diff --git a/.gitignore b/.gitignore
index f9b17c714..4c1ba2c22 100644
--- a/.gitignore
+++ b/.gitignore
@@ -21,6 +21,7 @@ locales/
 .DS_Store
 
 # debug and profile files
+logs/
 /DEBUG.toml
 /LOGGING.toml
 /LOGGING[0-9]*.toml
diff --git a/DEBUG_template.toml b/DEBUG_template.toml
index 81fb46e98..9f8758b13 100644
--- a/DEBUG_template.toml
+++ b/DEBUG_template.toml
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 [LIBRARY]
-### use the pip installed version of inkex.py, default: True
+### use the pip installed version of inkex.py, default: true
 # prefer_pip_inkex = false
 
 [LOGGING]
@@ -7,51 +7,51 @@
 ### we may have multiple configurations: LOGGING.toml, LOGGING1.toml, LOGGING2.toml, etc.
 # log_config_file = "LOGGING.toml"
 
-### disable globally logging: default: False - using logging.disable()
+### disable globally logging: default: false - using logging.disable()
 ### reenable logging.disable(0)
 # disable_logging = true
 
 [DEBUG]
-### simulate frozen mode, overwrite running_as_frozen in inkstitch.py, default: False
+### simulate frozen mode, overwrite running_as_frozen in inkstitch.py, default: false
 # force_frozen = true
 
-### select one active debug_type, default: none
+### select one active debug_type, default: "none"
 # debug_type = "vscode"
 # debug_type = "pycharm"
 # debug_type = "pydev"
 
-### enable debugger, see cmd line arg -d, default: False
+### enable debugger, see cmd line arg -d, default: false
 # debug_enable = true
 
-### debug log output to file even if debugger is not enabled, default: False
+### debug log output to file even if debugger is not enabled, default: false
 # debug_to_file = true
 
-### disable debugger when calling from inkscape, default: False
+### disable debugger when calling from inkscape, default: false
 # disable_from_inkscape = true
 
-### wait for debugger to attach (vscode), default: True
+### wait for debugger to attach (vscode), default: true
 # wait_attach = false
 
-### debug log file, default: debug.log
+### debug log file, default: "debug.log"
 # debug_log_file = "debug.log"
 
-### debug file for graph related things, default: debug.svg
+### debug file for graph related things, default: "debug.svg"
 # debug_svg_file = "debug.svg"
 
-### creation of bash script, default: False
+### creation of bash script, default: false
 # create_bash_script = true
 
-### base name for bash script, default: debug_inkstitch
+### base name for bash script, default: "debug_inkstitch"
 # bash_file_base = "debug_inkstitch"
 
 [PROFILE]
-### select one active profiler_type, default: none
+### select one active profiler_type, default: "none"
 # profiler_type = "cprofile"
 # profiler_type = "profile"
 # profiler_type = "pyinstrument"
 
-### enable profiler, see cmd line arg -p, default: False
+### enable profiler, see cmd line arg -p, default: false
 # profile_enable = true
 
-### base name for profile output files, default: debug_profile
-# profile_file_base = "debug_profile"
+### base name for profile output files, default: "debug_profile"
+# profile_file_base = "logs/debug_profile"
diff --git a/LOGGING_template.toml b/LOGGING_template.toml
index 589aed156..ed7e34c00 100644
--- a/LOGGING_template.toml
+++ b/LOGGING_template.toml
@@ -1,20 +1,20 @@
-# logging/warning template for inkstitch
-# format: toml
-# enable config file in DEBUG.toml: log_config_file
-
-# warnings.simplefilter(action), default: "default"
-# - possible values: "error", "ignore", "always", "default", "module", "once"
+### logging/warning template for inkstitch
+### format: toml
+### enable config file in DEBUG.toml: log_config_file
+###
+### warnings.simplefilter(action), default: "default"
+### - possible values: "error", "ignore", "always", "default", "module", "once"
 warnings_action = "default"
 
-# logging.captureWarnings()  default: true
-# - possible values: true, false
+### logging.captureWarnings()  default: true
+### - possible values: true, false
 warnings_capture = true
 
