From 00635bbcd18c3c9c5ef235ffd82d9faf04a85110 Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001 From: Simon Sobisch Date: Fri, 17 May 2024 06:36:51 +0000 Subject: [PATCH] docs: update, mostly for uAppImage notes README.md: * updated AppImage notes - point to latest/continuous release instead of CI artifacts * case adjustments for Hotspot and AppImage * http -> https * some minor rewording HACKING.md: * drop the unzip step as it is not needed any more * update AppImage version and date to a more current one --- HACKING.md | 32 +++++++-------- README.md | 116 +++++++++++++++++++++++++++-------------------------- 2 files changed, 74 insertions(+), 74 deletions(-) diff --git a/HACKING.md b/HACKING.md index 112e7173a..e8e28af23 100644 --- a/HACKING.md +++ b/HACKING.md @@ -153,22 +153,20 @@ To do that, you will need to download the debuginfo artifact that matches the Ap ### AppImage-Debugging using manual symbol loading -For using this approach you need to first unpack the debug information: +For using this approach you need to first unpack the debug information +downloaded from the release: ```bash -$ unzip debuginfo.zip -Archive: debuginfo.zip - inflating: hotspot-debuginfo-v1.4.0-43-g02fd82c-x86_64.tar.bz2 $ tar -xvf hotspot-debuginfo-*.tar.bz2 -hotspot-debuginfo-v1.4.0-43-g02fd82c/usr/bin/hotspot -hotspot-debuginfo-v1.4.0-43-g02fd82c/usr/lib64/libexec/hotspot-perfparser +hotspot-debuginfo-v1.5.0-17-g0ed41cf/usr/bin/hotspot +hotspot-debuginfo-v1.5.0-17-g0ed41cf/usr/lib64/libexec/hotspot-perfparser ``` Starting the debugger is possible directly with executing the AppImage as follows: ```bash -$ ./hotspot-v1.4.0-43-g02fd82c-x86_64.AppImage & -$ gdb -q -p $(pidof hotspot) -ex "add-symbol-file hotspot-debuginfo-v1.4.0-43-g02fd82c/usr/bin/hotspot" +$ ./hotspot-v1.5.0-17-g0ed41cfc-x86_64.AppImage & +$ gdb -q -p $(pidof hotspot) -ex "add-symbol-file hotspot-debuginfo-v1.5.0-17-g0ed41cfc/usr/bin/hotspot" Attaching to process 123456 ``` @@ -182,9 +180,9 @@ Reading symbols from /tmp/.mount_hotspoBCRbef/squashfs-root/usr/bin/../lib/libKF (No debugging symbols found in /tmp/.mount_hotspoBCRbef/squashfs-root/usr/bin/../lib/libKF5ThreadWeaver.so.5) ... 0x00007fea98ae0a38 in poll () from /usr/lib64/libc.so.6 -add symbol table from file "hotspot-debuginfo-v1.4.0-43-g02fd82c/usr/bin/hotspot" +add symbol table from file "hotspot-debuginfo-v1.5.0-17-g0ed41cfc/usr/bin/hotspot" (y or n) y -Reading symbols from hotspot-debuginfo-v1.4.0-43-g02fd82c/usr/bin/hotspot... +Reading symbols from hotspot-debuginfo-v1.5.0-17-g0ed41cfc/usr/bin/hotspot... (gdb) bt #0 0x00007ff72544ca38 in poll () from /usr/lib64/libc.so.6 #1 0x00007ff7246777d7 in _xcb_in_read_block () from /usr/lib64/libxcb.so.1 @@ -211,9 +209,9 @@ Reading symbols from hotspot-debuginfo-v1.4.0-43-g02fd82c/usr/bin/hotspot... or with an extracted image: ```bash -$ ./hotspot-v1.4.0-43-g02fd82c-x86_64.AppImage --appimage-extract -$ PATH=./squashfs-root/usr/bin:$PATH LD_LIBRARY_PATH=./squashfs-root/usr/lib64:/usr/local/lib64:/usr/lib64:./squashfs-root/usr/lib:$LD_LIBRARY_PATH gdb -q --exec=hotspot --symbols hotspot-debuginfo-v1.4.0-43-g02fd82c/usr/bin/hotspot -ex run -Reading symbols from hotspot-debuginfo-v1.4.0-43-g02fd82c/usr/bin/hotspot... +$ ./hotspot-v1.5.0-17-g0ed41cfc-x86_64.AppImage --appimage-extract +$ PATH=./squashfs-root/usr/bin:$PATH LD_LIBRARY_PATH=./squashfs-root/usr/lib64:/usr/local/lib64:/usr/lib64:./squashfs-root/usr/lib:$LD_LIBRARY_PATH gdb -q --exec=hotspot --symbols hotspot-debuginfo-v1.5.0-17-g0ed41cfc/usr/bin/hotspot -ex run +Reading symbols from hotspot-debuginfo-v1.5.0-17-g0ed41cfc/usr/bin/hotspot... Starting program: /tmp/squashfs-root/usr/bin/hotspot ``` @@ -251,9 +249,9 @@ to use it on your host system, set: export DEBUGINFOD_URLS="127.0.0.1:12345 https://debuginfod.centos.org/ https://debuginfod.archlinux.org" -[Fri Dec 2 19:58:56 2022] (16/16): opened database /opt/app-root/src/.debuginfod.sqlite -[Fri Dec 2 19:58:56 2022] (16/16): sqlite version 3.7.17 -[Fri Dec 2 19:58:56 2022] (16/16): started http server on IPv4 IPv6 port=12345 +[Fri May 17 19:58:56 2024] (16/16): opened database /opt/app-root/src/.debuginfod.sqlite +[Fri May 