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I have an app that is not in the market place (signed with a debug certificate), but would like to get crash log data, whenever my application crashes. Where can I find a log of why my app crashed?

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17 Answers 17

157

If your app is being downloaded by other people and crashing on remote devices, you may want to look into an Android error reporting library (referenced in this SO post). If it's just on your own local device, you can use LogCat. Even if the device wasn't connected to a host machine when the crash occurred, connecting the device and issuing an adb logcat command will download the entire logcat history (at least to the extent that it is buffered which is usually a loooot of log data, it's just not infinite). Do either of those options answer your question? If not can you attempt to clarify what you're looking for a bit more?

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4 Comments

can you detail how to use the adb logcat command? Do i run this inside the /SDK/tools directory? Are there any flags I should note ? etc.
@jesses.co.tt Yep, just run adb logcat from whatever directory adb is located in. Alternatively you can use the SDK tools included in the Eclipse plugin
Crashlytics is the best remote exception logging software I've ever used. It goes out in all my apps, check it out.
adb.exe is located in $SDK_DIR/platform-tools/. To show error: .\adb.exe logcat -v time *:E
111

You can try this from the console:

adb logcat --buffer=crash 

More info on this option:

adb logcat --help ... -b <buffer>, --buffer=<buffer> Request alternate ring buffer, 'main', 'system', 'radio', 'events', 'crash', 'default' or 'all'. Multiple -b parameters or comma separated list of buffers are allowed. Buffers interleaved. Default -b main,system,crash. 

2 Comments

Thanks a lot, it shows the crash logs in realtime! Really helpful.
This may be related to specific shell, but on zsh you need to indicate buffer type with quotes
74

The way to do this is to implement the Thread.UncaughtExceptionHandler interface and pass it to Thread.setDefaultUncaughtExceptionHandler() at the beginning of your Activity's onCreate(). Here is the implementation class TopExceptionHandler.

public class TopExceptionHandler implements Thread.UncaughtExceptionHandler { private Thread.UncaughtExceptionHandler defaultUEH; private Activity app = null; public TopExceptionHandler(Activity app) { this.defaultUEH = Thread.getDefaultUncaughtExceptionHandler(); this.app = app; } public void uncaughtException(Thread t, Throwable e) { StackTraceElement[] arr = e.getStackTrace(); String report = e.toString()+"\n\n"; report += "--------- Stack trace ---------\n\n"; for (int i=0; i<arr.length; i++) { report += " "+arr[i].toString()+"\n"; } report += "-------------------------------\n\n"; // If the exception was thrown in a background thread inside // AsyncTask, then the actual exception can be found with getCause report += "--------- Cause ---------\n\n"; Throwable cause = e.getCause(); if(cause != null) { report += cause.toString() + "\n\n"; arr = cause.getStackTrace(); for (int i=0; i<arr.length; i++) { report += " "+arr[i].toString()+"\n"; } } report += "-------------------------------\n\n"; try { FileOutputStream trace = app.openFileOutput("stack.trace", Context.MODE_PRIVATE); trace.write(report.getBytes()); trace.close(); } catch(IOException ioe) { // ... } defaultUEH.uncaughtException(t, e); } } 

Note We let the Android framework's defaultUEH to handle it.

At the top of your Activity register an instance of above class like this:

@Override public void onCreate(Bundle savedInstanceState) { super.onCreate(savedInstanceState); Thread.setDefaultUncaughtExceptionHandler(new TopExceptionHandler(this)); ... 

This handler saves the trace in a file. When ReaderScope restarts next time, it detects the file and prompts the user if he/she wants to email it to the developer.

To Email the Stack Trace, execute following code to pack it in an email.

try { BufferedReader reader = new BufferedReader( new InputStreamReader(ReaderScopeActivity.this.openFileInput("stack.trace"))); while((line = reader.readLine()) != null) { trace += line+"\n"; } } catch(FileNotFoundException fnfe) { // ... } catch(IOException ioe) { // ... } Intent sendIntent = new Intent(Intent.ACTION_SEND); String subject = "Error report"; String body = "Mail this to [email protected]: " + "\n" + trace + "\n"; sendIntent.putExtra(Intent.EXTRA_EMAIL, new String[] {"[email protected]"}); sendIntent.putExtra(Intent.EXTRA_TEXT, body); sendIntent.putExtra(Intent.EXTRA_SUBJECT, subject); sendIntent.setType("message/rfc822"); ReaderScopeActivity.this.startActivity(Intent.createChooser(sendIntent, "Title:")); ReaderScopeActivity.this.deleteFile("stack.trace"); 

Or you can also use ACRA Error Reporting System.Just Include the ACRA.jar in your project libs and use the below code snippet before your launcher activity class declaration

