# B.36 Record A recorder is a listener to the current build process that records the output to a file. Several recorders can exist at the same time. Each recorder is associated with a file. The filename is used as a unique identifier for the recorders. The first call to the recorder task with an unused filename will create a recorder (using the parameters provided) and add it to the listeners of the build. All subsequent calls to the recorder task using this filename will modify that recorders state (recording or not) or other properties (like logging level). Some technical issues: the file's output stream is flushed for "finished" events (buildFinished, targetFinished and taskFinished), and is closed on a buildFinished event. Table B.36:聽Attributes NameTypeDescriptionDefaultRequired`name``String`The name of the file this logger is associated with.n/ayes`action``String`This tells the logger what to do: should it start recording or stop? The first time that the recorder task is called for this logfile, and if this attribute is not provided, then the default for this attribute is "start". If this attribute is not provided on subsequent calls, then the state remains as previous. \[Values = {start|stop}, Default = no state change\]n/ano`append``Boolean`Should the recorder append to a file, or create a new one? This is only applicable the first time this task is called for this file. \[Values = {yes|no}, Default=no\]`no`no`emacsmode``Boolean`Removes \[task\] banners like Phings's -emacs command line switch if set to `true`.`false`no`loglevel``String`At what logging level should this recorder instance record to? This is not a once only parameter (like append is) -- you can increase or decrease the logging level as the build process continues. \[Values= {error|warn|info|verbose|debug}, Default = no change\]`false`no B.36.1 Example The following build.xml snippet is an example of how to use the recorder to record just the `<echo>` task: ``` ... <record name="log.txt" action="start"/> <echo ... <record name="log.txt" action="stop"/> ... ``` The following two calls to `<record>` set up two recorders: one to file "records-simple.log" at logging level info (the default) and one to file "ISO.log" using logging level of verbose. ``` ... <record name="records-simple.log"/> <record name="ISO.log" loglevel="verbose"/> ... ```