17 19:58:56 2024] (16/16): sqlite version 3.7.17 +[Fri May 17 19:58:56 2024] (16/16): started http server on IPv4 IPv6 port=12345 ... ``` @@ -262,7 +260,7 @@ the official Centos instance to get debug information for all the dependencies a Here is one example for that using GDB: ```bash -$ ./hotspot-v1.3.0-391-g590f810-x86_64.AppImage & +$ ./hotspot-v1.5.0-17-g0ed41cfc-x86_64.AppImage & $ export DEBUGINFOD_URLS="127.0.0.1:12345 https://debuginfod.centos.org/ https://debuginfod.archlinux.org" $ gdb -q -p $(pidof hotspot) Attaching to process 123456 diff --git a/README.md b/README.md index f00930f52..76b7f5944 100644 --- a/README.md +++ b/README.md @@ -2,7 +2,7 @@ # Hotspot - the Linux perf GUI for performance analysis -This project is a [KDAB](http://www.kdab.com) R&D effort to create a standalone +This project is a [KDAB](https://www.kdab.com) R&D effort to create a standalone GUI for performance data. As the first goal, we want to provide a UI like KCachegrind around Linux perf. Looking ahead, we intend to support various other performance data formats under this umbrella. @@ -17,7 +17,7 @@ performance data formats under this umbrella. - [Screenshots](#screenshots) - - [Visualize Data](#visualize-data) + - [Visualizing Data](#visualizing-data) - [Time Line](#time-line) - [Record Data](#record-data) - [Getting Hotspot](#getting-hotspot) @@ -46,98 +46,97 @@ performance data formats under this umbrella. ## Screenshots -Here are some screenshots showing the most important features of hotspot in action: +Here are some screenshots showing the most important features of Hotspot in action: -### Visualize Data +### Visualizing Data -The main feature of hotspot is visualizing a `perf.data` file graphically. +The main feature of Hotspot is the graphical visualization of a `perf.data` file. -![hotspot summary page](screenshots/summary.png?raw=true "hotspot summary page") +![hotspot summary page](screenshots/summary.png?raw=true "Hotspot summary page") -![hotspot FlameGraph page](screenshots/flamegraph.png?raw=true "hotspot FlameGraph page") +![hotspot FlameGraph page](screenshots/flamegraph.png?raw=true "Hotspot FlameGraph page") -![hotspot off-CPU analysis](screenshots/off-cpu.png?raw=true "hotspot off-CPU analysis") +![hotspot off-CPU analysis](screenshots/off-cpu.png?raw=true "Hotspot off-CPU analysis") -![hotspot caller-callee page](screenshots/caller-callee.png?raw=true "hotspot caller-callee page") +![hotspot caller-callee page](screenshots/caller-callee.png?raw=true "Hotspot caller-callee page") -![hotspot bottom-up page](screenshots/bottom-up.png?raw=true "hotspot bottom-up page") +![hotspot bottom-up page](screenshots/bottom-up.png?raw=true "Hotspot bottom-up page") -![hotspot top-down page](screenshots/top-down.png?raw=true "hotspot top-down page") +![hotspot top-down page](screenshots/top-down.png?raw=true "Hotspot top-down page") ![hotspot dockwidget layouts](screenshots/dockwidgets.png?raw=true -"hotspot with custom dockwidget layout and disassembly view") +"Hotspot with custom dockwidget layout and disassembly view") ### Time Line -The time line allows filtering the results by time, process or thread. The data views will update accordingly. +The time line allows filtering the results by time, process or thread. The data views are updated accordingly. ![hotspot timeline filtering by time](screenshots/timeline-filter-time.png?raw=true -"hotspot timeline filtering by time") +"Hotspot timeline filtering by time") ![hotspot timeline filtering by thread or process](screenshots/timeline-filter-thread.png?raw=true -"hotspot timeline filtering by thread or process") +"Hotspot timeline filtering by thread or process") ![hotspot timeline filtering applied to FlameGraph](screenshots/timeline-flamegraph.png?raw=true -"hotspot timeline filtering also applies to the data views on top, like e.g. the FlameGraph. +"Hotspot timeline filtering also applies to the data views on top, like e.g. the FlameGraph. You can also zoom in on the timeline and inspect individual sample data.") ### Record Data -You can also launch `perf` from hotspot, to profile a newly started application +You can also launch `perf` from