@ReportsCrashes(formKey = "", mailTo = "[email protected];[email protected]", mode = ReportingInteractionMode.SILENT) 

or You can try this from console:-

adb logcat -b crash 

3 Comments

Won't the line defaultUEH.uncaughtException(t, e); call the method uncaughtException() infinitely?
@MickaelBergeronNéron no - it will just transfer same Throwable to top level handler.
A wonderful find for me. Have implemented with data getting logged to Google spreadsheet. Made my life easier for debugging.
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This is from http://www.herongyang.com/Android/Debug-adb-logcat-Command-Debugging.html

You can use adb:

adb logcat AndroidRuntime:E *:S 

1 Comment

'adb logcat -d CRASH:E :S'
9

If you're using Eclipse, make sure you use debug and not run. Make sure you are in the debug perspective (top right) You may have to hit 'Resume' (F8) a few times for the log to print. The crash log will be in the Logcat window at the bottom- double click for fullscreen and make sure you scroll to the bottom. You'll see red text for errors, the crash trace will be something like

09-04 21:35:15.228: ERROR/AndroidRuntime(778): Uncaught handler: thread main exiting due to uncaught exception 09-04 21:35:15.397: ERROR/AndroidRuntime(778): java.lang.RuntimeException: Unable to start activity ComponentInfo{com.dazlious.android.helloworld/com.dazlious.android.helloworld.main}: java.lang.ArrayIndexOutOfBoundsException 09-04 21:35:15.397: ERROR/AndroidRuntime(778): at android.app.ActivityThread.performLaunchActivity(ActivityThread.java:2268) 09-04 21:35:15.397: ERROR/AndroidRuntime(778): at android.app.ActivityThread.handleLaunchActivity(ActivityThread.java:2284) 09-04 21:35:15.397: ERROR/AndroidRuntime(778): at android.app.ActivityThread.access$1800(ActivityThread.java:112) 09-04 21:35:15.397: ERROR/AndroidRuntime(778): at android.app.ActivityThread$H.handleMessage(ActivityThread.java:1692) 09-04 21:35:15.397: ERROR/AndroidRuntime(778): at android.os.Handler.dispatchMessage(Handler.java:99) 09-04 21:35:15.397: ERROR/AndroidRuntime(778): at android.os.Looper.loop(Looper.java:123) 09-04 21:35:15.397: ERROR/AndroidRuntime(778): at android.app.ActivityThread.main(ActivityThread.java:3948) 09-04 21:35:15.397: ERROR/AndroidRuntime(778): at java.lang.reflect.Method.invokeNative(Native Method) 09-04 21:35:15.397: ERROR/AndroidRuntime(778): at java.lang.reflect.Method.invoke(Method.java:521) 09-04 21:35:15.397: ERROR/AndroidRuntime(778): at com.android.internal.os.ZygoteInit$MethodAndArgsCaller.run(ZygoteInit.java:782) 09-04 21:35:15.397: ERROR/AndroidRuntime(778): at com.android.internal.os.ZygoteInit.main(ZygoteInit.java:540) 09-04 21:35:15.397: ERROR/AndroidRuntime(778): at dalvik.system.NativeStart.main(Native Method) 09-04 21:35:15.397: ERROR/AndroidRuntime(778): Caused by: java.lang.ArrayIndexOutOfBoundsException 09-04 21:35:15.397: ERROR/AndroidRuntime(778): at com.example.android.helloworld.main.onCreate(main.java:13) 09-04 21:35:15.397: ERROR/AndroidRuntime(778): at android.app.Instrumentation.callActivityOnCreate(Instrumentation.java:1123) 09-04 21:35:15.397: ERROR/AndroidRuntime(778): at android.app.ActivityThread.performLaunchActivity(ActivityThread.java:2231) 09-04 21:35:15.397: ERROR/AndroidRuntime(778): ... 11 more 

The important parts for this one are

09-04 21:35:15.397: ERROR/AndroidRuntime(778): Caused by: java.lang.ArrayIndexOutOfBoundsException 09-04 21:35:15.397: ERROR/AndroidRuntime(778): at com.example.android.helloworld.main.onCreate(main.java:13) 

those tell us it was an array out of bounds exception on on line 13 of main.java in the onCrate method.

Comments

8

Here is another solution for Crash Log.

Android market has tool named "Crash Collector"

check following link for more information

http://kpbird.blogspot.com/2011/08/android-application-crash-logs.html

1 Comment

Does not work on Android 4.1 and later (new permissions to read logs).
8

You can use Apphance. This is a cross-platform service (now mainly Android, iOS with other platforms on their way) which allows to debug remotely any mobile device (Android, iOS now - others under development). It's much more than just a crashlog, in fact it is much more: logging, reporting of problems by testers, crashlogs. It takes about 5 minutes to integrate. Currently you can request for access to closed beta.

Disclaimer: I am CTO of Polidea, a company behind Apphance and co-creator of it.

