How to collect `log.error`(slf4j) into the Elastic APM "Error" app?

Elastic Observability APM
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Kibana version: 7.9

Elasticsearch version: 7.9

APM Server version: 7.9

APM Agent language and version: 1.x

Browser version: N/A

Original install method (e.g. download page, yum, deb, from source, etc.) and version: kubernetes/docker

Fresh install or upgraded from other version? N/A

Is there anything special in your setup? For example, are you using the Logstash or Kafka outputs? Are you using a load balancer in front of the APM Servers? Have you changed index pattern, generated custom templates, changed agent configuration etc.

I setup by JAVA_TOOL_OPTIONS environment variable, with values such as -javaagent:/elastic/apm/agent/elastic-apm-agent.jar.

Description of the problem including expected versus actual behavior. Please include screenshots (if relevant):

Thanks for the product! I wonder how to collect log.error(slf4j) into the Elastic APM "Error" app? For example, I know that, when I throw new RuntimeException("hello"), the elastic APM will notice it, and I can see it in the APM "Errors" app in Kibana. However, when I do something like log.error("ouch apple={}", apple, e);, how can I see it in APM "Errors" app?

Steps to reproduce:

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Errors in browser console (if relevant): N/A

Provide logs and/or server output (if relevant): N/A

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As far as I remember, this usage of the logger doesn't treat e as a Throwable, but as a parameter, assuming that the first argument is a parametrized message (ignored in this case because there is only one parameter in the provided message). Therefore, the agent doesn't treat it as a Throwable either.
If you use log.error("ouch apple=apple", e), you should get an error reported for that.

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Nice catch! I did not thought of that. After reading the code I do see so. Thanks!

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@Eyal_Koren By the way, I wonder whether log.warn("str", e) will also be captured by elastic APM or not? Thanks!

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No, if a user doesn't consider something as error, we wouldn't want to do that.

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Hmm though sounds not that helpful to my case, thanks!

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Well, sorry about that...
In case you are not familiar, we have a public API that allows you to extend automatic tracing based on your specific needs, including the ability to capture an Exception in the correct span/transaction context.

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Hmm thanks all the same!

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