[🚀 Feature]: Ability to overwrite files when using FileLogHandler

[MJB222398]

Feature and motivation

I want to make use of FileLogHandler to output driver logs to the filesystem for the testing suite (one file per test). Currently this only supports appending logs to the file. I do not need to keep logs from previous test runs and would prefer to create new files each time so that I only have the relevant logs.

Usage example

The solution could be as simple as having an overload constructor for the FileLogHandler:

public FileLogHandler(string filePath, bool overwriteExisting)

[github-actions]

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[nvborisenko]

It is good idea.

I am curious whether reserving public FileLogHandler(string filePath, bool overwrite) method signature is a good choice. What if in the future we will need one more boolean flag? For instance deleteIfExists, or alwaysAppendNewLine. We can make this configuration as a property, but usually properties reflect a state of an object... bad choice.

I vote for optional argument:

public FileLogHandler(string filePath, bool overwrite = false)

In this case we should double-check whether introducing new optional argument is breaking change (it is not at compilation level, I am not sure about binary level).

@YevgeniyShunevych your input is highly appreciated.

[MJB222398]

Or the constructor could take an "options" object that could be extended whenever more configuration is required and then that way the constructor signature won't change after this point.

[YevgeniyShunevych]

Agree, that can be a useful ability.

Adding an extra optional parameter, such as FileLogHandler(string filePath, bool overwrite = false) is a breaking change at a binary level. But it can be avoided by overloading constructor, leaving old constructor FileLogHandler(string filePath) and adding a new one FileLogHandler(string filePath, bool overwrite).

But if we really expect some other parameters in the future, then options class looks a better way. But anyway I would add the second constructor, considering a binary breaking change.

public class FileLogHandler
{
    public FileLogHandler(string filePath)
        : this(filePath, FileLogHandlerOptions.Default)
    {
    }

    public FileLogHandler(string filePath, FileLogHandlerOptions options)
    {
        //...
    }
}

public sealed class FileLogHandlerOptions
{
    public static FileLogHandlerOptions Default { get; } = new FileLogHandlerOptions();

    public bool Override { get; init; }
}

[nvborisenko]

Thank you guys!

In summary, we should choose between:

ctor FileLogHandler(string filePath);
ctor FileLogHandler(string filePath, bool overwrite = false);

ctor FileLogHandler(string filePath);
ctor FileLogHandler(string filePath, FileLogHandlerOptions options);

The second option dictates to apply this good pattern (how to avoid breaking changes) anywhere! I don't think it is good idea, at least this pattern is not spread widely in BCL. Our class is pretty simple, we don't expect new "flags" (at least how I feel it). But the second option is CLS-compliant (lol, should we).

In any case user is able to implement his own ILogHandler. I prefer to be as simpler as possible here.

Just to confirm, is the following is a breaking change?
Before:

ctor FileLogHandler(string filePath);
ctor FileLogHandler(string filePath, bool overwrite = false);

After:

ctor FileLogHandler(string filePath);
ctor FileLogHandler(string filePath, bool overwrite = false, bool someOtherArg = false);