The java.util.logging.Logger class provides a variety of methods
with which data can be logged.
In the WebSphere Application Server, the Java logging API (java.util.logging)
automatically creates Common Base Events for events that are logged at the
WsLevel.DETAIL level or above (including WsLevel.DETAIL, Level.CONFIG, Level.INFO,
WsLevel.AUDIT, Level.WARNING, Level.SEVERE, and WsLevel.FATAL). These Common
Base Events are created using the event factory that is associated with the
logger to which the message is logged. If no event factory is specified,
WebSphere Application Server uses a default event factory which automatically
fills in WebSphere Application Server-specific information.
The WebSphere
Application Server uses a special implementation of the java.util.logging.Logger
class that automatically creates Common Base Events for the following methods:
- config
- info
- warning
- severe
- log: All variants except log(LogRecord) when used with the WsLevel.DETAIL
level or more severe levels
- logp: When used with the WsLevel.DETAIL level or more severe levels
- logrb: When used with the WsLevel.DETAIL level or more severe levels
The WebSphere Application Server logger implementation is used only for
named loggers for example, loggers that are instantiated with calls, such
as Logger.getLogger("com.xyz.SomeLoggerName"). Loggers instantiated with
calls to the Logger.getAnonymousLogger and Logger.getLogger, or Logger.global
methods do not use the WebSphere Application Server implementation, and do
not automatically create Common Base Events for logging requests made to them.
Log records that are logged directly with the Logger.log(LogRecord) method
are not automatically converted by WebSphere Application Server loggers into
Common Base Events.
The following diagram illustrates how application
code can log Common Base Events:

The Java logging API processing of named loggers and message-level
events proceeds as follows:
- Application code invokes the named logger (WsLevel.DETAIL or above) with
event-specific data.
- The logger creates a Common Base Event using the createCommonBaseEvent
method on the event factory that is associated with the logger.
- The logger creates a Common Base Event using the event factory associated
to the logger.
- The logger wraps the common base event in a CommonBaseEventLogRecord record,
and adds event-specific data.
- The logger calls the Common Base Event complete method.
- The Common Base Event invokes the ContentHandler completeEvent method.
- The content handler adds XML template data to the Common Base Event (including
for example, the component name). Not all content handlers support templates.
- The content handler adds runtime data to the Common Base Event (including
for example, the current thread name).
- The logger passes the CommonBaseEventLogRecord record to the handlers.
- The handlers format data and write to the output device.