Logging with Serilog .NET Core not outputting

Question

PS: My problem was with me, rather than code. The code is fine. I needed to change .WriteTo.Console() to .WriteTo.Debug() (and get the correct nuget package).

I am trying to output information from my logs using Serilog within a .NET Core Web Api. However, no relevant information (ie the information I want to log) is outputted.

I have installed the following Serilog nuget packages:

• Serilog
• Serilog.AspNetCore
• Serilog.Sinks.Console
• Serilog.Sinks.File
• Serilog.Sinks.RollingFile

I have considered setting my configuration settings in the appSettings.json, but would prefer to do it this way if possible.

Here is my Program.cs file.

public class Program
{
    public static void Main(string[] args)
    {

        // Create the logger
        Log.Logger = new LoggerConfiguration()
            .Enrich.FromLogContext()
            .MinimumLevel.Debug()
            .WriteTo.Console()
            .CreateLogger();

        Log.Information("ah there you are");
        Log.Debug("super");
        Log.Error("super1");
        Log.Warning("super2");

        try
        {
            Log.Information("Starting web host");

            // Program.Main logic
            Directory.SetCurrentDirectory(Path.GetDirectoryName(Assembly.GetExecutingAssembly().Location));
            CreateWebHostBuilder(args).Build().Run();
        }
        catch (Exception ex)
        {
            Log.Fatal(ex, "Host terminated unexpectedly");
            Console.WriteLine(ex.Message);
        }
        finally
        {
            // Close and flush the log.
            Log.CloseAndFlush();
        }   
    }

    public static IWebHostBuilder CreateWebHostBuilder(string[] args) =>
        WebHost.CreateDefaultBuilder(args)
            .UseStartup<Startup>()
            .UseSerilog(); // set serilog as the loggin provider
}

I have this set up in my Startup.cs in case that is relevant.

public class Startup
{
    private readonly ILogger _logger;

    public Startup(IConfiguration configuration, ILogger<Startup> logger)
    {
        Configuration = configuration;

        _logger = logger;
    }
}

Below is the output I get when I run my application. It is nothing important (and I have searched through it multiple times to confirm I am not missing anything. Mostly, I am attaching this photo to confirm I am indeed looking in the correct area).

Any ideas?

Answer 1

You need to configure your logger in the programs.cs

    public static IWebHostBuilder CreateWebHostBuilder(string[] args)
    {
        return WebHost.CreateDefaultBuilder(args)
            .UseStartup<Startup>()
                .UseSerilog((context, configuration) => configuration
                .Enrich.FromLogContext()
                .MinimumLevel.Debug()
                .WriteTo.Console(),
                preserveStaticLogger:true);
    }

You can remove all other Serilog references (in the startup.cs) and the "Log.CloseAndFlush()" instruction (it will be closed automatically)

Then you can inject an ILogger<T> interface wherever you want.

Btw: I'm not sure "preserveStaticLogger" is needed.