NAME
    Log::Fine - Yet another logging framework

SYNOPSIS
    Provides fine-grained logging and tracing.

        use Log::Fine;
        use Log::Fine::Levels::Syslog;                # exports log levels
        use Log::Fine::Levels::Syslog qw( :masks );   # exports masks and levels

        # build a Log::Fine object
        my $fine = Log::Fine->new();

        # specify a custom map
        my $fine = Log::Fine->new(levelmap => "Syslog");

        # use logger() to get a new logger object.  If "foo" is not
        # defined then a new logger with the name "foo" will be created.
        my $log = Log::Fine->logger("foo");

        # register a handle, in this case a handle that logs to console.
        my $handle = Log::Fine::Handle::Console->new();
        $log->registerHandle( $handle );

        # log a message
        $log->log(INFO, "Log object successfully initialized");

DESCRIPTION
    Log::Fine provides a logging framework for application developers who
    need a fine-grained logging mechanism in their program(s). By itself,
    Log::Fine provides a mechanism to get one or more logging objects
    (called *loggers*) from its stored namespace. Most logging is then done
    through a logger object that is specific to the application.

    For a simple functional interface to the logging sub-system, see
    Log::Fine::Utils.

  Handles
    Handlers provides a means to output log messages in one or more ways.
    Currently, the following handles are provided:

    *   Log::Fine::Handle::Console

        Provides logging to "STDERR" or "STDOUT"

    *   Log::Fine::Handle::File

        Provides logging to a file

    *   Log::Fine::Handle::File::Timestamp

        Same thing with support for time-stamped files

    *   Log::Fine::Handle::Syslog

        Provides logging to syslog

    See the relevant perldoc information for more information. Additional
    handlers can be defined to the user's taste.

  Formatters
    A formatter specifies how Log::Fine displays messages. When a message is
    logged, it gets passed through a formatter object, which adds any
    additional information such as a time-stamp or caller information.

    By default, log messages are formatted as follows using the Basic
    formatter object.

         [<time>] <LEVEL> <MESSAGE>

    For more information on the customization of log messages, see
    Log::Fine::Formatter.

METHODS
    The Log::Fine module, by itself, simply exports a few constants, and
    allows the developer to get a new logger. After a logger is created,
    further actions are done through the logger object. The following two
    constructors are defined:

  new
    Creates a new Log::Fine object.

   Parameters
    A hash with the following keys

    *   levelmap

        [default: Syslog] Name of level map to use. See Log::Fine::Levels
        for further details

   Returns
    The newly bless'd object

  levelMap
    Getter for the global level map.

   Returns
    A Log::Fine::Levels subclass

  logger
    Getter/Constructor for a logger object.

   Parameters
    *   logger name

        The name of the logger object. If the specified logger object does
        not exist, then a new one will be created.

   Returns
    an Log::Fine::Logger object

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
    I'd like the thank the following people for either inspiration or past
    work on logging: Josh Glover for his work as well as teaching me all I
    know about object-oriented programming in perl. Dan Boger for taking the
    time and patience to review this code and offer his own suggestions.
    Additional thanks to Tom Maher and Chris Josephs for encouragement.

  Related Modules/Frameworks
    The following logging frameworks provided inspiration for parts of
    Log::Fine.

    *   Dave Rolsky's Log::Dispatch module

    *   Sun Microsystem's "java.utils.logging" framework

    *   The Python logging package

SEE ALSO
    perl, syslog, Log::Fine::Handle, Log::Fine::Formatter,
    Log::Fine::Logger, Log::Fine::Utils, Sys::Syslog

AUTHOR
    Christopher M. Fuhrman, "<cfuhrman at panix.com>"

BUGS
    Please report any bugs or feature requests to "bug-log-fine at
    rt.cpan.org", or through the web interface at
    <http://rt.cpan.org/NoAuth/ReportBug.html?Queue=Log-Fine>. I will be
    notified, and then you'll automatically be notified of progress on your
    bug as I make changes.

SUPPORT
    You can find documentation for this module with the perldoc command.

        perldoc Log::Fine

    You can also look for information at:

    *   AnnoCPAN: Annotated CPAN documentation

        <http://annocpan.org/dist/Log-Fine>

    *   CPAN Ratings

        <http://cpanratings.perl.org/d/Log-Fine>

    *   RT: CPAN's request tracker

        <http://rt.cpan.org/NoAuth/Bugs.html?Dist=Log-Fine>

    *   Search CPAN

        <http://search.cpan.org/dist/Log-Fine>

REVISION INFORMATION
      $Id: Fine.pm 215 2010-03-06 20:32:33Z cfuhrman $

COPYRIGHT & LICENSE
    Copyright (c) 2008, 2009, 2010 Christopher M. Fuhrman, All rights
    reserved.

    This program is free software licensed under the...

            The BSD License

    The full text of the license can be found in the LICENSE file included
    with this module.

