Android Question Remove log() code lines?

[Midimaster]

Is there a chance to auto-remove all log() command lines from Code-Modules and Activity-Modules as a first step of the compiling process?

I often write log() commands in my code to observe the app during execution. They contain readable strings with sensitiv informations. I want to keep all log() lines in my code for future development. This makes the development very comfortable for me.

But now my development of the current app reaches the final, where I want to publish my app. Now I want to remove all (~1000) lines with log() for security reasons before compiling starts.

I know how to do this with a VB-Script. But this needs to make Backups of each module, then run the script on each module-file. Then start B4A again and compile the manipulated files and afterwards I have to replace the module with the backups.

now I have two questions:
Is there a compiler-option to remove certain line types automatically during the comping process?

Or is there a chance to insert an EXE as a first step in the compiling process to manipulate code files temporary and offer these files to the compiler?

How do you handle logs() lines?

 

[toby]

You don't have to remove them. Just simply make a release build which ignores logging.

 

[udg]

One way could be using conditional compilation.
Something like #If DEBUG...

See here.

 

[DonManfred]

Just simply make a release build which ignores logging.

Not true. If you do not exlude LOG Commands using Conditional Compiling then the LOGs are still there. Even in Release...
See answer from @udg

 

[Midimaster]

But this means to set a #If FINAL... individual around each line with log() command, or?

This is no comfortable solution. I would search for a general compiler option, that ignores all log()-lines automatically.

I think there must be already something similar for comment lines, or?

 

[DonManfred]

But this means to set a #If FINAL... individual around each line with log() command, or?

Yes

I would search for a general compiler option, that ignores all log()-lines automatically.

There is no such feature.

I think there must be already something similar for comment lines, or?

Yes. Conditional Compiling.

 

[AnandGupta]

, or?

Or, replace all log( to glog( (or something different)
Then make glog( sub
Here check conditional compiling and log

Regards,

Anand

 

[Midimaster]

Thanks for your ideas, but... No, I dont want to stop the logging... I need to remove the strings from the code. They contain a lot of information about what is happening in my subs. As long as the content of the logs()-lines keeps in the code, any obfuscating would not help anything!

 

[AnandGupta]

Then you may use #iderun (or something like that) to call a command line grep text replace utility to put ' single quote before all log( lines.

I use similar technology in my XBase compilation batch files, for final and beta exe.

Regards

Anand

 

[JohnC]

But this means to set a #If FINAL... individual around each line with log() command, or?

This is no comfortable solution. I would search for a general compiler option, that ignores all log()-lines automatically.

Yes, it would be a pain to add a conditional flag around EVERY log statement, but why not just add a conditional flag around just the log entries that include confidential info?

 

[stevel05]

You could try this https://www.b4x.com/android/forum/threads/find-active-log-statements-in-ide.41172/#content using the Find and Replace dialog (F3) and see if you can change it to do what you want. Even if you just comment them using replace.

You will need to enable Regex in the Find Options / Search type of that dialog.

 

[Midimaster]

Then you may use #iderun (or something like that) to call a command line grep text replace utility to put ' single quote before all log( lines.
...Anand

This sounds interesting! Will this be able start an exe that changes the code line only during the compiling process? Or are the code line afterwards also changed in the IDE? Can you show my how such a toll call looks like? And you put this line only once on top of your code?

 

[hatzisn]

Why don't you just replace (Ctrl+H) all the log with 'log (REM) and then do the opposite when you need it again. F.e.

Log("Something")

'Log("Something")

This way it will not be included in compilation.

 

[Midimaster]

This is my plan B of course. But I did not know, whether there is perhaps a more elegant way to force the compiler to ignore log() lines. So I asked...

 

[AnandGupta]

This sounds interesting! Will this be able start an exe that changes the code line only during the compiling process? Or are the code line afterwards also changed in the IDE? Can you show my how such a toll call looks like? And you put this line only once on top of your code?

You can use #CustomBuildAction, see

Change Icon and Assets Files based on the Build Configuration

This tutorial explains how the new conditional compilation feature can be used to change the app icon and the assets files based on the chosen build configuration. See this tutorial for more information about build configurations: http://www.b4x.com/android/forum/threads/40746/#content We have...

www.b4x.com

Here you can call a command line text replace exe (instead of robocopy) and pass your .b4a file with the regex command to replace the text.

Regards,

Anand

 

[MrKim]

This is what I do: