table of contents
PERF-SCRIPT(1) | PERF-SCRIPT(1) |
NAME¶
perf-script - Read perf.data (created by perf record) and display trace output
SYNOPSIS¶
perf script [<options>] perf script [<options>] record <script> [<record-options>] <command> perf script [<options>] report <script> [script-args] perf script [<options>] <script> <required-script-args> [<record-options>] <command> perf script [<options>] <top-script> [script-args]
DESCRIPTION¶
This command reads the input file and displays the trace recorded.
There are several variants of perf script:
'perf script' to see a detailed trace of the workload that was recorded.
You can also run a set of pre-canned scripts that aggregate and summarize the raw trace data in various ways (the list of scripts is available via 'perf script -l'). The following variants allow you to record and run those scripts:
'perf script record <script> <command>' to record the events required for 'perf script report'. <script> is the name displayed in the output of 'perf script --list' i.e. the actual script name minus any language extension. If <command> is not specified, the events are recorded using the -a (system-wide) 'perf record' option.
'perf script report <script> [args]' to run and display the results of <script>. <script> is the name displayed in the output of 'perf script --list' i.e. the actual script name minus any language extension. The perf.data output from a previous run of 'perf script record <script>' is used and should be present for this command to succeed. [args] refers to the (mainly optional) args expected by the script.
'perf script <script> <required-script-args> <command>' to both record the events required for <script> and to run the <script> using 'live-mode' i.e. without writing anything to disk. <script> is the name displayed in the output of 'perf script --list' i.e. the actual script name minus any language extension. If <command> is not specified, the events are recorded using the -a (system-wide) 'perf record' option. If <script> has any required args, they should be specified before <command>. This mode doesn't allow for optional script args to be specified; if optional script args are desired, they can be specified using separate 'perf script record' and 'perf script report' commands, with the stdout of the record step piped to the stdin of the report script, using the '-o -' and '-i -' options of the corresponding commands.
'perf script <top-script>' to both record the events required for <top-script> and to run the <top-script> using 'live-mode' i.e. without writing anything to disk. <top-script> is the name displayed in the output of 'perf script --list' i.e. the actual script name minus any language extension; a <top-script> is defined as any script name ending with the string 'top'.
[<record-options>] can be passed to the record steps of 'perf script record' and 'live-mode' variants; this isn't possible however for <top-script> 'live-mode' or 'perf script report' variants.
See the 'SEE ALSO' section for links to language-specific information on how to write and run your own trace scripts.
OPTIONS¶
<command>...
-D, --dump-raw-trace=
--dump-unsorted-raw-trace=
-L, --Latency=
-l, --list=
-s [lang], --script=
Process trace data with the given script ([lang]:script[.ext]). If the string lang is specified in place of a script name, a list of supported languages will be displayed instead.
-g, --gen-script=
--dlfilter=<file>
--dlarg=<arg>
--list-dlfilters
-a
-i, --input=
-d, --debug-mode
-F, --fields
Field list can be prepended with the type, trace, sw or hw, to indicate to which event type the field list applies. e.g., -F sw:comm,tid,time,ip,sym and -F trace:time,cpu,trace
perf script -F <fields>
is equivalent to:
perf script -F trace:<fields> -F sw:<fields> -F hw:<fields>
i.e., the specified fields apply to all event types if the type string is not given.
In addition to overriding fields, it is also possible to add or remove fields from the defaults. For example
-F -cpu,+insn
removes the cpu field and adds the insn field. Adding/removing fields cannot be mixed with normal overriding.
The arguments are processed in the order received. A later usage can reset a prior request. e.g.:
-F trace: -F comm,tid,time,ip,sym
The first -F suppresses trace events (field list is ""), but then the second invocation sets the fields to comm,tid,time,ip,sym. In this case a warning is given to the user:
"Overriding previous field request for all events."
Alternatively, consider the order:
-F comm,tid,time,ip,sym -F trace:
The first -F sets the fields for all events and the second -F suppresses trace events. The user is given a warning message about the override, and the result of the above is that only S/W and H/W events are displayed with the given fields.
It's possible tp add/remove fields only for specific event type:
-Fsw:-cpu,-period
removes cpu and period from software events.
For the 'wildcard' option if a user selected field is invalid for an event type, a message is displayed to the user that the option is ignored for that type. For example:
$ perf script -F comm,tid,trace 'trace' not valid for hardware events. Ignoring. 'trace' not valid for software events. Ignoring.
Alternatively, if the type is given an invalid field is specified it is an error. For example:
perf script -v -F sw:comm,tid,trace 'trace' not valid for software events.
At this point usage is displayed, and perf-script exits.
