---
title: NLog layout
description: This Layout implementation formats an NLog event into a JSON representation that adheres to the Elastic Common Schema specification. Add a reference to...
url: https://www.elastic.co/elastic/docs-builder/docs/2395/reference/ecs/logging/dotnet/nlog-formatter
---

# NLog layout
This Layout implementation formats an NLog event into a JSON representation that adheres to the Elastic Common Schema specification.

## Installation

Add a reference to the Elastic.CommonSchema.NLog package:
```xml
<PackageReference Include="Elastic.CommonSchema.NLog" Version="8.6.0" />
```


## Usage


### Setup programatically

```csharp
Layout.Register<EcsLayout>("EcsLayout");
var config = new LoggingConfiguration();
var consoleTarget = new ConsoleTarget("console") { Layout = new EcsLayout() }; 
config.AddRule(LogLevel.Debug, LogLevel.Fatal, consoleTarget);
LogManager.Configuration = config;
var logger = LogManager.GetCurrentClassLogger();
```

In the code snippet above `Layout.Register<EcsLayout>("EcsLayout")` registers the `EcsLayout` with NLog. The `Layout = new EcsLayout()` line then instructs NLog to use the registered layout. The sample above uses the console target, but you are free to use any target of your choice; perhaps consider using a filesystem target and [Elastic Filebeat](https://www.elastic.co/downloads/beats/filebeat) for durable and reliable ingestion.

### Setup using NLog.config

```xml
<nlog>
  <extensions>
    <add assembly="Elastic.Apm.NLog"/>
    <add assembly="Elastic.CommonSchema.NLog"/>
  </extensions>
  <targets>
    <target name="console" type="console">
      <layout xsi:type="EcsLayout">
        <metadata name="MyProperty" layout="MyPropertyValue" /> <!-- repeated, optional -->
        <label name="MyLabel" layout="MyLabelValue" />          <!-- repeated, optional -->
        <tag layout="MyTagValue" />                             <!-- repeated, optional -->
      </layout>
    </target>
  </targets>
  <rules>
    <logger name="*" minLevel="Debug" writeTo="Console" />
  </rules>
</nlog>
```


## EcsLayout Parameter Options

- **Metadata Options**
- *IncludeEventProperties* - Include LogEvent properties as metadata. Default: `true`
- *IncludeScopeProperties* - Include NLog Scope Context Properties as metadata. Default: `false`
- *ExcludeProperties* - Comma separated string with names which properties to exclude.
- **Event Options**
- *EventAction* -
- *EventCategory* -
- *EventId* -
- *EventKind* -
- *EventSeverity* -
- **Agent Options**
- *AgentId* -
- *AgentName* -
- *AgentType* -
- *AgentVersion* -
- **Process Options**
- *ProcessExecutable* - Default: `${processname:FullName=true}`
- *ProcessId* - Default: `${processid}`
- *ProcessName* - Default: `${processname:FullName=false}`
- *ProcessThreadId* - Default: `${threadid}`
- *ProcessTitle* - Default: `${processinfo:MainWindowTitle}`
- **Server Options**
- *ServerAddress* -
- *ServerIp* -
- *ServerUser* - Default: `${environment-user}`
- **Host Options**
- *HostId* -
- *HostIp* - Default: `${local-ip:cachedSeconds=60}`
- *HostName* - Default: `${machinename}`
- **Log Origin Options**
- *LogOriginCallSiteMethod* - Default: `${exception:format=method}`
- *LogOriginCallSiteFile* - Default: `${exception:format=source}`
- *LogOriginCallSiteLine* -
- **Http Options**
- *HttpRequestId* - Default: `${aspnet-trace-identifier}`
- *HttpRequestMethod* - Default: `${aspnet-request-method}`
- *HttpRequestBytes* - Default: `${aspnet-request-contentlength}`
- *HttpRequestReferrer* - Default: `${aspnet-request-referrer}`
- *HttpResponseStatusCode* - Default: `${aspnet-response-statuscode}`
- **Url Options**
- *UrlScheme* - Default: `${aspnet-request-url:IncludeScheme=true:IncludeHost=false:IncludePath=false}`
- *UrlDomain* - Default: `${aspnet-request-url:IncludeScheme=false:IncludeHost=true:IncludePath=false}`
- *UrlPath* - Default: `${aspnet-request-url:IncludeScheme=false:IncludeHost=false:IncludePath=true}`
- *UrlPort* - Default: `${aspnet-request-url:IncludeScheme=false:IncludeHost=false:IncludePath=false:IncludePort=true}`
- *UrlQuery* - Default: `${aspnet-request-url:IncludeScheme=false:IncludeHost=false:IncludePath=false:IncludeQueryString=true}`
- *UrlUserName* - Default: `${aspnet-user-identity}`
- **Trace Options**
- *ApmTraceId* - Default: `${ElasticApmTraceId}`
- **Transaction Options**
- *ApmTransactionId* - Default: `${ElasticApmTransactionId}` *


## ECS Aware Message Templates

Additionally any valid ECS log template properties that is available under `LogTemplateProperties.*` e.g `LogTemplateProperties.TraceId` is supported and will directly set the appropriate ECS fields.
```csharp
logger.Info("The time is {TraceId}", "my-trace-id");
```

Will override `trace.id` on the resulting ECS json document.

## Example output from EcsLayout

An example of the output is given below:
```json
{
   "@timestamp":"2020-02-20T16:07:06.7109766+11:00",
   "log.level":"Info",
   "message":"Info \"X\" 2.2",
   "metadata":{
      "value_x":"X",
      "some_y":2.2
   },
   "ecs":{
      "version":"1.4.0"
   },
   "event":{
      "severity":6,
      "timezone":"AUS Eastern Standard Time",
      "created":"2020-02-20T16:07:06.7109766+11:00"
   },
   "host":{
      "name":"LAPTOP"
   },
   "log":{
      "logger":"Elastic.CommonSchema.NLog",
      "original":"Info {ValueX} {SomeY}"
   },
   "process":{
      "thread":{
         "id":17592
      },
      "pid":17592,
      "name":"dotnet",
      "executable":"C:\\Program Files\\dotnet\\dotnet.exe"
   }
}
```