SMIT Help Information for Trace

Note: The information contained in this article is structured as help information for the System Management Interface Tool (SMIT) and is not intended for use as a procedural or conceptual article.

Trace

The trace facility helps you monitor selected system events. Events that can be monitored include: entry and exit to selected subroutines, kernel routines, kernel extension routines, and interrupt handlers. When the trace facility is active, information about these events is recorded in a system trace log file.


The trace facility helps you monitor selected system events. Events that can be monitored include: entry and exit to selected subroutines, kernel routines, kernel extension routines, and interrupt handlers. When the trace facility is active, information about these events is recorded in a system trace log file.


Start Trace

Starts the collection of trace data.


Starts the collection of trace data.


Event GROUPS to trace

An event group is a collection of event trace hooks related to a specific topic. For example, group proc, EXECS, FORKS, EXITS, contains trace hook IDs 134, 135, and 139. These hook IDs correspond to the appropriate system calls.


ADDITIONAL event IDs to trace

Specify the events for which you want to collect trace data. In addition to the events you choose, you should also specify the following (otherwise the information reported by the trcrpt could be incomplete):

001 TRACE ON
002 TRACE OFF
106 DISPATCH
10C DISPATCH IDLE PROCESS
134 EXEC SYSTEM CALL
139 FORK SYSTEM CALL
465 KTHREAD CREATE

The system uses the listed events in generating trace reports.


Event IDs to EXCLUDE from trace

Specify the events for which you want to exclude trace data. Excluding the following events may lead to incomplete information in the trace report:

001 TRACE ON
002 TRACE OFF
106 DISPATCH
10C DISPATCH IDLE PROCESS
134 EXEC SYSTEM CALL
139 FORK SYSTEM CALL
465 KTHREAD CREATE

The system excludes the listed events in generating trace reports.


Trace MODE

There are three modes of trace data collection: alternate, single, and circular. In alternate mode, all trace events are captured in the trace log file. In single mode, the collection of trace data stops when the in-memory trace buffer fills up and the contents of the buffer are captured in the trace log file. In circular mode, the trace events wrap within the in-memory buffers and are not captured in the trace log file until the trace data collection is stopped.


Stop When Logfile FILLS?

Select whether you want the trace facility to stop tracing when the trace log fills.


Logfile

Enter the name of a logfile in which the trace data is to be stored. The default file is /usr/adm/ras/trcfile.


Prepend DATE-SYSTEM HEADER to logfile?

Normally, the trace daemon writes a header record with the date and time (from the date command) at the beginning of the trace log, the system name, version and release, the node identification, and the machine identification (from the uname -a command), and a user-defined message. At the beginning of the trace log, the information from the header record is included in the output of the trcrpt command.


Run in INTERACTIVE mode?

Runs the trace in an asynchronous, or interactive, mode. The trace daemon does not accept subcommands when run asynchronously.


Trace BUFFER size in bytes

Enter the desired size of the trace buffer. The default trace buffer size is 128K bytes.

Note: In the interactive and circular modes the buffer size must be less than half the log file size. In single mode the trace buffer size must be smaller than the log file size.


LOGFILE size in bytes

Enter the desired size of the trace log file. The default trace log file size is 1.28M bytes.

Note: In the interactive and circular modes the buffer size must be less than half the log file size. In single mode the trace buffer size must be smaller than the log file size.


Stop Trace

Stops the trace function.

Note: There is no SMIT Screen for this menu option. The system immediately begins to halt the trace facility when you select this option.


Stops the trace function.

Note: There is no SMIT Screen for this menu option. The system immediately begins to halt the trace facility when you select this option.


Generate a Trace Report

Writes a report from the trace log file to a screen, printer, or to another file.


Writes a report from the trace log file to a screen, printer, or to another file.


Writes a report from the trace log file to a screen, printer, or to another file.


Show exec PATHNAMES for each event?

Select whether you wish the exec path names to be displayed (or printed) in the trace report. The default is yes.


Show PROCESSIDs for each event?

Select whether you wish the process IDs to be displayed (or printed) in the trace report. The default is no.


Show CURRENT SYSTEM CALL for each event?

Select whether you wish the current system calls to be displayed (or printed) in the trace report. The default is yes.


Time INCREMENTS for report or Time Calculations

Controls the timestamp associated with an event in the trace report. The possible values are:

Elapsed+delta in milliseconds - Time elapsed since the trace was started. Values for elapsed seconds and delta milliseconds are returned to the nearest nanosecond and microsecond respectively.

Elapsed only - Time elapsed in microseconds since the trace was started.

Elapsed+delta in microseconds - Time elapsed since the trace was started. Values for elapsed seconds and delta microseconds are returned to the nearest nanosecond and microsecond respectively.

None - No time values will be displayed or printed in the trace report.


IDs of events to INCLUDE in report

Specify which trace IDs should be included in the trace report.


