[tor-bugs] #10045 [Tor]: Tor for Windows lacks eventlog support

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#10045: Tor for Windows lacks eventlog support
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 Reporter:  GITNE                                |          Owner:
     Type:  enhancement                          |         Status:  new
 Priority:  normal                               |      Milestone:
Component:  Tor                                  |        Version:
 Keywords:  tor, syslog, eventlog, log,          |  Actual Points:
  logging, Windows                               |         Points:
Parent ID:                                       |
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 Tor for Windows does not support Windows' native system event logging
 facility "eventlog". Syslog is unsupported on Windows so an enhancement of
 Tor for Windows is necessary.

 Administrators of Tor relays on Windows have a hard time of keeping track
 of Tor's events. This enhancement should ease this problem.

 = Proposed changes/additions =

 == {{{/etc/torrc}}} or {{{%APPDATA%\tor\torrc}}} ==
 * The {{{Log}}} configuration option's value {{{syslog}}} should enable
 logging to eventlog and be synonymous with the new value {{{eventlog}}} on
 Windows systems.
 * A new {{{Log}}} configuration option value {{{eventlog}}} should be
 added. Setting {{{Log}}} to {{{eventlog}}} should enable logging to
 eventlog on Windows and be synonymous on other operating systems with the
 {{{syslog}}} value.
 * Eventlog supports only four relevant event types for this matter:
 {{{EVENTLOG_SUCCESS}}}, {{{EVENTLOG_ERROR_TYPE}}},
 {{{EVENTLOG_INFORMATION_TYPE}}}, and {{{EVENTLOG_WARNING_TYPE}}}. While
 {{{EVENTLOG_SUCCESS}}} usually maps to {{{EVENTLOG_INFORMATION_TYPE}}}
 leaving effectively three event types. These event types have to
 correspond to syslog's priorities/severities.[[BR]]Proposed corresponding:
         * {{{debug}}}, {{{info}}}, and {{{notice}}} correspond to
 {{{EVENTLOG_INFORMATION_TYPE}}}
         * {{{warn}}} corresponds to {{{EVENTLOG_WARNING_TYPE}}}
         * {{{err}}} corresponds to {{{EVENTLOG_ERROR_TYPE}}}
  Verbosity should remain unaffected of priority/severity to event type
 correspondings, e.g. {{{notice}}} should not produce {{{info}}} or
 {{{debug}}} eventlog reports although they all correspond to the same
 event type {{{EVENTLOG_INFORMATION_TYPE}}}.

 == Installing Tor as a service ==
 * When installing Tor as service with "{{{tor.exe --service install}}}"
 tor should create an [http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-
 us/library/aa363661%28v=vs.85%29.aspx event source] in the registry for
 eventlog.
 * When removing the Tor service with "{{{tor.exe --service remove}}}" the
 previously created event source during service installation should be
 removed from registry.

 '''NOTE:''' Generally speaking, this Tor installing as a service feature
 should be revised because by convention it is an uncommon practice on
 Windows for tools to provide such a feature. Service installation
 functionality is provided by the {{{sc.exe}}} external command and the
 Windows Installer (and the PowerShell lately). The preferred way for
 software vendors to install services is via the Windows Installer during
 application setup.

 == Alternatives ==
 Use a cross-platform logging library with good support for Windows.

-- 
Ticket URL: <https://trac.torproject.org/projects/tor/ticket/10045>
Tor Bug Tracker & Wiki <https://trac.torproject.org/>
The Tor Project: anonymity online
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