global debug variable?

[sharkfish]

I have logging code that I want to set a global variable for the whole application, something like bool logging = true; I don't want to have to go to all my classes and set this variable. What is the best way to handle this? Can I set it in the web.config file? If so, how? Thanks!

[Jim Stewart]

You could use compiler directives:

#if DEBUG
// logging code here
#endif

This has the benefit of being compiled out when you go to release code.

α.γεεκ

Fortune passes everywhere.
Duke Leto Atreides

[scadaguy]

Take a look at the Trace and TraceSwitch classes. Brian

[Alvaro Mendez]

One approach is to create a class that handles the logging and keeps track of whether it's enabled or not, like this:

class Log
{
private static bool m_enabled = System.Configuration.ConfigurationSettings.AppSettings["Logging"] == "true";

public static bool Enabled
{
get { return m_enabled; }
}

public static void Error(string message)
{
if (Enabled)
// do the logging here
}

public static void Info(string message)
....
}

Then you can call Log.Error, Log.Info, etc. in your code. For more details on how to use web.config, check out MSDN[^]. Regards, Alvaro

---

Hey! It compiles! Ship it.

[sharkfish]

Thanks Alvaro. That is exactly what I was looking for. I will keep the other suggestions in mind for other things, however. Cheers.