The flags field is synthesized and may have a value when Instruction Trace decoding. The flags are "bcrosyiABExghDt" which stand for branch, call, return, conditional, system, asynchronous, interrupt, transaction abort, trace begin, trace end, in transaction, VM-Entry, VM-Exit, interrupt disabled and interrupt disable toggle respectively. Known combinations of flags are printed more nicely e.g. "call" for "bc", "return" for "br", "jcc" for "bo", "jmp" for "b", "int" for "bci", "iret" for "bri", "syscall" for "bcs", "sysret" for "brs", "async" for "by", "hw int" for "bcyi", "tx abrt" for "bA", "tr strt" for "bB", "tr end" for "bE", "vmentry" for "bcg", "vmexit" for "bch". However the "x", "D" and "t" flags will be displayed separately in those cases e.g. "jcc (xD)" for a condition branch within a transaction with interrupts disabled. Note, interrupts becoming disabled is "t", whereas interrupts becoming enabled is "Dt".
The callindent field is synthesized and may have a value when Instruction Trace decoding. For calls and returns, it will display the name of the symbol indented with spaces to reflect the stack depth.
When doing instruction trace decoding, insn, disasm and insnlen give the instruction bytes, disassembled instructions (requires libcapstone support) and the instruction length of the current instruction respectively.
The synth field is used by synthesized events which may be created when Instruction Trace decoding.
The ipc (instructions per cycle) field is synthesized and may have a value when Instruction Trace decoding.
The machine_pid and vcpu fields are derived from data resulting from using perf inject to insert a perf.data file recorded inside a virtual machine into a perf.data file recorded on the host at the same time.
The cgroup fields requires sample having the cgroup id which is saved when "--all-cgroups" option is passed to 'perf record'.
Finally, a user may not set fields to none for all event types. i.e., -F "" is not allowed.
The brstack output includes branch related information with raw addresses using the /v/v/v/v/cycles syntax in the following order: FROM: branch source instruction TO : branch target instruction
M/P/-: M=branch target mispredicted or branch direction was mispredicted, P=target predicted or direction predicted, -=not supported X/- : X=branch inside a transactional region, -=not in transaction region or not supported A/- : A=TSX abort entry, -=not aborted region or not supported cycles
The brstacksym is identical to brstack, except that the FROM and TO addresses are printed in a symbolic form if possible.
When brstackinsn is specified the full assembler sequences of branch sequences for each sample is printed. This is the full execution path leading to the sample. This is only supported when the sample was recorded with perf record -b or -j any.
Use brstackinsnlen to print the brstackinsn lenght. For example, you can’t know the next sequential instruction after an unconditional branch unless you calculate that based on its length.
brstackdisasm acts like brstackinsn, but will print disassembled instructions if perf is built with the capstone library.
The brstackoff field will print an offset into a specific dso/binary.
With the metric option perf script can compute metrics for sampling periods, similar to perf stat. This requires specifying a group with multiple events defining metrics with the :S option for perf record. perf will sample on the first event, and print computed metrics for all the events in the group. Please note that the metric computed is averaged over the whole sampling period (since the last sample), not just for the sample point.
For sample events it's possible to display misc field with -F +misc option, following letters are displayed for each bit:
PERF_RECORD_MISC_KERNEL K PERF_RECORD_MISC_USER U PERF_RECORD_MISC_HYPERVISOR H PERF_RECORD_MISC_GUEST_KERNEL G PERF_RECORD_MISC_GUEST_USER g PERF_RECORD_MISC_MMAP_DATA* M PERF_RECORD_MISC_COMM_EXEC E PERF_RECORD_MISC_SWITCH_OUT S PERF_RECORD_MISC_SWITCH_OUT_PREEMPT Sp
$ perf script -F +misc ...
sched-messaging 1414 K 28690.636582: 4590 cycles ...
sched-messaging 1407 U 28690.636600: 325620 cycles ...
sched-messaging 1414 K 28690.636608: 19473 cycles ... misc field ___________/
-k, --vmlinux=<file>
--kallsyms=<file>
--symfs=<directory>
-G, --hide-call-graph
--stop-bt
-C, --cpu
-c, --comms=
--pid=
--tid=
-I, --show-info
--show-kernel-path
--show-task-events Display task related events (e.g. FORK, COMM, EXIT).
--show-mmap-events Display mmap related events (e.g. MMAP, MMAP2).
--show-namespace-events Display namespace events i.e. events of type PERF_RECORD_NAMESPACES.
--show-switch-events Display context switch events i.e. events of type PERF_RECORD_SWITCH or PERF_RECORD_SWITCH_CPU_WIDE.
--show-lost-events Display lost events i.e. events of type PERF_RECORD_LOST.
--show-round-events Display finished round events i.e. events of type PERF_RECORD_FINISHED_ROUND.
