Anuj Chauhan

How to write logs to database using Serilog

9. May 2020

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Adding Serilog in .NET Core 3

We will use the approach of Entity Framework Core Generated table for Serilog Logging in Database.

First create a Log Entity class in your Models folder with code below code

public class Log
    {
        public int Id { get; set; }
        public string Message { get; set; }
        public string MessageTemplate { get; set; }
        public string Level { get; set; }
        public DateTime TimeStamp { get; set; }
        public string Exception { get; set; }
        [Column(TypeName ="Xml")]
        public string Properties { get; set; }
        public string LogEvent { get; set; }
    }

Now goto your context class file and the following code

public virtual DbSet<Log> Logs { get; set; }

and add the below line in OnModelCreating method

modelBuilder.Entity<Log>().ToTable("Log");

Now we have defined the details of table which we want entity framework to genereate in database. Open the powershell and run the migrations command as below

dotnet ef migrations add Log --context AppContext

Check the migrations file name <timestamp>_Log.cs with the required changes we need and then update the database

dotnet ef database update --context AppContext

Now check the SQL Server Object Explorer with the updated database . A table exists named Log

So we now have the required table for Serilog to begin logging . Now we will configure the serilog for this . Open nuget package manager console and add the below package in order to enable the Serilog sink for MSSqlServer
Serilog.Sinks.MSSqlServer

Add below package in order to activate the serilog configuration reader feature which will read how to connect to MSSqlServer
Serilog.Settings.Configuration

Install-Package Serilog.Sinks.MSSqlServer
Install-Package Serilog.Settings.Configuration

Now we have the basic packages installed , we will add the appsettings for the serilog to connect to the MSSqlServer
Add the below code to your appsettings.json

{
  "Serilog": {
    "Using": [ "Serilog.Sinks.MSSqlServer" ],
    "MinimumLevel": "Information",
    "WriteTo": [
      {
        "Name": "MSSqlServer",
        "Args": {
          "connectionString": "Server=(localdb)\\mssqllocaldb;Database=DatabaseName;Trusted_Connection=True;MultipleActiveResultSets=true", // connection String  
          "tableName": "Log" // table name  
        }
      }
    ]
  }
}

We have kept the table name as "Log" same as we have defined in the AppContext class for entity framework core to create in database server.

Now add the following code in your Program.cs

public class Program
    {
        
        public static void Main(string[] args)
        {
            var configuration = new ConfigurationBuilder()
                .AddJsonFile("appsettings.json")
                .Build();
            Log.Logger = new LoggerConfiguration()
                .ReadFrom.Configuration(configuration)//Serilog.Settings.Configuration
                .WriteTo.Console()
                .CreateLogger();

            try
            {
                Log.Information("Getting the Application Clanstech Application Running... ");
                CreateHostBuilder(args).Build().Run();

            }
            catch(Exception ex)
            {
                Log.Fatal(ex, "Host terminated unexpectedly");
            }
            finally
            {
                Log.CloseAndFlush();
            }
        }

        public static IHostBuilder CreateHostBuilder(string[] args) =>
            Host.CreateDefaultBuilder(args)
            .UseSerilog()//using Serilog.AspNetCore
            .ConfigureWebHostDefaults(webBuilder =>
            {
                webBuilder.UseStartup<Startup>();
                
            }).UseDefaultServiceProvider(options => options.ValidateScopes = false);
            
    }

Before using .UseSerilog() method do remember to install the package