Hotspot, to profile a newly started application or to attach to already running process(es). Do take the [caveats below](#recording-with-perf-without-super-user-rights) into account though. ![hotspot launch application](screenshots/record-launch.png?raw=true -"hotspot can launch a new application and profile it with perf from the record page.") +"Hotspot can launch a new application and profile it with perf from the record page.") ![hotspot attach to process](screenshots/record-attach.png?raw=true -"hotspot also allows runtime-attaching of perf to existing applications to profile them.") +"Hotspot also allows runtime-attaching of perf to existing applications to profile them.") ## Getting Hotspot -*Note: Hotspot is not yet packaged on all Linux distributions. In such cases, or when you want to use the +*Note: Hotspot is not yet packaged on all Linux distributions. In such cases, or if you want to use the latest version, please use the AppImage which will work on any recent Linux distro just fine.* ### ArchLinux -hotspot is available in AUR (https://aur.archlinux.org/packages/hotspot). +Hotspot is available in AUR (https://aur.archlinux.org/packages/hotspot). ### Debian / Ubuntu -hotspot is available in Debian (https://packages.debian.org/hotspot) and Ubuntu +Hotspot is available in Debian (https://packages.debian.org/hotspot) and Ubuntu (https://packages.ubuntu.com/hotspot). ### Gentoo -hotspot ebuilds are available from our overlay (https://github.com/KDAB/kdab-overlay). +Hotspot ebuilds are available from our overlay (https://github.com/KDAB/kdab-overlay). ### Fedora -hotspot is available in Fedora (https://packages.fedoraproject.org/pkgs/hotspot/hotspot/). +Hotspot is available in Fedora (https://packages.fedoraproject.org/pkgs/hotspot/hotspot/). ### For any Linux distro: AppImage -Head over to our [list of AppImage build jobs][appimagejobs]. -When you click on a job, you'll see a page with an "Artifacts" section that contains an "appimage" binary -you can then download. Unzip the AppImage file and make it executable, then run it. - -[appimagejobs]: https://github.com/KDAB/hotspot/actions/workflows/build-appimage.yml?query=branch%3Amaster +You can either head over to the most [current release](https://github.com/KDAB/hotspot/releases/latest) +or the [continuous build](https://github.com/KDAB/hotspot/releases/tag/continuous). +In both cases you'll find the AppImage under "Assets" that you can download. +Untar the AppImage file (in case of the latest release), then make it executable and then run it. Please use the latest build to get the most recent version. If it doesn't work, please report a bug and test the latest stable version. *Note: Your system libraries or preferences are not altered. In case you'd like to remove Hotspot again, -simply delete the downloaded file. Learn more about AppImage [here](http://appimage.org/).* +simply delete the downloaded file. Learn more about AppImage [here](https://appimage.org/).* -To find out how to debug the Appimage, see [HACKING](HACKING.md#debugging-the-appimage). +To find out how to debug the AppImage, see [HACKING](HACKING.md#debugging-the-appimage). ## Building Hotspot -Building hotspot from source gives you the latest and greatest, but you'll have to make sure all its -dependencies are available. Most users should probably [install hotspot](#getting-hotspot) from the distro +Building Hotspot from source gives you the latest and greatest, but you'll have to make sure all its +dependencies are available. Most users should probably [install Hotspot](#getting-hotspot) from the distro package manager or as an [AppImage](#for-any-linux-distro-appimage). -For everyone that wants to contribute to Hotspot or use the newest version without the Appimage detailed +For everyone that wants to contribute to Hotspot or use the newest version without the AppImage detailed notes are found at [HACKING](HACKING.md#table-of-contents). ## Using @@ -154,7 +153,7 @@ perf record --call-graph dwarf [ perf record: Captured and wrote 14.874 MB perf.data (1865 samples) ] ``` -Now, if you have hotspot available on the same machine, all you need to do is launch it. +Now, if