-# mandatory, must be an integer and 1
+### mandatory, must be an integer and 1
 version = 1
 
-# false - to keep existing loggers, not specified here
-# true  - to disable all loggers not specified here
+### false - to keep existing loggers, not specified here
+### true  - to disable all loggers not specified here
 disable_existing_loggers = false
 
 [filters]
@@ -22,17 +22,25 @@ disable_existing_loggers = false
 [formatters.simple]
     format = "%(asctime)s [%(levelname)s]: %(filename)s.%(funcName)s: %(message)s"
 
-[handlers.file]
+[handlers.file_inkstitch]
     class = "logging.FileHandler"
     formatter = "simple"
-    filename = "%(SCRIPTDIR)s/inkstitch.log"
+    filename = "%(SCRIPTDIR)s/logs/inkstitch.log"
     mode = "w"
 
+[handlers.file_root]
+    class = "logging.FileHandler"
+    formatter = "simple"
+    filename = "%(SCRIPTDIR)s/logs/inkstitch_root.log"
+    mode = "w"
+
+### inkstitch logger
 [loggers.inkstitch]
     level = "DEBUG"
-    handlers = [ "file",]
+    handlers = [ "file_inkstitch",]
     propagate = false
 
+### loggers not specified here will be managed by the root logger
 [loggers.root]
     level = "DEBUG"
-    handlers = [ "file",]
+    handlers = [ "file_root",]
diff --git a/inkstitch.py b/inkstitch.py
index 09e3a91de..b252eb93e 100644
--- a/inkstitch.py
+++ b/inkstitch.py
@@ -21,18 +21,18 @@ SCRIPTDIR = Path(__file__).parent.absolute()
 
 logger = logging.getLogger("inkstitch")   # create module logger with name 'inkstitch'
 
-# temporary - catch old DEBUG.ini file and inform user to reformat it to DEBUG.toml
+# TODO --- temporary --- catch old DEBUG.ini file and inform user to reformat it to DEBUG.toml
 old_debug_ini = SCRIPTDIR / "DEBUG.ini"
 if old_debug_ini.exists():
     print("ERROR: old DEBUG.ini exists, please reformat it to DEBUG.toml and remove DEBUG.ini file")
     exit(1)
+# --- end of temporary ---
 
 debug_toml = SCRIPTDIR / "DEBUG.toml"
 if debug_toml.exists():
     ini = toml.load(SCRIPTDIR / "DEBUG.toml")  # read DEBUG.toml file if exists, otherwise use default values in ini object
 else:
     ini = {}
-print(ini)  # TODO remove this line after DEBUG.ini is not used anymore
 # --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
 running_as_frozen = getattr(sys, 'frozen', None) is not None  # check if running from pyinstaller bundle
@@ -72,7 +72,12 @@ if running_as_frozen:  # in release mode
         logfilename = Path(docpath).with_suffix('.inkstitch.log')  # log file is created in document path
         loglevel = loglevel.upper()
 
-        logging.config.dictConfig(debug_logging.frozen_config)  # configure root logger from dict - using loglevel, logfilename
+        # dictConfig has access to top level variables
+        # in dict config string we use:
+        # - ext://__main__.logfilename -> access to logfilename: user.svg.inkstitch.log
+        # - ext://__main__.loglevel -> access to loglevel: user defined log level
+        # restriction: variable must be last token in string
+        logging.config.dictConfig(debug_logging.frozen_config)  # configure root logger from dict
         logging.captureWarnings(True)                           # capture all warnings to log file with level WARNING
     else:
         logging.disable()                # globally disable all logging of all loggers
@@ -85,14 +90,16 @@ else:
         logging_config_file = Path(logging_config_file)
         if logging_config_file.exists():
             with open(logging_config_file, "r") as f:
-                development_config = toml.load(f)
+                development_config = toml.load(f) # -> dict
         else:
             raise FileNotFoundError(f"{logging_config_file} file not found")
     else:                         # if LOGGING.toml file does not exist, use default logging configuration
         loglevel = 'DEBUG'        # set log level to DEBUG
         logfilename = SCRIPTDIR / "inkstitch.log"  # log file is created in current directory
-        development_config = debug_logging.development_config
+        development_config = debug_logging.development_config # get TOML configuration from module
 
