Improve format of config terms and section references.
Signed-off-by: Adrian Hunter adrian.hunter@intel.com Acked-by: Ian Rogers irogers@google.com Reviewed-by: Andi Kleen ak@linux.intel.com --- tools/perf/Documentation/perf-intel-pt.txt | 486 +++++++++++---------- 1 file changed, 267 insertions(+), 219 deletions(-)
diff --git a/tools/perf/Documentation/perf-intel-pt.txt b/tools/perf/Documentation/perf-intel-pt.txt index 59ab1ff9d75f..ad39bf20f862 100644 --- a/tools/perf/Documentation/perf-intel-pt.txt +++ b/tools/perf/Documentation/perf-intel-pt.txt @@ -151,7 +151,7 @@ displayed as follows: There are two ways that instructions-per-cycle (IPC) can be calculated depending on the recording.
-If the 'cyc' config term (see config terms section below) was used, then IPC +If the 'cyc' config term (see <<_config_terms,config terms>> section below) was used, then IPC and cycle events are calculated using the cycle count from CYC packets, otherwise MTC packets are used - refer to the 'mtc' config term. When MTC is used, however, the values are less accurate because the timing is less accurate. @@ -239,7 +239,7 @@ which is the same as
-e intel_pt/tsc=1,noretcomp=0/
-Note there are now new config terms - see section 'config terms' further below. +Note there are other config terms - see section <<_config_terms,config terms>> further below.
The config terms are listed in /sys/devices/intel_pt/format. They are bit fields within the config member of the struct perf_event_attr which is @@ -311,217 +311,264 @@ perf_event_attr is displayed if the -vv option is used e.g. config terms ~~~~~~~~~~~~
-The June 2015 version of Intel 64 and IA-32 Architectures Software Developer -Manuals, Chapter 36 Intel Processor Trace, defined new Intel PT features. -Some of the features are reflect in new config terms. All the config terms are -described below. - -tsc Always supported. Produces TSC timestamp packets to provide - timing information. In some cases it is possible to decode - without timing information, for example a per-thread context - that does not overlap executable memory maps. - - The default config selects tsc (i.e. tsc=1). - -noretcomp Always supported. Disables "return compression" so a TIP packet - is produced when a function returns. Causes more packets to be - produced but might make decoding more reliable. - - The default config does not select noretcomp (i.e. noretcomp=0). - -psb_period Allows the frequency of PSB packets to be specified. - - The PSB packet is a synchronization packet that provides a - starting point for decoding or recovery from errors. - - Support for psb_period is indicated by: - - /sys/bus/event_source/devices/intel_pt/caps/psb_cyc - - which contains "1" if the feature is supported and "0" - otherwise. - - Valid values are given by: - - /sys/bus/event_source/devices/intel_pt/caps/psb_periods - - which contains a hexadecimal value, the bits of which represent - valid values e.g. bit 2 set means value 2 is valid. - - The psb_period value is converted to the approximate number of - trace bytes between PSB packets as: - - 2 ^ (value + 11) - - e.g. value 3 means 16KiB bytes between PSBs - - If an invalid value is entered, the error message - will give a list of valid values e.g. - - $ perf record -e intel_pt/psb_period=15/u uname - Invalid psb_period for intel_pt. Valid values are: 0-5 - - If MTC packets are selected, the default config selects a value - of 3 (i.e. psb_period=3) or the nearest lower value that is - supported (0 is always supported). Otherwise the default is 0. - - If decoding is expected to be reliable and the buffer is large - then a large PSB period can be used. - - Because a TSC packet is produced with PSB, the PSB period can - also affect the granularity to timing information in the absence - of MTC or CYC. - -mtc Produces MTC timing packets. - - MTC packets provide finer grain timestamp information than TSC - packets. MTC packets record time using the hardware crystal - clock (CTC) which is related to TSC packets using a TMA packet. - - Support