Where to put a log file ?

[Michele Moglia]

I wrote an application and I want to add a log file to help
users to catch some problems or send me some informations
about problems.
In which directory do my application write the log file?
I think /var/log/myapp.log but if the user isn't root it doesn't work !
So where /var/log/myapp/myapp.log and change permissions on /var/log/myapp ? But how do this in a debian package ?
Please let me know the right way ?

Thanks

Michele

[tageiru]

It sounds like your application is not a global system service. Only global services are allowed to store logs in /var/log

Put the config file in the users home directory. Preferably under a ".appname" directory (yes the dot is important)

[cwaldbieser]

It sounds like your application is not a global system service. Only global services are allowed to store logs in /var/log

Put the config file in the users home directory. Preferably under a ".appname" directory (yes the dot is important)
It would also be nice if you let the user configure where the log file goes via an environment variable or command line option.

[LordHunter317]

It would also be nice if you let the user configure where the log file goes via an environment variable or command line option.Best is to log to the system log spools using syslog() if all at possible, like one is supposed to.

Now, if this isn't a daemon of any sort and it's solely debugging, then just create a debug log file wherever is most convinent -- the important part is that it's not something a user would commonly do.