+    # we cannot use dictConfig() as above due to restrictions in logging current implementation
+    #   - we need replace: filename = "%(SCRIPTDIR)s/inkstitch.log" -> filename = "path/inkstitch.log"
     debug_logging.configure_logging(development_config, ini, SCRIPTDIR)  # initialize logging configuration
     logger.info("Running in development mode")
     logger.info(f"Using logging configuration from file: {logging_config_file}")
@@ -114,7 +121,7 @@ if not running_as_frozen:  # debugging/profiling only in development mode
     if not debug_active:
         debug_type = debug_utils.resolve_debug_type(ini)  # read debug type from ini file or cmd line
 
-    profile_type = debug_utils.resolve_profile_type(ini)  # read profile type from ini file or cmd line
+    profiler_type = debug_utils.resolve_profiler_type(ini)  # read profile type from ini file or cmd line
 
     if running_from_inkscape:
         # process creation of the Bash script - should be done before sys.path is modified, see below in prefere_pip_inkex
diff --git a/lib/debug.py b/lib/debug.py
index 190e9d49d..0b0fa1b7d 100644
--- a/lib/debug.py
+++ b/lib/debug.py
@@ -79,7 +79,7 @@ class Debug(object):
         self.current_layer = None
         self.group_stack = []
 
-    def enable(self, debug_type, debug_dir: Path, ini: dict):
+    def enable(self, debug_type:str, debug_dir: Path, ini: dict):
         # initilize file names and other parameters from DEBUG.toml file
         self.debug_dir = debug_dir  # directory where debug files are stored
         self.debug_log_file = safe_get(ini, "DEBUG", "debug_log_file", default="debug.log")
diff --git a/lib/debug_logging.py b/lib/debug_logging.py
index 85fa404a3..7d6a655f2 100644
--- a/lib/debug_logging.py
+++ b/lib/debug_logging.py
@@ -66,6 +66,7 @@
 
 import logging
 import warnings
+from pathlib import Path
 
 from .debug_utils import safe_get # mimic get method of dict with default value
 
@@ -74,7 +75,8 @@ logger = logging.getLogger('inkstitch')
 # example of logger configuration for release mode:
 # ------------------------------------------------
 # - logger suitable for release mode, where we assume that the directory of the input SVG file allows writing the log file.
-# - this config redirect all loggers to file svg_file.inkstitch.log to directory of svg file
+# - in inkstitch.py we check release mode and environment variable INKSTITCH_LOGLEVEL
+#   - this config redirect all loggers to file svg_file.inkstitch.log to directory of svg file
 # - set loglevel and logfilename in inkstitch.py before calling logging.config.dictConfig(frozen_config)
 frozen_config = {
     "version": 1,    # mandatory key and value (int) is 1
@@ -145,7 +147,7 @@ development_config = {
 # configure logging from dictionary:
 #  - capture all warnings to log file with level WARNING - depends on warnings_capture
 #  - set action for warnings: 'error', 'ignore', 'always', 'default', 'module', 'once' - depends on warnings_action
-def configure_logging(config, ini, SCRIPTDIR):
+def configure_logging(config:dict, ini:dict, SCRIPTDIR:Path):
     # replace %(SCRIPTDIR)s ->  script path in filenames
     config = evaluate_filenames(config, {'SCRIPTDIR': SCRIPTDIR})
     logging.config.dictConfig(config)  # configure loggers from dict - using loglevel, logfilename
@@ -160,9 +162,10 @@ def configure_logging(config, ini, SCRIPTDIR):
         logging.disable()  # globally disable all logging of all loggers
 
