Error Reporting in the API

Currently, it's a well known fact that the CauseTracker does provide a lot of information with regards to providing exceptions and debugging information for Sponge developers to be able to fix bugs in the implementation. Be it that those bugs are directly our fault, or bugs that are interactions with other mods at play. The issue however, is that there is no way to expose this for plugins to provide a more suitable object use for plugins to provide more useful information, unless they spend the time themselves to make their own error reporting framework.

Internally, Sponge uses the PrettyPrinter from Mixins, but this isn't suitable for the API. Since it is something that is strictly for logging purposes, making the logs provide more formatted information in sections or indented objects requires some manual work.

That being said, what I'd like to be able to provide is an API that can be used both in implementation and from plugins to turn error reports from the following:

/**********************************************************************************************************************************************/
/*                                                 Exception trying to process over a phase!                                                  */
/**********************************************************************************************************************************************/
/* PhaseContext :                                                                                                                             */
/*         - Name: CapturedExplosion                                                                                                          */
/*           Object: CaptureExplosion{explosion=net.minecraft.world.Explosion@3155f420}                                                       */
/*         - Name: CapturedEntities                                                                                                           */
/*           Object: CapturedEntitiesSupplier{Captured=0}                                                                                     */
/*         - Name: CapturedBlocks                                                                                                             */
/*           Object: CapturedBlocksSupplier{Captured=109}                                                                                     */
/*         - Name: Owner                                                                                                                      */
/*           Object: EntityPlayerMP['Bammerbom'/62, l='creative', x=-314,81, y=69,12, z=327,91]                                               */
/*         - Name: Source                                                                                                                     */
/*           Object: EntityTNTPrimed['Block of TNT'/266, l='creative', x=-320,38, y=64,00, z=325,49]                                          */
/* Stacktrace:                                                                                                                                */
/* java.lang.IllegalStateException: Expected to be capturing a block position during an explosion! Please analyze the current phase context.  */
/*     org.spongepowered.common.event.tracking.TrackingUtil.lambda$throwWithContext$3(TrackingUtil.java:471)                                  */
/*     java.util.Optional.orElseThrow(Optional.java:290)                                                                                      */
/*     org.spongepowered.common.event.tracking.phase.general.ExplosionState.spawnEntityOrCapture(ExplosionState.java:296)                     */
/*     org.spongepowered.common.event.tracking.phase.general.GeneralPhase.spawnEntityOrCapture(GeneralPhase.java:358)                         */
/*     org.spongepowered.common.event.tracking.CauseTracker.spawnEntity(CauseTracker.java:632)                                                */
/*     net.minecraft.world.WorldServer.spawnEntity(WorldServer.java:2731)                                                                     */
/*     net.minecraft.block.BlockTNT.redirect$onPrimePostExplosion$zbl000(BlockTNT.java:588)                                                   */
/*     net.minecraft.block.BlockTNT.onBlockDestroyedByExplosion(BlockTNT.java:73)                                                             */
/*     net.minecraft.block.Block.onBlockExploded(Block.java:1720)                                                                             */
/*     net.minecraft.world.Explosion.doExplosionB(Explosion.java:242)                                                                         */
/*     net.minecraft.world.WorldServer.newExplosion(WorldServer.java:3108)                                                                    */
/*     net.minecraft.world.WorldServer.triggerInternalExplosion(WorldServer.java:2710)                                                        */
/*     org.spongepowered.common.interfaces.entity.explosive.IMixinExplosive.detonate(IMixinExplosive.java:53)                                 */
/*     net.minecraft.entity.item.EntityTNTPrimed.redirect$onExplode$zem002(EntityTNTPrimed.java:669)                                          */
/*     net.minecraft.entity.item.EntityTNTPrimed.explode(EntityTNTPrimed.java:114)                                                            */
/*     net.minecraft.entity.item.EntityTNTPrimed.onUpdate(EntityTNTPrimed.java:101)                                                           */
/*     org.spongepowered.common.event.tracking.TrackingUtil.tickEntity(TrackingUtil.java:155)                                                 */
/*     net.minecraft.world.WorldServer.redirect$onCallEntityUpdate$zjp000(WorldServer.java:2900)                                              */
/*     net.minecraft.world.World.updateEntityWithOptionalForce(World.java:4379)                                                               */
/*     net.minecraft.world.WorldServer.updateEntityWithOptionalForce(WorldServer.java:879)                                                    */
/*     net.minecraft.world.World.updateEntity(World.java:2079)                                                                                */
/*     net.minecraft.world.World.updateEntities(World.java:6736)                                                                              */
/*     net.minecraft.world.WorldServer.updateEntities(WorldServer.java:2250)                                                                  */
/*     net.minecraft.server.MinecraftServer.updateTimeLightAndEntities(MinecraftServer.java:794)                                              */
/*     net.minecraft.server.dedicated.DedicatedServer.updateTimeLightAndEntities(DedicatedServer.java:402)                                    */
/*     net.minecraft.server.MinecraftServer.tick(MinecraftServer.java:698)                                                                    */
/*     net.minecraft.server.MinecraftServer.run(MinecraftServer.java:547)                                                                     */
/*     java.lang.Thread.run(Thread.java:745)                                                                                                  */
/**********************************************************************************************************************************************/