for this feature is indicated by: - - /sys/bus/event_source/devices/intel_pt/caps/mtc - - which contains "1" if the feature is supported and - "0" otherwise. - - The frequency of MTC packets can also be specified - see - mtc_period below. - -mtc_period Specifies how frequently MTC packets are produced - see mtc - above for how to determine if MTC packets are supported. - - Valid values are given by: - - /sys/bus/event_source/devices/intel_pt/caps/mtc_periods - - which contains a hexadecimal value, the bits of which represent - valid values e.g. bit 2 set means value 2 is valid. - - The mtc_period value is converted to the MTC frequency as: - - CTC-frequency / (2 ^ value) - - e.g. value 3 means one eighth of CTC-frequency - - Where CTC is the hardware crystal clock, the frequency of which - can be related to TSC via values provided in cpuid leaf 0x15. - - If an invalid value is entered, the error message - will give a list of valid values e.g. - - $ perf record -e intel_pt/mtc_period=15/u uname - Invalid mtc_period for intel_pt. Valid values are: 0,3,6,9 - - The default value is 3 or the nearest lower value - that is supported (0 is always supported). - -cyc Produces CYC timing packets. - - CYC packets provide even finer grain timestamp information than - MTC and TSC packets. A CYC packet contains the number of CPU - cycles since the last CYC packet. Unlike MTC and TSC packets, - CYC packets are only sent when another packet is also sent. - - Support for this feature is indicated by: - - /sys/bus/event_source/devices/intel_pt/caps/psb_cyc - - which contains "1" if the feature is supported and - "0" otherwise. - - The number of CYC packets produced can be reduced by specifying - a threshold - see cyc_thresh below. - -cyc_thresh Specifies how frequently CYC packets are produced - see cyc - above for how to determine if CYC packets are supported. - - Valid cyc_thresh values are given by: - - /sys/bus/event_source/devices/intel_pt/caps/cycle_thresholds - - which contains a hexadecimal value, the bits of which represent - valid values e.g. bit 2 set means value 2 is valid. - - The cyc_thresh value represents the minimum number of CPU cycles - that must have passed before a CYC packet can be sent. The - number of CPU cycles is: - - 2 ^ (value - 1) - - e.g. value 4 means 8 CPU cycles must pass before a CYC packet - can be sent. Note a CYC packet is still only sent when another - packet is sent, not at, e.g. every 8 CPU cycles. - - If an invalid value is entered, the error message - will give a list of valid values e.g. - - $ perf record -e intel_pt/cyc,cyc_thresh=15/u uname - Invalid cyc_thresh for intel_pt. Valid values are: 0-12 - - CYC packets are not requested by default. - -pt Specifies pass-through which enables the 'branch' config term. - - The default config selects 'pt' if it is available, so a user will - never need to specify this term. - -branch Enable branch tracing. Branch tracing is enabled by default so to - disable branch tracing use 'branch=0'. - - The default config selects 'branch' if it is available. - -ptw Enable PTWRITE packets which are produced when a ptwrite instruction - is executed. - - Support for this feature is indicated by: - - /sys/bus/event_source/devices/intel_pt/caps/ptwrite - - which contains "1" if the feature is supported and - "0" otherwise. - - As an alternative, refer to "Emulated PTWRITE" further below. - -fup_on_ptw Enable a FUP packet to follow the PTWRITE packet. The FUP packet - provides the address of the ptwrite instruction. In the absence of - fup_on_ptw, the decoder will use the address of the previous branch - if branch tracing is enabled, otherwise the address will be zero. - Note that fup_on_ptw will work even when branch tracing is disabled. - -pwr_evt Enable power events. The power events provide information about - changes to the CPU C-state. - - Support for this feature is indicated by: - - /sys/bus/event_source/devices/intel_pt/caps/power_event_trace - - which contains "1" if the feature is supported and - "0" otherwise. - -event Enable Event Trace. The events provide information about asynchronous - events. - - Support for this feature is indicated by: - - /sys/bus/event_source/devices/intel_pt/caps/event_trace - - which contains "1" if the feature is supported and - "0" otherwise. - -notnt Disable TNT packets. Without TNT packets, it is not possible to walk - executable code to reconstruct control flow, however FUP, TIP, TIP.PGE - and TIP.PGD packets still indicate asynchronous control flow, and (if - return compression is disabled - see noretcomp) return statements. - The advantage of eliminating TNT packets is reducing the size of the - trace and corresponding tracing overhead. - - Support for this feature is indicated by: - - /sys/bus/event_source/devices/intel_pt/caps/tnt_disable - - which contains "1" if the feature is supported and - "0" otherwise. +Config terms are parameters specified with the -e intel_pt// event option, +for example: + + -e intel_pt/cyc/ + +which selects cycle accurate mode. Each config term can have a value which +defaults to 1, so the above is the same as: + + -e intel_pt/cyc=1/ + +Some terms are set by default, so must be set to 0 to turn them off. For +example, to turn off branch tracing: + + -e intel_pt/branch=0/ + +Multiple config terms are separated by commas, for example: + + -e intel_pt/cyc,mtc_period=9/ + +There are also common config terms, see linkperf:perf-record[1] documentation. + +Intel PT config terms are described below. + +*tsc*:: +Always supported. Produces TSC timestamp packets to provide +timing information. In some cases it is possible to decode +without timing information, for example a per-thread context +that does not overlap executable memory maps. ++ +The default config selects tsc (i.e. tsc=1). + +*noretcomp*:: +Always supported. Disables "return compression" so a TIP packet +is produced when a function returns. Causes more packets to be +produced but might make decoding more reliable. ++ +The default config does not select noretcomp (i.e. noretcomp=0). + +*psb_period*:: +Allows the frequency of PSB packets to be specified. ++ +The PSB packet is a synchronization packet that provides a +starting point for decoding or recovery from errors. ++ +Support for psb_period is indicated by: ++ + /sys/bus/event_source/devices/intel_pt/caps/psb_cyc ++ +which contains "1" if the feature is supported and "0" +otherwise. ++ +Valid values are given by: ++ + /sys/bus/event_source/devices/intel_pt/caps/psb_periods ++ +which contains a hexadecimal value, the bits of which represent +valid values e.g. bit 2 set means value 2 is valid. ++ +The psb_period value is converted to the approximate number of +trace bytes between PSB packets as: ++ + 2 ^ (value + 11) ++ +e.g. value 3 means 16KiB bytes between PSBs ++ +If an invalid value is entered, the error message +will give a list of valid values e.g. ++ + $ perf record -e intel_pt/psb_period=15/u uname + Invalid psb_period for intel_pt. Valid values are: 0-5 ++ +If MTC packets are selected, the default config selects a value +of 3 (i.e. psb_period=3) or the nearest lower value that is +supported (0 is always supported). Otherwise the default is 0. ++ +If decoding is expected to be reliable and the buffer is large +then a large PSB period can be used. ++ +Because a TSC packet is produced with PSB, the PSB period can +also affect the granularity to timing information in the absence +of MTC or CYC. + +*mtc*:: +Produces MTC timing packets. ++ +MTC packets provide finer grain timestamp information than TSC +packets. MTC packets record time using the hardware crystal +clock (CTC) which is related to TSC packets using a TMA packet. ++ +Support for this feature is indicated by: ++ + /sys/bus/event_source/devices/intel_pt/caps/mtc ++ +which contains "1" if the feature is supported and +"0" otherwise. ++ +The frequency of MTC packets can also be specified - see +mtc_period below. + +*mtc_period*:: +Specifies how frequently MTC packets are produced - see mtc +above for how to determine if MTC packets are