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doc: document Console class #1388

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65 changes: 54 additions & 11 deletions doc/api/console.markdown
Original file line number Diff line number Diff line change
@@ -1,12 +1,22 @@
# console
# Console

Stability: 2 - Stable

The module defines a `Console` class and exports a `console` object.

The `console` object is a special instance of `Console` whose output is
sent to stdout or stderr.

For ease of use, `console` is defined as a global object and can be used
directly without `require`.

## console

* {Object}

<!--type=global-->

For printing to stdout and stderr. Similar to the console object functions
For printing to stdout and stderr. Similar to the console object functions
provided by most web browsers, here the output is sent to stdout or stderr.

The console functions are synchronous when the destination is a terminal or
Expand All @@ -22,7 +32,7 @@ In daily use, the blocking/non-blocking dichotomy is not something you
should worry about unless you log huge amounts of data.


## console.log([data][, ...])
### console.log([data][, ...])

Prints to stdout with newline. This function can take multiple arguments in a
`printf()`-like way. Example:
Expand All @@ -34,19 +44,19 @@ Prints to stdout with newline. This function can take multiple arguments in a
If formatting elements are not found in the first string then `util.inspect`
is used on each argument. See [util.format()][] for more information.

## console.info([data][, ...])
### console.info([data][, ...])

Same as `console.log`.

## console.error([data][, ...])
### console.error([data][, ...])

Same as `console.log` but prints to stderr.

## console.warn([data][, ...])
### console.warn([data][, ...])

Same as `console.error`.

## console.dir(obj[, options])
### console.dir(obj[, options])

Uses `util.inspect` on `obj` and prints resulting string to stdout. This function
bypasses any custom `inspect()` function on `obj`. An optional *options* object
Expand All @@ -62,15 +72,15 @@ object. This is useful for inspecting large complicated objects. Defaults to
- `colors` - if `true`, then the output will be styled with ANSI color codes.
Defaults to `false`. Colors are customizable, see below.

## console.time(label)
### console.time(label)

Used to calculate the duration of a specific operation. To start a timer, call
the `console.time()` method, giving it a name as only parameter. To stop the
timer, and to get the elapsed time in milliseconds, just call the
[`console.timeEnd()`](#console_console_timeend_label) method, again passing the
timer's name as the parameter.

## console.timeEnd(label)
### console.timeEnd(label)

Stops a timer that was previously started by calling
[`console.time()`](#console_console_time_label) and print the result to the
Expand All @@ -85,15 +95,48 @@ Example:
console.timeEnd('100-elements');
// prints 100-elements: 262ms

## console.trace(message[, ...])
### console.trace(message[, ...])

Print to stderr `'Trace :'`, followed by the formatted message and stack trace
to the current position.

## console.assert(value[, message][, ...])
### console.assert(value[, message][, ...])

Similar to [assert.ok()][], but the error message is formatted as
`util.format(message...)`.

## Class: Console

<!--type=class-->

Use `require('console').Console` or `console.Console` to access this class.

var Console = require('console').Console;
var Console = console.Console;

You can use `Console` class to custom simple logger like `console`, but with
different output streams.
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"You can use the Console class to create a custom logger like console, but with different output streams.


### new Console(stdout[, stderr])

Create a new `Console` by passing one or two writable stream instances.
`stdout` is a writable stream to print log or info output. `stderr`
is used for warning or error output. If `stderr` isn't passed, the warning
and error output will be sent to the `stdout`.

var output = fs.createWriteStream('./stdout.log');
var errorOutput = fs.createWriteStream('./stderr.log');
// custom simple logger
var logger = new Console(output, errorOutput);
// use it like console
var count = 5;
logger.log('count: %d', count);
// in stdout.log: count 5

The global `console` is a special `Console` whose output is sent to
`process.stdout` and `process.stderr`:

new Console(process.stdout, process.stderr);

[assert.ok()]: assert.html#assert_assert_value_message_assert_ok_value_message
[util.format()]: util.html#util_util_format_format