Update: Apphance is no longer closed beta! Update 2: Apphance is available as part of http://applause.com offering

5 Comments

I just tried apphance and like it. The docs missed a key point when integrating apphance lib into your app; with the latest version of the Eclipse ADT, you must put the apphance.jar in the libs directory as this SO answer explains. This github commit shows the changes I needed to make to my WorldMap app to use apphance.
@HohnnyLambada Thanks for your comment. We have updated the documentation to make this clearer.
this shouldn't get so many up arrows it costs 10x more than most development budgets ($2,500 a month!)
apphance is 404 at the date of this comment.
Correct. It's been bough already long time ago by uTest which then rebranded their whole offering (including Aphhance's feature) to Applause. So now it's applause.com
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If you are looking for a basic crash reporting tool, try crashlytics.

If you want a more advanced reporting tool, Checkout Gryphonet. It logs all the crashes occured along with the exact line of code that caused the crash along with automated markers that show you the steps the user took prior to the crash and more.

Good luck!

1 Comment

Crashlytics is good, too, because it's cross-platform for Android, iOS, ...
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Here is a solution that can help you dump all the logs onto a text file

adb logcat -d > logs.txt 

Comments

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You can use ACRA from this. Including this library to your projects and configuring it, you could receive (into your email or gdocs) their crash reports. Sorry for my bad English.

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3

Use acra crash reporter for android app..Acra lib

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I have created this library to solve all your problems. Crash Reporter is a handy tool to capture all your crashes and log them in device locally

Just add this dependency and you're good to go.

compile 'com.balsikandar.android:crashreporter:1.0.1' 

Find all your crashes in device locally and fix them at your convenience. Crashes are saved using date and time format easy to track. Plus it also provides API for capture Logged Exceptions using below method.

CrashRepoter.logException(Exception e) 

2 Comments

What is the Java class that you used to get the Crash Logs of a device?
Thread.UncaughtExceptionHandler interface is used to capture all the unhandled crashes. Here is the implementation for the same github.com/MindorksOpenSource/CrashReporter/blob/master/….
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1) Plug in Phone through USB (w/ Developer Debugging options enabled)

2) Open Terminal and Navigate to your Android SDK (for Mac):

cd ~/Library/Android/sdk/platform-tools

3) Logcat from that directory (in your terminal) to generate a constant flow of logs (for Mac):

./adb logcat

4) Open your app that crashes to generate crash logs

5) Ctrl+C to stop terminal and look for the logs associated with the app that crashes. It may say something like the following:

AndroidRuntime: FATAL EXCEPTION: main

Comments

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You can also use library crashcatcher

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0

If you're just looking for the crash log while your phone is connected to the computer, use the DDMS view in Eclipse and the report is right there in LogCat within DDMS when your app crashes while debugging.

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0

Base on this POST, use this class as replacement of "TopExceptionHandler"

class TopExceptionHandler implements Thread.UncaughtExceptionHandler { private Thread.UncaughtExceptionHandler defaultUEH; private Activity app = null; private String line; public TopExceptionHandler(Activity app) { this.defaultUEH = Thread.getDefaultUncaughtExceptionHandler(); this.app = app; } public void uncaughtException(Thread t, Throwable e) { StackTraceElement[] arr = e.getStackTrace(); String report = e.toString()+"\n\n"; report += "--------- Stack trace ---------\n\n"; for (int i=0; i<arr.length; i++) { report += " "+arr[i].toString()+"\n"; } report += "-------------------------------\n\n"; // If the exception was thrown in a background thread inside // AsyncTask, then the actual exception can be found with getCause report += "--------- Cause ---------\n\n"; Throwable cause = e.getCause(); if(cause != null) { report += cause.toString() + "\n\n"; arr = cause.getStackTrace(); for (int i=0; i<arr.length; i++) { report += " "+arr[i].toString()+"\n"; } } report += "-------------------------------\n\n"; try { FileOutputStream trace = app.openFileOutput("stack.trace", Context.MODE_PRIVATE); trace.write(report.getBytes()); trace.close(); Intent i = new Intent(Intent.ACTION_SEND); i.setType("message/rfc822"); i.putExtra(Intent.EXTRA_EMAIL , new String[]{"[email protected]"}); i.putExtra(Intent.EXTRA_SUBJECT, "crash report azar"); String body = "Mail this to [email protected]: " + "\n" + trace + "\n"; i.putExtra(Intent.EXTRA_TEXT , body); try { startActivity(Intent.createChooser(i, "Send mail...")); } catch (android.content.ActivityNotFoundException ex) { // Toast.makeText(MyActivity.this, "There are no email clients installed.", Toast.LENGTH_SHORT).show(); } // ReaderScopeActivity.this.startActivity(Intent.createChooser(sendIntent, "Title:")); //ReaderScopeActivity.this.deleteFile("stack.trace"); } catch(IOException ioe) { // ... } defaultUEH.uncaughtException(t, e); } private void startActivity(Intent chooser) { } 

}

.....

in same java class file (Activity) .....

Public class MainActivity..... 

.....

 @Override protected void onCreate(Bundle savedInstanceState) { super.onCreate(savedInstanceState); Thread.setDefaultUncaughtExceptionHandler(new TopExceptionHandler(this)); 

.....

Comments

-1

Try Carsh log app from android.

use the link to download app.

Comments

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