 
-# Evaluate filenames in logging configuration using myvars dictionary argument.
+# Evaluate filenames in logging configuration using dictionary argument: myvars.
 # - for external configuration file (eg. LOGGING.toml) we cannot pass parameters such as the current directory.
-# - we do that by replacing %(SCRIPTDIR)s ->  script path in filenames
+#   - we do: filename = "%(SCRIPTDIR)s/inkstitch.log" -> filename = "path/inkstitch.log"
+#
 # - example of usage:
 # "handlers": {
 #    "file": {
@@ -170,17 +173,22 @@ def configure_logging(config, ini, SCRIPTDIR):
 #         "filename": "%(SCRIPTDIR)s/xxx.log",  # <--- replace %(SCRIPTDIR)s ->  script path
 #    }
 # }
-#    config - logging configuration
-#    myvars - dictionary with variables
+#
 # returns: logging configuration with evaluated filenames
-def evaluate_filenames(cfg, myvars):
+def evaluate_filenames(cfg: dict, myvars: dict):
     for k, v in cfg.get('handlers', {}).items():
-        if 'filename' in v:
+        if 'filename' in v:                      # replace filename in handler
             cfg['handlers'][k]['filename'] = v['filename'] % myvars
+
+            # create logging directory if not exists
+            dirname = Path(cfg['handlers'][k]['filename']).parent
+            if not dirname.exists():
+                dirname.mkdir(parents=True, exist_ok=True)
     return cfg
 
 
-def startup_info(logger, SCRIPTDIR, running_as_frozen, running_from_inkscape, debug_active, debug_type, profiler_type):
+def startup_info(logger:logging.Logger, SCRIPTDIR:Path, running_as_frozen:bool, running_from_inkscape:bool,
+                 debug_active:bool, debug_type:str, profiler_type:str):
     logger.info(f"Running as frozen: {running_as_frozen}")
     logger.info(f"Running from inkscape: {running_from_inkscape}")
     logger.info(f"Debugger active: {debug_active}")
diff --git a/lib/debug_utils.py b/lib/debug_utils.py
index b37e72799..998e2ad87 100644
--- a/lib/debug_utils.py
+++ b/lib/debug_utils.py
@@ -177,7 +177,7 @@ def resolve_debug_type(ini: dict):
 
 
 # try to resolve profiler type from ini file or cmd line of bash
-def resolve_profile_type(ini: dict):
+def resolve_profiler_type(ini: dict):
     # enable/disable profiling from bash: -p
     if os.environ.get('INKSTITCH_PROFILE_ENABLE', '').lower() in ['true', '1', 'yes', 'y']:
         profile_enable = True
@@ -207,6 +207,10 @@ def profile(profiler_type, profile_dir: Path, ini: dict, extension, remaining_ar
     profile_file_base = safe_get(ini, "PROFILE", "profile_file_base", default="debug_profile")
     profile_file_path = profile_dir / profile_file_base  # Path object
 
+    # create directory if not exists
+    dirname = profile_file_path.parent
+    dirname.mkdir(parents=True, exist_ok=True)
+
     if profiler_type == 'cprofile':
         with_cprofile(extension, remaining_args, profile_file_path)
     elif profiler_type == 'profile':
@@ -217,7 +221,7 @@ def profile(profiler_type, profile_dir: Path, ini: dict, extension, remaining_ar
         raise ValueError(f"unknown profiler type: '{profiler_type}'")
 
 
-def with_cprofile(extension, remaining_args, profile_file_path):
+def with_cprofile(extension, remaining_args, profile_file_path:Path):
     '''
     profile with cProfile
     '''
@@ -238,7 +242,7 @@ def with_cprofile(extension, remaining_args, profile_file_path):
           file=sys.stderr)
 
 
-def with_profile(extension, remaining_args, profile_file_path):
+def with_profile(extension, remaining_args, profile_file_path:Path):
     '''
     profile with profile
     '''
@@ -257,7 +261,7 @@ def with_profile(extension, remaining_args, profile_file_path):
           file=sys.stderr)
 
 
-def with_pyinstrument(extension, remaining_args, profile_file_path):
+def with_pyinstrument(extension, remaining_args, profile_file_path:Path):
     '''
     profile with pyinstrument
     '''