Into:


/******************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************/
/*                                                                            Completing incorrect phase                                                                                              */
/******************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************/
/* Sponge's tracking system is very dependent on knowing when a change to any world takes place, however, we are attempting to complete a "phase" other than the one we most recently entered. This.  */
/* is an error usually on Sponge's part, so a report is required on the issue tracker on GitHub.                                                                                                      */
/******************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************/
/* Expected to exit phase: ScheduledTaskPhaseState                                                                                                                                                    */
/* But instead found phase: PlaceBlockPacketState                                                                                                                                                     */
/*                                                                                                                                                                                                    */
/* StackTrace:                                                                                                                                                                                        */
/* java.lang.Exception: null                                                                                                                                                                          */
/*     org.spongepowered.common.event.tracking.CauseTracker.completePhase(CauseTracker.java:209)                                                                                                      */
/*     org.spongepowered.common.SpongeImplHooks.onUtilRunTask(SpongeImplHooks.java:248)                                                                                                               */
/*     net.minecraft.server.MinecraftServer.redirect$onRun$zhh000(MinecraftServer.java:3933)                                                                                                          */
/*     net.minecraft.server.MinecraftServer.func_71190_q(MinecraftServer.java:679)                                                                                                                    */
/*     net.minecraft.server.dedicated.DedicatedServer.func_71190_q(DedicatedServer.java:384)                                                                                                          */
/*     net.minecraft.server.MinecraftServer.func_71217_p(MinecraftServer.java:624)                                                                                                                    */
/*     net.minecraft.server.MinecraftServer.run(MinecraftServer.java:482)                                                                                                                             */
/*     java.lang.Thread.run(Unknown Source)                                                                                                                                                           */
/*                                                                                                                                                                                                    */
/*  Phases Remaining:                                                                                                                                                                                 */
/*   - Phase: PlaceBlockPacketState                                                                                                                                                                   */
/*     Context:                                                                                                                                                                                       */  
/*      Source           = EntityPlayerMP[‘t2wave’ /569, l=‘world’, x=-271.74, y=61.00, z=-760.44]                                                                                                    */
/*      PacketPlayer     = EntityPlayerMP[‘t2wave’ /569, l=‘world’, x=-271.74, y=61.00, z=-760.44]                                                                                                    */
/*      Packet           = CPacketPlayerTryUseItemOnBlock{position=BlockPos{x=-275, y=61, z=-763}, placedBlockDirection=east, hand=MAIN_HAND, facingX=1.0, facingY=0.48047763, facingZ=0.9991058}     */
/*      Cursor           = SpongeItemStackSnapshot{itemType=Item{Name=none}, count=1}                                                                                                                 */
/*      IgnoringCreative = false                                                                                                                                                                      */
/*      ItemUsed         = 1xtile.shulkerBoxMagenta@0                                                                                                                                                 */
/*      CapturedBlocks   = CapturedBlocksSupplier{Captured=0}                                                                                                                                         */
/*      CapturedEntities = CapturedEntitiesSupplier{Captured=0}                                                                                                                                       */
/*      Owner            = EntityPlayerMP['t2wave'/569, l='world', x=-271.74, y=61.00, z=-760.44]                                                                                                     */
/*      Notifier         = EntityPlayerMP['t2wave'/569, l='world', x=-271.74, y=61.00, z=-760.44]                                                                                                     */
/*   - Phase: ScheduledTaskPhaseState                                                                                                                                                                 */
/*     Context:                                                                                                                                                                                       */
/*      Source           = com.google.common.util.concurrent.ListenableFutureTask@59883f9b                                                                                                            */
/*      CapturedBlocks   = CapturedBlocksSupplier{Captured=0}                                                                                                                                         */
/*      CapturedEntities = CapturedEntitiesSupplier{Captured=0}                                                                                                                                       */
