Create a kernel event trace launch configuration

The IDE uses launch configurations to remember logging settings as well as running programs.

To create a launch configuration specific to kernel event tracing:
  1. In any perspective where you might have a Target Navigator view, right-click a target, then select Log With > Kernel Event Trace. You want to open the Log Configurations dialog.

    The Log Configuration dialog takes you through the process of selecting:

    • the location of the captured log file (both on the target temporarily and on the host in your workspace)
    • the duration of the event capture
    • the size of the kernel buffers
    • the number of qconn buffers
    • the event-capture filters (to control which events are captured)
  2. On the Main tab, specify the location where you want the IDE to save the log file.
  3. To share the resulting log file with others, in the Save Log Configuration as area, select Shared.
  4. In the Target Selection area, select the target you created earlier that's specific for system profiling.
  5. Click Apply and then select the Trace Settings tab.
  6. In the Tracing duration area, choose one of the following options for your trace:
    • Period of time: The duration of the capture of events as defined by a period of time (a specified time is reached). This is the default.
    • Iterations: The duration of the capture of events as defined by the number of kernel event buffers (a specified amount of data is captured).
  7. If you selected Period of Time, specify the Period length (a floating-point value in seconds) that representing the length of time to capture kernel events on the target; otherwise, for Iterations, specify the total number of full kernel event buffers to log on the target.
  8. In the Trace file area, select a Mode type:
    • Save on target then upload: In this mode, kernel event buffers are first saved in a file on the target, then uploaded to your workspace. This is the default. In the Filename on target field specify the name and location of the file used to save the kernel event buffers on the target.
    • Stream: In this mode, no file is saved on the target. Kernel event buffers are directly sent from qconn to the IDE.
  9. In the Trace statistics file area, select a Mode type:
    • Generate only on the target: The information file is generated only on the target. This is the default. In the Filename on target field specify the name and location of the file used to save the statistical information on the target.
    • Do not generate: No file is generated.
      Note: If your target is running earlier versions of QNX Neutrino, you must use this option instead of Generate only on the target because the trace statistics file may not be supported.
    • Save on target then upload: The statistical information is first saved in a file on the target, then uploaded to your workspace. In the Filename on target field specify the name and location of the file used to save the statistical information on the target.
  10. In the Buffers area, specify the following:
    • Number of kernel buffers: Size of the static ring of buffers allocated in the kernel. The default is 32.
    • Number of qconn buffers: Maximum size of the dynamic ring of buffers allocated in the qconn target agent. The default is 128.
  11. Click Apply and select the Event Filters tab.

    An event includes the category the event belongs to (the event class, which includes these event types: kernel call, interrupt servicing, process and thread management, and user-generated events), and event-specific data. These events can be either fast or wide, and each provides a different amount of information for the log:

  12. In the Mode field, select a type of mode to use based on the following:
    Event type Amount of information Work for kernel Size of log file
    Fast Smaller Smaller Smaller
    Wide Larger Larger Larger
    Class-specific Smaller Smaller Smaller
    Disable None None None
  13. If you selected Event-specific, follow the instructions in Capture instrumentation data in an event log file to configure the type of events you want to include in your log file.
  14. If you want to set address translation information within the Kernel Event Trace Log launch configuration, follow the instructions in Address Translation.
  15. Click Log to begin the logging process.
    Now that the IDE captured the event trace data, you are ready to view and interpret this captured information.
  16. Click Open to begin viewisng the logged results in the QNX IDE System Profiler.