Exception Output with and without Winston.js

gistfile1.txt

Standard Out Exception:

node.js:201
        throw e; // process.nextTick error, or 'error' event on first tick
              ^
ReferenceError: x is not defined
    at Object.<anonymous> (/clipboard/src/node/winston-log.js:56:1)
    at Module._compile (module.js:432:26)
    at Object..js (module.js:450:10)
    at Module.load (module.js:351:31)
    at Function._load (module.js:310:12)
    at Array.0 (module.js:470:10)
    at EventEmitter._tickCallback (node.js:192:40)

Winston Handled Exception (json=false)

13 Jan 13:37:46 - error: uncaughtException pid=4874, uid=0, gid=0, cwd=/var/log/clipboard, execPath=/usr/local/bin/node, version=v0.6.5, argv=[node, /clipboard/src/node/winston-log.js], rss=12767232, heapTotal=7829952, heapUsed=3200976, loadavg=[0.6064453125, 0.48388671875, 0.4375], uptime=10935.226142303, trace=[column=1, file=/clipboard/src/node/winston-log.js, function=, line=56, method=null, native=false, column=26, file=module.js, function=Module._compile, line=432, method=_compile, native=false, column=10, file=module.js, function=Object..js, line=450, method=.js, native=false, column=31, file=module.js, function=Module.load, line=351, method=load, native=false, column=12, file=module.js, function=Function._load, line=310, method=_load, native=false, column=10, file=module.js, function=Array.0, line=470, method=0, native=false, column=40, file=node.js, function=EventEmitter._tickCallback, line=192, method=_tickCallback, native=false], stack=[ReferenceError: x is not defined,     at Object.<anonymous> (/clipboard/src/node/winston-log.js:56:1),     at Module._compile (module.js:432:26),     at Object..js (module.js:450:10),     at Module.load (module.js:351:31),     at Function._load (module.js:310:12),     at Array.0 (module.js:470:10),     at EventEmitter._tickCallback (node.js:192:40)]

Winston Handled Exception (json=true)

{"process":{"pid":4879,"uid":0,"gid":0,"cwd":"/var/log/clipboard","execPath":"/usr/local/bin/node","version":"v0.6.5","argv":["node","/clipboard/src/node/winston-log.js"],"memoryUsage":{"rss":12902400,"heapTotal":7829952,"heapUsed":3230752}},"os":{"loadavg":[0.33642578125,0.4287109375,0.42041015625],"uptime":10967.267525449},"trace":[{"column":1,"file":"/clipboard/src/node/winston-log.js","function":"","line":56,"method":null,"native":false},{"column":26,"file":"module.js","function":"Module._compile","line":432,"method":"_compile","native":false},{"column":10,"file":"module.js","function":"Object..js","line":450,"method":".js","native":false},{"column":31,"file":"module.js","function":"Module.load","line":351,"method":"load","native":false},{"column":12,"file":"module.js","function":"Function._load","line":310,"method":"_load","native":false},{"column":10,"file":"module.js","function":"Array.0","line":470,"method":"0","native":false},{"column":40,"file":"node.js","function":"EventEmitter._tickCallback","line":192,"method":"_tickCallback","native":false}],"stack":["ReferenceError: x is not defined","    at Object.<anonymous> (/clipboard/src/node/winston-log.js:56:1)","    at Module._compile (module.js:432:26)","    at Object..js (module.js:450:10)","    at Module.load (module.js:351:31)","    at Function._load (module.js:310:12)","    at Array.0 (module.js:470:10)","    at EventEmitter._tickCallback (node.js:192:40)"],"level":"error","message":"uncaughtException","timestamp":"13 Jan 13:38:18"}

The problem is that the preserved formatting as seen at the top is blown away, which means during realtime analysis of a live-site issue. I love the idea of the exception handling, but as it stands redirecting stderr and stdout is more robust than using the File Transports.

The problem is that the preserved formatting as seen at the top is blown away

Yeah, I can see that being a problem. There are a lot of opinions wrt how logging should be done, and unfortunately Winston conflates formatting with transport.

redirecting stderr and stdout is more robust

To me, "robust" means "the information is straight up gone," not "man now I have to parse God knows what to figure out wth went wrong with my app, GREAT." I mean, I obviously understand why the Winston-based file transport formatting is less than ideal, but you haven't actually lost any logs from what I can tell.