Implementing a Simple Logging System

Implementing a simple logging system using SDL2 is straightforward. The goal of a logging system is to record events or messages to a file, usually in append mode, so that each log entry adds to the existing content.

Here’s an example of how you might implement a basic logging function:

1#include <SDL.h>
2#include <iostream>
3#include <string>
4
5namespace Log {
6void Write(const std::string& Path,
7           const std::string& Message) {
8  SDL_RWops* Handle{
9    SDL_RWFromFile(Path.c_str(), "ab")
10  };
11
12  if (!Handle) {
13    std::cout << "Error opening log file: "
14      << SDL_GetError();
15    return;
16  }
17
18  std::string Entry{Message + "\n"};
19  SDL_RWwrite(Handle, Entry.c_str(),
20    sizeof(char), Entry.size()); 
21
22  SDL_RWclose(Handle);
23}
24}

Using the Logging Function

You can use this function in your main program to log various events:

1#include <SDL.h>
2#include "Log.h"
3
4int main() {
5  SDL_Init(0);
6  Log::Write(
7    "log.txt", "Program started");
8  Log::Write(
9    "log.txt", "Player joined the game");
10  Log::Write(
11    "log.txt", "Error: Failed to load texture");
12
13  return 0;
14}

1Content:
2Program started
3Player joined the game
4Error: Failed to load texture

Key Points

• The log entries are appended to the file rather than overwriting it, so you don’t lose previous log messages.
• Each message is stored on a new line for clarity.
• The logging function is simple but can be extended to include timestamps, log levels (like INFO, WARN, ERROR), and other features.

Extensions

To make this system more robust, consider adding:

• Timestamps: Include the date and time in each log entry.
• Log Levels: Implement different log levels to filter messages.
• Thread Safety: Use a std::mutex to ensure thread-safe logging.

This simple system provides the foundation for more complex logging mechanisms and helps in debugging and monitoring your application.