Log4j is not picking up an appender

Question

I configured a logger "mailLogger" in the properties file, and I defined an appender "mail".
In the code, I get the logger by name, and list all the appenders.
It tells me there are no appenders.
Shouldn't the "mail" appender be added by putting it in log4j.properties?
My log4j properties file:
log4j.rootLogger=INFO, xmlout
log4j.logger.mailLogger=ALL, mail
log4j.appender.xmlout=biz.minaret.log4j.DatedFileAppender
log4j.appender.xmlout.threshold=DEBUG
log4j.appender.xmlout.Directory=/app/usrlogs
log4j.appender.xmlout.Prefix=sfgpo.
log4j.appender.xmlout.Suffix=.log
log4j.appender.xmlout.Append=true
log4j.appender.xmlout.layout=org.apache.log4j.xml.XMLLayout
log4j.appender.mail=org.apache.log4j.net.SMTPAppender
log4j.appender.mail.To=[email protected]
log4j.appender.mail.From="SFG Application Mailer"
log4j.appender.mail.SMTPHost=myhost.myorg.com
log4j.appender.mail.Threshold=ERROR
log4j.appender.mail.BufferSize=1
log4j.appender.mail.Subject=SFG PO event notice
log4j.appender.mail.layout=com.moodys.sfg.utility.logger.MoodysHTMLLayout
log4j.additivity.mailLogger=true
log4j.appender.mail.layout.LocationInfo=true
My java code:
import java.util.Enumeration;
import org.apache.log4j.Appender;
import org.apache.log4j.Logger;
import org.apache.log4j.net.SMTPAppender;
Logger logger = Logger.getLogger("mailLogger");
Enumeration en = logger.getAllAppenders();
System.out.println("Listing all appenders for the logger");
while (en.hasMoreElements())
     Appender a = (Appender)en.nextElement();
     String apName = a.getName();
     System.out.println(" Appender: name = " + apName);
System.out.println("End of appender list");
The console output is:
Llisting all appenders for the logger
End of appender list
Why does it not find my appender "mail"?
Thanks in advance.
Elliot

Answer 1

Hi Elliot.
I had the same trouble and I resolved when I commented out the "rootLogger line", as follow below:
# disabling line
# log4j.rootLogger=INFO, xmlout
I hope that helps you.
Gui Pereira.