Add a layout renderer for correlation ID

[Giorgi]

Type (choose one):

In case of a FEATURE REQUEST:

• Asp.net Web Api allows to assign unique id to every request by calling HttpRequestMessageExtensions.GetCorrelationId Method The correlation Id is useful for tracing, diagnostics, etc so it will be helpful to have a renderer for it.

Should I send a PR ?

[snakefoot]

There is already something called ${aspnet-traceidentifier} coming from HttpContext.TraceIdentifier:

https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/dotnet/api/microsoft.aspnetcore.http.httpcontext.traceidentifier?view=aspnetcore-2.1

[Giorgi]

${aspnet-traceidentifier} is only in NLog.Web.AspNetCore not in NLog.Web

[Giorgi]

What if I implement ${aspnet-traceidentifier} so that it uses HttpRequestMessageExtensions.GetCorrelationId on full Framework?

[304NotModified]

is this for full .net or .net core?

[snakefoot]

Must admit my skills in ASP.NET MVC + Core are weak. So I have a hard time knowing how to lookup the different ids:

• The unique requestid from the client
• The unique traceid on the server when handling the request (connects all logging for one request)
• The unique correlationid that connects the requestid and traceid together (connects all logging across multiple requests)

See also here aspnet/Hosting#1394

[Giorgi]

@304NotModified This is for full .net

[304NotModified]

OK,

if we don't need more dependencies, then NLog package is OK for this.

If not, then we need a NLog.WebApi or something like that. I have to admit I don't have much time to setup a new package (and unfortunately it always takes more time then it should be)

[Giorgi]

@304NotModified so do you agree with implementing ${aspnet-traceidentifier} in full .Net using HttpRequestMessageExtensions.GetCorrelationId or do you prefer creating a new layout renderer?

[Giorgi]

@304NotModified Looks like we will need dependency on Microsoft.AspNet.WebApi.Core nuget package

[304NotModified]

OK, then the layout renderer could be ${webapi-traceidentifier} ;)

[Giorgi]

Yes, but we will need a new project in the solution and new nuget package so that we don't introduce new dependency for NLog.web users

[snakefoot]

The specification of ´GetCorrelationId` :

Retrieves the Guid which has been assigned as the correlation ID associated with the given request. The value will be created and set the first time this method is called.

So it sounds like the traceidentifier. The source-code is this:

https://github.com/aspnet/AspNetWebStack/blob/master/src/System.Web.Http/HttpRequestMessageExtensions.cs#L759

Where it attempts 3 lookups:

1. Lookup of HttpPropertyKeys.RequestCorrelationKey from HttpRequestMessage.Properties
2. Fallback lookup of Trace.CorrelationManager.ActivityId (Unless equals Guid.Empty)
3. Fallback lookup of Guid.NewGuid();

If fallback is required then the fallback Guid is stored using HttpPropertyKeys.RequestCorrelationKey.

Because there is no HttpRequestMessage (and building one from HttpContextBase will have a huge overhead and will not be the same, and will have empty Properties-dictionary). Then I suggest the following:

https://github.com/NLog/NLog/wiki/Trace-Activity-Id-Layout-Renderer

[Giorgi]

Yes, I currently use ${activityid} as a workaround to log correlation id

[Giorgi]

@304NotModified Are you ok with adding a new nuget package for this layout renderer or do you think using ${activityid} as a workaround is enough?

[snakefoot]

@Giorgi I'm curious if GetCorrelationId works when used from HttpRequestBase. I have my doubts.

[Giorgi]

GetCorrelationId accepts an HttpRequestMessage object. How can it work for HttpRequestBase? I checked and in Asp.Net web api you can access HttpRequestMessage instance by calling HTTPContext.Current.Items["MS_HttpRequestMessage"] but we will need to copy code from GetCorrelationId to avoid dependency on Microsoft.AspNet.WebApi.Core nuget package

[snakefoot]

@Giorgi That lookup will only work if some other code has already injected HttpRequestMessage into the HttpRequestBase.Items-dictionary. Again not a ASP.NET wizard so maybe HttpRequestBase is always created together with an HttpRequestMessage-object (which are connected). I know Microsoft libraries loves to execute unnecessary code to help Intel sell more CPUs, but sometimes there are surprises.

[Giorgi]

@snakefoot So what do you suggest?

[snakefoot]

I just suggested that some investigation should be done. Again not an expert in traceid handling in Asp Net Mvc. Maybe some one else has a good idea? What is wrong with Trace.CorrelationManager.ActivityId ?

[snakefoot]

@Giorgi Found this random code from the JsNLog-library:

        /// <summary>
        /// Creates an ID that is unique hopefully.
        /// 
        /// This method initially tries to use the request id that IIS already uses internally. This allows us to correlate across even more log files.
        /// If this fails, for example if this is not part of a web request, than it uses a random GUID.
        /// 
        /// See
        /// http://blog.tatham.oddie.com.au/2012/02/07/code-request-correlation-in-asp-net/
        /// </summary>
        /// <returns></returns>
        public override string IISRequestId()
        {
            var provider = (IServiceProvider)HttpContext.Current;
            if (provider != null)
            {
                var workerRequest = (HttpWorkerRequest)provider.GetService(typeof(HttpWorkerRequest));
                if (workerRequest != null)
                {
                    Guid requestIdGuid = workerRequest.RequestTraceIdentifier;
                    if (requestIdGuid != Guid.Empty)
                    {
                        return requestIdGuid.ToString();
                    }
                }
            }

            return null;
        }

Maybe this can be used to implement ${aspnet-traceidentifier} for System.Web ? (Requires IIS ETW (Event Tracing for Windows) feature enabled)

[snakefoot]

@Giorgi Created #330 that might provide what you are looking for.