IDs of events to EXCLUDE from report

Specify which trace IDs should not be included in the trace report.


STARTING time

Starts the report time with entries on or later than the specified date where the Date parameter has the form mmddhhmmssyy (month, day, hour, minute, second, and year).


ENDING time

Ends the report time with entries on, or before the specified date where the Date parameter has the form mmddhhmmssyy (month, day, hour, minute, second, and year).


Filename for trace report

Enter the name of the file that will contain the trace report. If no file name is specified, the trace report will be written to standard output. The error report can be printed only if it is written in a file.


Enter the name of the file that will contain the trace report. If no file name is specified, the trace report will be written to standard output. The error report can be printed only if it is written in a file.


trcrpt command

The default file from which the system generates a trace report is /var/adm/ras/trcfile, but you may specify an alternate File parameter.


trcstop command

The trcstop command issues an ioctl subroutine to the trace device driver to end the trace session.


Save PREVIOUS logfile?

Select yes to save the previous trace log file by appending .old to its name.


Prepend PS/NM/LOCK HEADER to logfile?

Select yes to include extra header information in the trace log file.


Show THREAD IDs for each event?

Select yes to include thread IDs for each event in the trace report.


Select the type of trace buffer allocation you want to use. Automatic allocates buffers from the kernel heap, if possible, and places the buffers in separate segments only if the requested space cannot be obtained from the kernel heap. Kernel heap allocation forces buffers to be allocated from the kernel heap. Separate segment allocation forces buffers to be placed in separate segments.


Specify the decimal IDs of the currently running processes to be traced. If you do not specify a value, all processes are traced.


If you are tracing a program, specify the program and its parameters.


If you are tracing a specific process or program and want to propagate the trace, select one of the following:


If you are tracing a specific process or program and want to propagate the trace, select one of the following:


Manage Event Groups

Displays a list of Event Groups that are defined.


Creates an Event Group with the name, description, and trace hooks that you specify. If you wish, you can choose a template Event Group from which to base your new Event Group.


Shows the attributes (name, description, and trace hooks) for a specific Event Group. If the Event Group is not reserved, you can change the description or trace hooks for the Event Group.


Removes an Event Group from the system. You cannot remove reserved Event Groups.


Type the name of an existing Event Group to use as the template from which to base your new Event Group, or select it from the List box. Select the Do button or press the Enter key to display the Event Group creation template.

Information in this field is optional. If you specify nothing or if you specify a Event Group that does not exist, a template is not provided.


Type a string of characters that identifies this Event Group on the system. You can use letters, numbers, and some special characters in the ID. Blanks or commas are not allowed.


Type a string of characters that describes this Event Group. You can use letters, numbers, and some special characters in the description.


Specify one or more hook IDs to be part of the Event Group. You must specify at least one hook ID. The hook IDs must exist on the system. The trace hook ID is a string containing the trace hook IDs. Each hook ID contains three bytes. Separate the IDs with spaces. You can also use the List key to select the IDs from the displayed choices.


The Event Group whose attributes you want to change or view. The Event Group must already exist on the system. You cannot change a reserved Event Group.

You can type the name of an existing Event Group, or select it from the List box. When you select the Do button or press the Enter key, the Event Group's name, description, and trace hook IDs are displayed.


The name of the Event Group that you are changing or viewing. You cannot change the displayed information from this SMIT Screen.


Type the name of an existing Event Group that you want to remove from the system, or select an Event Group from the List box. You cannot specify or select a reserved Event Group to remove. Select the Do button or press the Enter key. If you confirm your choice in the displayed confirmation box, the Event Group is removed from the system. If you do not confirm your choice, you return to this SMIT Screen.


Provides options for listing and changing the current or default trace parameters. You must be a root user or privileged user to perform these operations.


The buffer size of the trace. The default size for a 32-bit kernel is 128kb. The default size for a 64-bit kernel is 256kb. The specified value applies to both kernels.


The size of the trace log file. The default size for a 32-bit kernel is 1310720 bytes. The default size for a 64-bit kernel is 2621440 bytes. The specified value applies to both kernels.


The path to the trace log file. The default path is /var/adm/ras/trcfile.


The maximum buffer size that a user without root authority can specify. The default size is 1MB or 1048576 bytes.


Changes the current settings to the default settings.


Specify the WPAR names of the currently running WPARs to be traced. Specify keyword Global, to include this system in the trace. If you do not specify a value, all WPARs and the Global will be traced.


Select yes to save the WPAR's configuration ID (CID) in each trace entry. These CIDs can then be displayed and used in filtering in the trcrpt command.


Select whether you wish the WPAR Names to be displayed (or printed) in the trace report. The default is no.


Select whether you wish the WPAR configured IDs (CID) to be displayed (or printed) in the trace report. The default is no.


Specify a list of WPARs to be included in the trace report.