[LOG4J2-1379] Documentation is subzero quality as far as yaml config files are concerned

• Type: Documentation
• Status: Resolved
• Priority: Major
• Resolution: Fixed
• Fix Version/s: 2.8
• Assignee: Matt Sicker
• Reporter: piero de salvia
• Created: 04/May/16 09:23
• Updated: 16/Nov/16 20:25
• Resolved: 16/Nov/16 20:25

Description

Documentation for yaml config files

http://logging.apache.org/log4j/2.x/manual/configuration.html

fails to mention that this dependency must be added to actually use yaml config files:

        <dependency>
            <groupId>com.fasterxml.jackson.dataformat</groupId>
            <artifactId>jackson-dataformat-yaml</artifactId>
            <version>2.7.4</version>
        </dependency>

It also fails to mention that the equivalent basic config in yaml is the following:

Configuration:
  status: warn

  Appenders:
    Console:
      name: Console
      target: SYSTEM_OUT
      PatternLayout:
        Pattern: "%d{HH:mm:ss.SSS} [%t] %-5level %logger{36} - %msg%n"

  Loggers:
    Root:
      level: info
      AppenderRef:
        ref: Console

At runtime, log4j2 "does not find" the config file (useless and misleading error message), which in reality means it does not find the needed dependencies.

To actually fix this, one must debug log4j2.

So basically failing to mention something in documentation (effort = 0) causes users to have to debug log4j (effort >> 0).

This gives the whole project an amateurish and unkempt feel.