you have Hotspot available on the same machine, all you need to do is launch it. It will automatically open the `perf.data` file in the current directory (similar to `perf report`). Alternatively, you can specify the path to the data file on the console: @@ -165,7 +164,7 @@ hotspot /path/to/perf.data ### Command Line options -Depending on your needs you may want to pass additional command line options to hotspot. +Depending on your needs you may want to pass additional command line options to Hotspot. This allows to one-time set configuration options that are found in the GUI under "Settings" and also allows to convert Linux perf data files into the smaller and portable perfdata format (see [Import / Export](#import-export) for details on that). @@ -221,7 +220,7 @@ and we only pay a price, when the process is actually getting switched out. Most we do not pay a price when e.g. a mutex lock operation can be handled directly in user-space. -To do off-CPU analysis with hotspot, you need to record the data with a very specific +To do off-CPU analysis with Hotspot, you need to record the data with a very specific command: ```bash @@ -235,7 +234,7 @@ perf record \ ``` -Alternatively, you can use the off-CPU check box in hotspot's integrated record page. +Alternatively, you can use the off-CPU check box in Hotspot's integrated record page. During the analysis, you can then switch between the "cycles" cost view for on-CPU data to the "off-CPU time" cost view for wait-time analysis. Often, you will want to change @@ -250,7 +249,7 @@ inbetween is often way more interesting to me - and that's what is shown to you ### Embedded Systems If you are recording on an embedded system, you will want to analyze the data on your -development machine with hotspot. To do so, make sure your sysroot contains the debug +development machine with Hotspot. To do so, make sure your sysroot contains the debug information required for unwinding (see below). Then record the data on your embedded system: @@ -304,22 +303,25 @@ a colleague to investigate a performance issue, or for bug reporting purposes. Hotspot allows you to export the analyzed data, which is then fully self-contained. This feature is accessible via the "File > Save As" menu action. The data is then -saved in a self-contained `*.perfparser` file. To import the data into hotspot again, +saved in a self-contained `*.perfparser` file. To import the data into Hotspot again, just open that file directly in place of the original `perf.data` file. +As an alternative you can also do the export from command line (without a GUI, so that's +also usable with automated builds) using the `--exportTo` option. + **Note:** The file format is _not_ yet stable. Meaning data exported by one version -of hotspot can only be read back in by the same version. This problem will be +of Hotspot can only be read back in by the same version. This problem will be resolved in the future, as time permits. ### tracepoints -hotspot currently only shows the name of the tracepoints in the timeline. +Hotspot currently only shows the name of the tracepoints in the timeline. -![hotspot tracepoints](screenshots/tracepoints.png?raw=true "hotspot tracepoints") +![hotspot tracepoints](screenshots/tracepoints.png?raw=true "Hotspot tracepoints") ### Disassembler -![hotspot disassembler page](screenshots/disassembler.png?raw=true "hotspot disassembler page") +![hotspot disassembler page](screenshots/disassembler.png?raw=true "Hotspot disassembler page") Hotspot includes an disassembler, which can show you the cost per instruction. The disassembler uses colors to indicate which assembly lines correspond to @@ -345,7 +347,7 @@ to unwind the stack. This works quite well most of the time, but still can go wr notably, unwinding will fail when: - an ELF file (i.e. executable or library) referenced by the `perf.data` file is missing - - to fix this, try to use one of the following CLI arguments to let hotspot know where to look for the + - to fix this, try to use one of the following CLI arguments to let Hotspot know where to look for the ELF files: - `--debugPaths `: Use this when you have split debug files in