--show-bpf-events Display bpf events i.e. events of type PERF_RECORD_KSYMBOL and PERF_RECORD_BPF_EVENT.
--show-cgroup-events Display cgroup events i.e. events of type PERF_RECORD_CGROUP.
--show-text-poke-events Display text poke events i.e. events of type PERF_RECORD_TEXT_POKE and PERF_RECORD_KSYMBOL.
--demangle
--demangle-kernel
--header Show perf.data header.
--header-only Show only perf.data header.
--itrace
i synthesize instructions events y synthesize cycles events b synthesize branches events (branch misses for Arm SPE) c synthesize branches events (calls only) r synthesize branches events (returns only) x synthesize transactions events w synthesize ptwrite events p synthesize power events (incl. PSB events for Intel PT) o synthesize other events recorded due to the use
of aux-output (refer to perf record) I synthesize interrupt or similar (asynchronous) events
(e.g. Intel PT Event Trace) e synthesize error events d create a debug log f synthesize first level cache events m synthesize last level cache events M synthesize memory events t synthesize TLB events a synthesize remote access events g synthesize a call chain (use with i or x) G synthesize a call chain on existing event records l synthesize last branch entries (use with i or x) L synthesize last branch entries on existing event records s skip initial number of events q quicker (less detailed) decoding A approximate IPC Z prefer to ignore timestamps (so-called "timeless" decoding) T use the timestamp trace as kernel time
The default is all events i.e. the same as --itrace=iybxwpe, except for perf script where it is --itrace=ce
In addition, the period (default 100000, except for perf script where it is 1) for instructions events can be specified in units of:
i instructions t ticks ms milliseconds us microseconds ns nanoseconds (default)
Also the call chain size (default 16, max. 1024) for instructions or transactions events can be specified.
Also the number of last branch entries (default 64, max. 1024) for instructions or transactions events can be specified.
Similar to options g and l, size may also be specified for options G and L. On x86, note that G and L work poorly when data has been recorded with large PEBS. Refer linkperf:perf-intel-pt[1] man page for details.
It is also possible to skip events generated (instructions, branches, transactions, ptwrite, power) at the beginning. This is useful to ignore initialization code.
--itrace=i0nss1000000
skips the first million instructions.
The 'e' option may be followed by flags which affect what errors will or will not be reported. Each flag must be preceded by either '+' or '-'. The flags are:
o overflow
l trace data lost
If supported, the 'd' option may be followed by flags which affect what debug messages will or will not be logged. Each flag must be preceded by either '+' or '-'. The flags are:
a all perf events
e output only on errors (size configurable - see linkperf:perf-config[1])
o output to stdout
If supported, the 'q' option may be repeated to increase the effect.
To disable decoding entirely, use --no-itrace.
--full-source-path
--max-stack
Default: 127
--ns
-f, --force
--time
Also support time percent with multiple time ranges. Time string is 'a%/n,b%/m,...' or 'a%-b%,c%-%d,...'.
For example: Select the second 10% time slice: perf script --time 10%/2
Select from 0% to 10% time slice: perf script --time 0%-10%
Select the first and second 10% time slices: perf script --time 10%/1,10%/2
Select from 0% to 10% and 30% to 40% slices: perf script --time 0%-10%,30%-40%
--max-blocks
--reltime
--deltatime
--per-event-dump
--inline
--insn-trace[=<raw|disasm>]
--xed
-S, --symbols=symbol[,symbol...]
The hexadecimal address may be the start address of a symbol or any other address to filter the trace records
For example, to select the symbol noploop or the address 0x4007a0: perf script --symbols=noploop,0x4007a0
Support filtering trace records by symbol name, start address of symbol, any hexadecimal address and address range.
The comparison order is:
--addr-range
For example, to list the traced records within the address range [0x4007a0, 0x0x4007a9]: perf script -S 0x4007a0 --addr-range 10
--dsos=
--call-trace
--call-ret-trace
--graph-function
--switch-on EVENT_NAME
--switch-off EVENT_NAME
--show-on-off-events
--stitch-lbr
--guestmount=<path>
$ mkdir \~/guestmount
$ cd \~/guestmount
$ sshfs -o allow_other,direct_io -p 5551 localhost:/ 8888/
$ sshfs -o allow_other,direct_io -p 5552 localhost:/ 9999/
$ perf script --guestmount=~/guestmount
--guestkallsyms=<path>
--guestmodules=<path>
--guestvmlinux=<path>
--guest-code
SEE ALSO¶
linkperf:perf-record[1], linkperf:perf-script-perl[1], linkperf:perf-script-python[1], linkperf:perf-intel-pt[1], linkperf:perf-dlfilter[1]