Introduction

• The objective of this case study is to configure different log files for different contexts.
• The reason for this is to separate the logs in order to avoid having all the logs mixed together.
• For this, it is necessary to configure different channels in the log file.

How to configure an example of a custom log file ( let´s call it ' test.log ' )

Add the new configuration inside the array of channels in the file ' app -> config -> logging ' like this:

    'channels' => [
        'stack' => [
            'driver' => 'stack',
            'channels' => ['single'],
            'ignore_exceptions' => false,
        ],

        'single' => [
            'driver' => 'single',
            'path' => storage_path('logs/laravel.log'),
            'level' => env('LOG_LEVEL', 'debug'),
        ],
        
            .
            .
            .
            .
  
 ---->  'test' => [
            'driver' => 'single',
            'path' => storage_path('logs/test.log'),
            'level' => env('LOG_LEVEL', 'debug'),
        ],
    ],
    
            .
            .
            .
            .
    
    ],
];

• Add the file ' test.log ' for this test in the dir ' /storage/logs/test.log ' according the configuration above

  

• Ensure the new log ' test.log ' is in .gitignore file to avoid to be sent to the repository

Example on how to call this new log:

• Ensure to change the context by changing the channel to ' test '

And that will add the massage in the new log file:

Extra note:

If is needed to save the content of an email, add the following configuration:

• If the app sends e-mails, it does not make sense to send emails for real.
• For that we can send the content of the email to a log file by doing this in the ' app -> config -> mail ':

<?php

return [

    'default' => env('MAIL_MAILER', 'log'),       <----- This is in your .env file config. By default you can set it with 'log' value.
    
    .
    .
    .

    'mailers' => [
        'smtp' => [
            'transport' => 'smtp',
            'host' => env('MAIL_HOST', 'smtp.gmail.com'),
            'port' => env('MAIL_PORT', 587),
            'encryption' => env('MAIL_ENCRYPTION', 'tls'),
            'username' => env('MAIL_USERNAME'),
            'password' => env('MAIL_PASSWORD'),
            'timeout' => null,
            'auth_mode' => null,
        ],

        .
        .
        .
        .

        'log' => [
            'transport' => 'log',
            'channel' => env('MAIL_LOG_CHANNEL'),      <----- This is in your .env file config. It is the name of the channel.
        ],

        .
        .
        .
        .
        
        'array' => [
            'transport' => 'array',
        ],
    ];

• The ' .env ' file config

  

• The ' app -> config -> logging '

  

• Ensure the new log file is created and is in place in ' storage/logs/emails '

Demonstration

( Click on the image to watch the video )