non-standard locations - `--extraLibPaths `: Use this when you have moved libraries to some other location since recording @@ -365,7 +367,7 @@ notably, unwinding will fail when: - your call stacks are too deep - by default, `perf record` only copies a part of the stack to the data file. This can lead to issues with very deep call stacks, which will be cut off at some point. This issue will break the top-down call trees - in hotspot, as visualized in the Top-Down view or the Flame Graph. To fix this, you can try to increase + in Hotspot, as visualized in the Top-Down view or the Flame Graph. To fix this, you can try to increase the stack dump size, i.e.: perf record --call-graph dwarf,32768 @@ -377,15 +379,15 @@ notably, unwinding will fail when: ### debuginfod -hotspot supports downloading debug symbols via [debuginfod](https://sourceware.org/elfutils/Debuginfod.html). -This can be enabled by either adding download urls in the settings or launching hotspot with `DEBUGINFOD_URLS` +Hotspot supports downloading debug symbols via [debuginfod](https://sourceware.org/elfutils/Debuginfod.html). +This can be enabled by either adding download urls in the settings or launching Hotspot with `DEBUGINFOD_URLS` defined in the environment. ### Missing Features -Compared to `perf report`, hotspot misses a lot of features. Some of these are planned to be resolved +Compared to `perf report`, Hotspot misses a lot of features. Some of these are planned to be resolved in the future. Others may potentially never get implemented. But be aware that the following features -are _not_ available in hotspot currently: +are _not_ available in Hotspot currently: - the columns in the tables are currently hardcoded, while potentially a user may want to change this to show e.g. cost per-process or thread and so forth. Basic group-by functionality was added, but a more flexible @@ -395,13 +397,13 @@ are _not_ available in hotspot currently: ### Recording with perf without super user rights -It is **not** a good idea to launch hotspot with `sudo` or as `root` user. See e.g. +It is **not** a good idea to launch Hotspot with `sudo` or as `root` user. See e.g. [Editing Files As Root](https://blog.martin-graesslin.com/blog/2017/02/editing-files-as-root/) for an article on that matter. [Issue #83](https://github.com/KDAB/hotspot/issues/83) is also relevant in this contact. But without superuser rights, you may see error messages such as the following -when using hotspot's record feature: +when using Hotspot's record feature: ```text You may not have permission to collect stats. @@ -412,11 +414,11 @@ Consider tweaking /proc/sys/kernel/perf_event_paranoid: 2 - Disallow kernel profiling for unpriv ``` -To workaround this limitation, hotspot can run perf itself with elevated privileges. +To workaround this limitation, Hotspot can run perf itself with elevated privileges. ### Export File Format -The current data export is limited to a format that can only be read back by hotspot of the same +The current data export is limited to a format that can only be read back by Hotspot of the same version. This makes interop with other visualization tools quasi impossible. This is known and will get improved in the future. Most notably support for export to web viewers such as [perfetto](https://perfetto.dev/) or the [Mozilla profiler](https://profiler.firefox.com/) is @@ -426,9 +428,9 @@ planned but not yet implemented. Patches welcome! This project leverages the excellent `perfparser` utility created by The Qt Company for their Qt Creator IDE. If you are already using Qt Creator, consider leveraging -its integrated [CPU Usage Analyzer](http://doc.qt.io/qtcreator/creator-cpu-usage-analyzer.html). +its integrated [CPU Usage Analyzer](https://doc.qt.io/qtcreator/creator-cpu-usage-analyzer.html). ## License -Hotspot is the GPL v2+. See [LICENSE.GPL.txt](LICENSE.GPL.txt) for more information, or contact -info@kdab.com if any conditions of this licensing are not clear to you. +Hotspot is licensed under the GPL v2+. See [LICENSE.GPL.txt](LICENSE.GPL.txt) for more information, +or contact info@kdab.com if any conditions of this licensing are not clear to you.