supported. ++ +Valid values are given by: ++ + /sys/bus/event_source/devices/intel_pt/caps/mtc_periods ++ +which contains a hexadecimal value, the bits of which represent +valid values e.g. bit 2 set means value 2 is valid. ++ +The mtc_period value is converted to the MTC frequency as: + + CTC-frequency / (2 ^ value) ++ +e.g. value 3 means one eighth of CTC-frequency ++ +Where CTC is the hardware crystal clock, the frequency of which +can be related to TSC via values provided in cpuid leaf 0x15. ++ +If an invalid value is entered, the error message +will give a list of valid values e.g. ++ + $ perf record -e intel_pt/mtc_period=15/u uname + Invalid mtc_period for intel_pt. Valid values are: 0,3,6,9 ++ +The default value is 3 or the nearest lower value +that is supported (0 is always supported). + +*cyc*:: +Produces CYC timing packets. ++ +CYC packets provide even finer grain timestamp information than +MTC and TSC packets. A CYC packet contains the number of CPU +cycles since the last CYC packet. Unlike MTC and TSC packets, +CYC packets are only sent when another packet is also sent. ++ +Support for this feature is indicated by: ++ + /sys/bus/event_source/devices/intel_pt/caps/psb_cyc ++ +which contains "1" if the feature is supported and +"0" otherwise. ++ +The number of CYC packets produced can be reduced by specifying +a threshold - see cyc_thresh below. + +*cyc_thresh*:: +Specifies how frequently CYC packets are produced - see cyc +above for how to determine if CYC packets are supported. ++ +Valid cyc_thresh values are given by: ++ + /sys/bus/event_source/devices/intel_pt/caps/cycle_thresholds ++ +which contains a hexadecimal value, the bits of which represent +valid values e.g. bit 2 set means value 2 is valid. ++ +The cyc_thresh value represents the minimum number of CPU cycles +that must have passed before a CYC packet can be sent. The +number of CPU cycles is: ++ + 2 ^ (value - 1) ++ +e.g. value 4 means 8 CPU cycles must pass before a CYC packet +can be sent. Note a CYC packet is still only sent when another +packet is sent, not at, e.g. every 8 CPU cycles. ++ +If an invalid value is entered, the error message +will give a list of valid values e.g. ++ + $ perf record -e intel_pt/cyc,cyc_thresh=15/u uname + Invalid cyc_thresh for intel_pt. Valid values are: 0-12 ++ +CYC packets are not requested by default. + +*pt*:: +Specifies pass-through which enables the 'branch' config term. ++ +The default config selects 'pt' if it is available, so a user will +never need to specify this term. + +*branch*:: +Enable branch tracing. Branch tracing is enabled by default so to +disable branch tracing use 'branch=0'. ++ +The default config selects 'branch' if it is available. + +*ptw*:: +Enable PTWRITE packets which are produced when a ptwrite instruction +is executed. ++ +Support for this feature is indicated by: ++ + /sys/bus/event_source/devices/intel_pt/caps/ptwrite ++ +which contains "1" if the feature is supported and +"0" otherwise. ++ +As an alternative, refer to "Emulated PTWRITE" further below. + +*fup_on_ptw*:: +Enable a FUP packet to follow the PTWRITE packet. The FUP packet +provides the address of the ptwrite instruction. In the absence of +fup_on_ptw, the decoder will use the address of the previous branch +if branch tracing is enabled, otherwise the address will be zero. +Note that fup_on_ptw will work even when branch tracing is disabled. + +*pwr_evt*:: +Enable power events. The power events provide information about +changes to the CPU C-state. ++ +Support for this feature is indicated by: ++ + /sys/bus/event_source/devices/intel_pt/caps/power_event_trace ++ +which contains "1" if the feature is supported and +"0" otherwise. + +*event*:: +Enable Event Trace. The events provide information about asynchronous +events. ++ +Support for this feature is indicated by: ++ + /sys/bus/event_source/devices/intel_pt/caps/event_trace ++ +which contains "1" if the feature is supported and +"0" otherwise. + +*notnt*:: +Disable TNT packets. Without TNT packets, it is not possible