/*                                                                                                                                                                                                    */
/*  World: WorldServer                                                                                                                                                                                */
/*    LevelName: world                                                                                                                                                                                */
/*    DimensionId: 0                                                                                                                                                                                  */
/*    DimensionType: minecraft:overworld                                                                                                                                                              */
/*                                                                                                                                                                                                    */
/*  Implementation: SpongeForge                                                                                                                                                                       */
/*  Sponge Version: 1.11.2-2227-6.0.0-BETA-2204                                                                                                                                                       */
/*  API Version: 6.0.0-SNAPSHOT-c641cb0                                                                                                                                                               */
/*  Forge Version: 13.20.0.2204.                                                                                                                                                                      */
/*                                                                                                                                                                                                    */
/*  Plugins:                                                                                                                                                                                          */
/*   - SomeRandomPlugin(v.1.sleepy.0.0.calamitous.1437363538.7)                                                                                                                                       */
/*   - iDontKnowHowToVersion(1.23.100.12.3.16-a-build10)                                                                                                                                              */
/*   - IWasBornThisWay(03.2.34.12-39b23ac8                                                                                                                                                            */
/*   - VoxelSniper(8.0.1-git-5398db29a)                                                                                                                                                               */
/*                                                                                                                                                                                                    */
/*                                                                                                                                                                                                    */
/*  Mods:                                                                                                                                                                                             */
/*   - HowDoIASM(how.do.i.asm10.2.5931.b10)                                                                                                                                                           */
/*   - Thaumcraft(5.1.20b4)                                                                                                                                                                           */
/*   - minecraft{1.11.2} [Minecraft] (minecraft.jar)                                                                                                                                                  */
/*   - mcp{9.19} [Minecraft Coder Pack] (minecraft.jar)                                                                                                                                               */
/*   - FML{8.0.99.99} [Forge Mod Loader] (forge-1.11.2-13.20.0.2252-universal.jar)                                                                                                                    */
/*   - forge{13.20.0.2252} [Minecraft Forge] (forge-1.11.2-13.20.0.2252-universal.jar)                                                                                                                */
/*   - spongeapi{6.0.0-SNAPSHOT-c641cb0} [SpongeAPI] (spongeforge-1.11.2-2227-6.0.0-BETA-2204.jar)                                                                                                    */
/*   - sponge{1.11.2-2227-6.0.0-BETA-2204} [SpongeForge] (spongeforge-1.11.2-2227-6.0.0-BETA-2204.jar)                                                                                                */
/*   - foxcore{0.10.3-208} [FoxCore] (foxcore-0.10.3-208-server.jar)                                                                                                                                  */
/*   - foxguard{0.20.2-api5-347} [FoxGuard] (foxguard-0.20.2-api5-347-server.jar)                                                                                                                     */
/*   - ironchest{1.11-7.0.17.799} [Iron Chest] (ironchest-1.11-7.0.17.799.jar)                                                                                                                        */
/*   - nucleus{0.23.0-PR2-S6.0} [Nucleus] (Nucleus-0.23.0-PR2-1.11.2-S6.0-plugin.jar)                                                                                                                 */
/*   - worldedit{6.1.7-SNAPSHOT} [WorldEdit] (worldedit-sponge-6.1.7-SNAPSHOT-dist.jar)                                                                                                               */
/*                                                                                                                                                                                                    */
/******************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************/

That being said, I'll be opening a PR with this very description soon after some feedback is given by the community and developers.

Overall however, this would ideally be able to be PRINTED to file so that the reports can simply be copy pasted into a GitHub issue description without having to scroll through potentially hundreds if not thousands of lines of server logs.

Side note as per discussion with @kashike: Note Number 2: There will be a presentational difference to how the reports are presented in the console log versus how they will be presented in the report file itself, namely the borders will be removed when a report is printed to file.

SpongePowered / SpongeAPI

Error Reporting in the API #1504