MS RFC 28: Redesign of LOG/DEBUG output mechanisms

[Frank Warmerdam]

Daniel Morissette wrote:
> Hi Dev's,
> 
> I have prepared a first version of MS RFC 28 that proposes a cleanup of 
> the LOG/DEBUG output mechanisms while keeping things simple (I like 
> simple) and not breaking too much existing code:
>   http://mapserver.gis.umn.edu/development/rfc/ms-rfc-28
> 
> Comments welcome... and expect two more RFCs from me today...

Daniel,

I like it.

I am somewhat conflicted about "DEBUG ON" not being enough to enable
actual debug output.  I think it is unfortunately that this and the
MS_ERRORFILE setting will be required.  I'd suggest that we should have
MS_ERRORFILE default to "stderr" which is roughly the behavior now for
msDebug() if built into the binaries.  But then we are likely to have a
lot of error noise showing up in the logs that perhaps does not belong.

Keeping the error file handle in the error context should address
multithreading just fine as I believe you and Tamas have already
concluded.

I like Tamas' idea of an MS_ERROFILE windowsdebug option on windows.

Potentially we could offer a syslog option on unix that is roughly
analygous though I don't feel any compelling need for this.

I would be happy to review the raster related msDebug() calls and set
appropriate error levels.

I assume that DEBUG=MSDEBUG will disappear from the version string, since
debugging will always be compiled in?

Best regards,
-- 
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I set the clouds in motion - turn up   | Frank Warmerdam, warmerdam at pobox.com
light and sound - activate the windows | http://pobox.com/~warmerdam
and watch the world go round - Rush    | President OSGeo, http://osgeo.org