to walk +executable code to reconstruct control flow, however FUP, TIP, TIP.PGE +and TIP.PGD packets still indicate asynchronous control flow, and (if +return compression is disabled - see noretcomp) return statements. +The advantage of eliminating TNT packets is reducing the size of the +trace and corresponding tracing overhead. ++ +Support for this feature is indicated by: ++ + /sys/bus/event_source/devices/intel_pt/caps/tnt_disable ++ +which contains "1" if the feature is supported and +"0" otherwise. + + +config terms on other events +~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ + +Some Intel PT features work with other events, features such as AUX area sampling +and PEBS-via-PT. In those cases, the other events can have config terms below: + +*aux-sample-size*:: + Used to set the AUX area sample size, refer to the section + <<_aux_area_sampling_option,AUX area sampling option>> + +*aux-output*:: + Used to select PEBS-via-PT, refer to the + section <<_pebs_via_intel_pt,PEBS via Intel PT>>
AUX area sampling option @@ -596,7 +643,8 @@ The default snapshot size is the auxtrace mmap size. If neither auxtrace mmap s nor snapshot size is specified, then the default is 4MiB for privileged users (or if /proc/sys/kernel/perf_event_paranoid < 0), 128KiB for unprivileged users. If an unprivileged user does not specify mmap pages, the mmap pages will be -reduced as described in the 'new auxtrace mmap size option' section below. +reduced as described in the <<_new_auxtrace_mmap_size_option,new auxtrace mmap size option>> +section below.
The snapshot size is displayed if the option -vv is used e.g.
@@ -952,11 +1000,11 @@ transaction start, commit or abort.
Note that "instructions", "cycles", "branches" and "transactions" events depend on code flow packets which can be disabled by using the config term -"branch=0". Refer to the config terms section above. +"branch=0". Refer to the <<_config_terms,config terms>> section above.
"ptwrite" events record the payload of the ptwrite instruction and whether "fup_on_ptw" was used. "ptwrite" events depend on PTWRITE packets which are -recorded only if the "ptw" config term was used. Refer to the config terms +recorded only if the "ptw" config term was used. Refer to the <<_config_terms,config terms>> section above. perf script "synth" field displays "ptwrite" information like this: "ip: 0 payload: 0x123456789abcdef0" where "ip" is 1 if "fup_on_ptw" was used. @@ -964,7 +1012,7 @@ used. "Power" events correspond to power event packets and CBR (core-to-bus ratio) packets. While CBR packets are always recorded when tracing is enabled, power event packets are recorded only if the "pwr_evt" config term was used. Refer to -the config terms section above. The power events record information about +the <<_config_terms,config terms>> section above. The power events record information about C-state changes, whereas CBR is indicative of CPU frequency. perf script "event,synth" fields display information like this:
@@ -1120,7 +1168,7 @@ What *will* be decoded with the (single) q option: - asynchronous branches such as interrupts - indirect branches - function return target address *if* the noretcomp config term (refer - config terms section) was used + <<_config_terms,config terms>> section) was used - start of (control-flow) tracing - end of (control-flow) tracing, if it is not out of context - power events, ptwrite, transaction start and abort @@ -1133,7 +1181,7 @@ Repeating the q option (double-q i.e. qq) results in even faster decoding and ev less detail. The decoder decodes only extended PSB (PSB+) packets, getting the instruction pointer if there is a FUP packet within PSB+ (i.e. between PSB and PSBEND). Note PSB packets occur regularly in the trace based on the psb_period -config term (refer config terms section). There will be a FUP packet if the +config term (refer <<_config_terms,config terms>> section). There will be a FUP packet if the PSB+ occurs while control flow is being traced.
What will *not* be decoded with the qq option: