WireLog / $log

$log->save($name, $text, $options)

Save an entry to a named log file. Creates the log if it doesn't exist.

• Arguments: save(string $name, string|array|object $text, array $options = [])
• Returns: bool
• $name must be a lowercase word using only [-._a-z0-9] characters, no extension.
• Passing an array or object for $text saves it as a JSON entry 3.0.256+.
• This is a hookable method (___save()).

// Log a plain text message to /site/assets/logs/search.txt
$log->save('search', "User searched for: $phrase");

// Log structured data as JSON 3.0.256+
$log->save('orders', ['id' => 123, 'total' => 49.95, 'status' => 'paid']);

Key options:

$log->message($text)

Save a message to the built-in messages log (messages.txt). Optionally also displays it as a notice to the admin user.

• Arguments: message(string $text, bool|int $flags = 0)
• Returns: $this
• Pass true for $flags to also display the message interactively in the admin.

$log->message("User {$user->name} updated their profile");

$log->warning($text)

Save a warning to the built-in warnings log (warnings.txt).

• Arguments: warning(string $text, bool|int $flags = 0)
• Returns: $this

$log->warning("Config value 'fooSetting' is deprecated");

$log->error($text)

Save an error to the built-in errors log (errors.txt).

• Arguments: error(string $text, bool|int $flags = 0)
• Returns: $this

$log->error("Failed to connect to payment gateway");

Every class that extends Wire (modules, Fieldtypes, Inputfields, Processes, etc.) inherits a log() method that writes to a log automatically named after the class.

$this->log($text, $options)

Log a message using the calling class's name as the log name. A class named MyWidgetData logs to my-widget-data.txt (class name converted to hyphenated lowercase).

• Arguments: log(string $str = '', array $options = [])
• Returns: WireLog — the $log API variable
• Call with no argument to retrieve the $log API variable from within any Wire class.
• This is a hookable method (___log()).

Options:

// In a module or any Wire subclass:

// Log to my-module.txt (log name derived from class name)
$this->log("User saved a new item");

// Override the log name
$this->log("Something happened", ['name' => 'my-custom-log']);

// Get the $log API variable from within a Wire class
$log = $this->log();
$total = $log->getTotalEntries($this->className(true));

$log->getEntries($name, $options)

Get log entries as structured associative arrays. Most useful for programmatic access.

• Arguments: getEntries(string $name, array $options = [])
• Returns: array of associative arrays, each with keys:
  • date (string) — formatted date/time
  • user (string|false) — username, or false if unknown
  • url (string|false) — URL, or false if unknown
  • text (string) — log message
• Pagination aware (reads $input->pageNum automatically).

$entries = $log->getEntries('search', ['limit' => 50]);

foreach($entries as $entry) {
    echo "$entry[date] — $entry[user] — $entry[text]\n";
}

// Filter by date range
$entries = $log->getEntries('errors', [
    'dateFrom' => '2025-01-01',
    'dateTo'   => '2025-01-31',
    'limit'    => 100,
]);

// Search for text
$entries = $log->getEntries('search', ['text' => 'processwire', 'limit' => 25]);

Options:

$log->getLines($name, $options)

Same as getEntries() but returns raw tab-delimited strings rather than structured arrays. Accepts the same options.

$lines = $log->getLines('search', ['limit' => 20]);
foreach($lines as $line) echo $line . "\n";

$log->getTotalEntries($name)

Get the total number of entries in a log.

• Returns: int

$total = $log->getTotalEntries('errors');

ProcessWire writes to several logs automatically. These are viewable in the admin at Setup > Logs:

Additional built-in logs (deprecated, 404, etc.) may appear depending on configuration and installed modules.

Enable or disable built-in logs in /site/config.php:

// Enable the 'deprecated' log (tracks use of deprecated methods)
$config->logs[] = 'deprecated';

// Disable the 'modules' log
$config->logs = array_diff($config->logs, ['modules']);