public class SocketServer
extends java.lang.Object

A SocketNode based server that uses a different hierarchy for each client.

     Usage: java org.apache.log4j.net.SocketServer port configFile configDir

     where port is a part number where the server listens,
           configFile is a configuration file fed to the PropertyConfigurator and
           configDir is a path to a directory containing configuration files, possibly one for each client host.
     

The configFile is used to configure the log4j default hierarchy that the SocketServer will use to report on its actions.

When a new connection is opened from a previously unknown host, say foo.bar.net, then the SocketServer will search for a configuration file called foo.bar.net.lcf under the directory configDir that was passed as the third argument. If the file can be found, then a new hierarchy is instantiated and configured using the configuration file foo.bar.net.lcf. If and when the host foo.bar.net opens another connection to the server, then the previously configured hierarchy is used.

In case there is no file called foo.bar.net.lcf under the directory configDir, then the generic hierarchy is used. The generic hierarchy is configured using a configuration file called generic.lcf under the configDir directory. If no such file exists, then the generic hierarchy will be identical to the log4j default hierarchy.

Having different client hosts log using different hierarchies ensures the total independence of the clients with respect to their logging settings.

Currently, the hierarchy that will be used for a given request depends on the IP address of the client host. For example, two separate applicatons running on the same host and logging to the same server will share the same hierarchy. This is perfectly safe except that it might not provide the right amount of independence between applications. The SocketServer is intended as an example to be enhanced in order to implement more elaborate policies.