3. Usage

Memtrace is controlled by various command line parameters. The following paragraph shows the output, if memtryce is called without parameters.

  usage : memtrace [options] [prog] [progoptions]
        options are like "-t value"
        -t   : value is the updaterate in ms
        -p   : value is the PID to control
               this option overwrite the prog starting (see below)
        -d   : value is 0 (off) or 1 (on)
        -f   : value is filename : write to file (instead of stdout)
        -s   : value is the timeformat string as used for strftime
        -m   : value is the output format as described below
               example : %atb%mtk%vtm
                         a = actual, m = max, v = average
                         --------------------------------
                         t = total, r = resident, s = shared
                         d = data/stack, l = library, y = dirty\n
                         --------------------------------
                         b = bytes, k = kilobytes, m = megabytes
        prog : the program name which should be traced
               if the option -p is not given, memtrace tries to start
               this program with the progoptions (see below)
        progoptions : all necessary program options
  

The parameters are defined as follows.

• -t value
  controls the accessrate which is used to read /proc/PID/statm. The value is given in ms.
• -p value
  if this parameter is found, memtrace will trace the process. whit PID value. A program that is additionally added to the parameter list will be ignored.
• -d 0,1
  if 1, memtrace only prints the result, if the procfile line is different from the last one. Note, that the complete line is controlled, which may result in equal prints on the screen (few parameters printed, than found in line).
• -f filename
  write to file instead of stdout.
• -m format
  the value defines the output format. Three forma bytes following a % sign define one output column. Several colums my be defined.
  1. first char
     
     • a : actual value
     • m : maximal value (is increased, when actual is larger, than max)
     • v : average value (not working at the moment)
  2. second char
     
     • t : total memory usage
     • r : resident memory usage
     • s : shared memory usage
     • d : data/stack memory usage
     • d : library memory usage
     • y : dirty memory usage
  3. third char
     
     • b : bytes
     • k : kilobytes
     • m : megabytes
• program followed by its parameters
  the program to be started (with its parameters).

The following paragraph shows the result of memtrace calling qpcmcia whit the following parameters.

memtrace -d 1 -t 100 -m %atb%stb%mtk kwrite

  output of memtrace Version 0.1.2
  time;act total[b];act shared[b];max total[k];
  08:02:00-200;2875392.00;2625536.00;2808.00;
  08:02:00-300;4517888.00;3674112.00;4412.00;
  08:02:00-400;4599808.00;3756032.00;4492.00;
  08:02:00-500;5107712.00;4067328.00;4988.00;
  08:02:00-600;5419008.00;4272128.00;5292.00;
  08:02:00-800;6881280.00;5636096.00;6720.00;
  08:04:00-000;25526272.00;6189056.00;24928.00;