (logging output destination) * --> <!-- * and a log4j.logger defined for each logger or you will * --> <!-- * get the following warnings when starting log4j: * --> <!-- * log4j:WARN No appenders could be found for logger (UseThisName). * --> <!-- * log4j:WARN Please initialize the log4j system properly. * --> <!-- ******************************************************************************* --> <!-- * STDOUT Appender * --> <!-- * Must name it and define the class to reference * --> <!-- * As well need to defined the pattern layout which then requires * --> <!-- * a conversion pattern which follows the c languages printf format * --> <!-- * %r = number of milliseconds elapsed since program started * --> <!-- * %d = date/time stamp in yyyy-MM-dd HH:mm:ss,mmm format * --> <!-- * %p = log4j priority (FATAL, ERROR ...) * --> <!-- * %t = name of thread making log request * --> <!-- * %c = name of the logger (usually the class name) * --> <!-- * %m = the log message * --> <!-- * \n = end of line * --> <!-- ******************************************************************************* --> <!-- ******************************************************************************* --> <!-- * TOFILE Appender * --> <!-- * Must name it and define the class to reference * --> <!-- * As well need to defined the pattern layout which then requires * --> <!-- * a conversion pattern which follows the c languages printf format * --> <!-- ******************************************************************************* --> <!--param name="ConversionPattern" value="%d %p [%t] %c{1} - %m\n"/--> <!-- ******************************************************************************* --> <!-- * APPENDER DEFINITIONS - END * --> <!-- ******************************************************************************* --> <!-- * * --> <!-- ******************************************************************************* --> <!-- * LOGGER DEFINITIONS - BEGIN * --> <!-- ******************************************************************************* --> <!-- ******************************************************************************* --> <!-- * LOGGER DEFINITIONS - END * --> <!-- ******************************************************************************* --> <!-- * * --> <!-- ******************************************************************************* --> <!-- * ROOT LOGGER DEFINITION - BEGIN * --> <!-- ******************************************************************************* --> <!-- ******************************************************************************* --> <!-- * Define the root loggers priority and appender (good practice) * --> <!-- * priority = DEBUG * --> <!-- * appender = STDOUT * --> <!-- ******************************************************************************* --> <!-- ******************************************************************************* --> <!-- * ROOT LOGGER DEFINITION - END * --> <!-- ******************************************************************************* -->