Access and use individual Instruments

Access and use individual Instruments

In a tracking document, a single data collection module called a tool collects data about an application, process, or device over time. Each tool collects and displays specific types of information, such as file access, memory usage, or network activity. The instrument includes a large library of instruments designed to meet the needs of most developers. Advanced developers, but you can also develop your own custom tools that use DTrace to collect additional data. Within a trace document, individual data collection modules known as instruments Collect data about an app, Proce SS, or device over time. Each instrument collects and displays a specific type of information, such as file access, memory use, or network activity . Instruments includes an extensive library of Instruments, which is designed to meet the needs of most developers. Advanced developers, however, can also develop their own custom instruments this use DTrace to gather other kinds of data.

NOTE

Some Apple apps Itunes,dvd players and applications use QuickTime to prevent data from being collected through dtrace in order to protect sensitive or copyrighted data. Some Apple Apps-itunes, DVD Player, and apps that use quicktime-prevent the collection of data through DTrace in order to Protect sensitive or copyrighted data.

Show Gallery Palette display the library Palette

The Library palette (Figure 8-1) shows all the tools you can add to a trace file. The library includes all the built-in instruments and any custom instruments you define. The Library palette (Figure8-1) Displays all of the instruments you can add to a trace document. The library includes all of the built-in instruments as well as a and any custom instruments your may has defined.

Figure 8-1 Palette of the library The Library Palette

Show Library Palette to display the library palette

Do one of the following:

• Click Add Tool button (+) in the Tracking Document toolbar. Click The ADD instrument button (+) in the Trace document toolbar.

• Select Window > Library (or press command-l). Choose Window > Library (or press command-l).

Find the tool in the Library palette find Instruments in the library Palette

The list of tools in the library palette is quite long, especially if you add your own custom tools. The filter field at the bottom of the library panel quickly finds a name based on it, describing a particular instrument, or keyword (see figure 8-2). The list of instruments in the Library palette are quite long, especially if you ' ve added your own custom instruments. Use the filter field at the bottom of the Library palette to quickly find a specific instrument based on its name, Descrip tion, or keywords (see figure 8-2).

Figure 8-2 filtering the tools in the Library palette Filtering for instruments in the Library palette

Change Library view mode

The tools in the Library palette can be treated as icons with or without names and descriptions. Click the icon button (Image:/art/ICON_LIBRARY_PALETTE_ICONVIEW_2X. PNG) displays only icons for each instrument at the bottom of the library's palette (see Figure 8-3). Show icon, name and description each instrument click the List View button again the instruments in the Library palette can is viewed as icons with or without names and descriptio Ns. Click The Icon View button () at the bottom of the library palette to display only the "icon for each instrument" (see F Igure 8-3). To display the icon, name, and description of each instrument again, click the List View button ().

Figure 8-3 The Library palette in Icon view

Add a tool in the trace document add an instrument to a trace document

Whether you are creating a tracking document that is based on a template or a blank tracking document, you can add new tools to it to extend its functionality. Whether you ' ve created a trace document that's based on a template or a blank trace document, you can add new instruments To it on order to expand its functionality.

Add a tool in the trace document to the add an instrument to a trace documents

1. Open the tracking document that you want. Open the desired trace document.

2. Displays the Library palette. Display the Library palette.

3. Find the instrument you need. Find the desired instrument.

4. Drag the tool from the library palette to the desired location in the list of policy pane tools in the tracking document. Drag the instrument from the Library palette to the desired position in the Strategy pane instruments list in your trace D Ocument.

Remove a tool from the trace document remove an instrument from a trace documents

When working in a tracking document, you can easily delete tools that you no longer need. When working in a trace document, you can easily remove instruments you don ' t need anymore.

Remove a tool from the trace document to remove the instrument from a trace documents

1. Open the tracking document that you want. Open the desired trace document.

2. In the Policy pane tool list, select the tool you want to delete. Select the instrument want to delete in the Strategy pane instruments list.

3. Press the DELETE key, or select Tools > Remove Instrumentname instrument. Press the DELETE key, or choose Instrument > Delete instrumentname instrument.

4. When prompted, click OK to confirm that you are sure you want to remove the tool. When prompted, click OK to confirm this really want to remove the instrument.

Configuring the instrument's recording settings configure an instrument ' s record Settings

Whenever you add them to a tracking document, you can use them at any time. However, in some cases, you may need to customize the settings of the tool. For example, you might want to adjust the sample rate of the Activity Monitor tool or discard idle memory events when using the allocation tool for analysis. Customizable settings, such as different, depend on the instrument. Many instruments contain controls to determine the type of information collected by the instrument itself. You can adjust these settings in the Inspector pane record Settings area (see Figure 8-4). Instruments is typically ready for use as soon as you add them to a trace document. In some cases, however, you might need-customize the settings for a instrument. For example, wish to adjust the sampling rate for the Activity Monitor instrument or discard events for free Memor Y while profiling with the allocations instrument. Customizable settings like these vary, depending on the instrument. Many instruments contain controls for determining, what type of information are gathered by the instrument itself. You can adjust these settings in the record Settings area of the inspector pane (see Figure 8-4).

Figure 8-4 recording settings for the Activity Monitor meter Record settings for the Activity Monitor instrument

Configuring the display settings of the instrument configure an instrument ' s display Settings

figure 8-5). Options for configuring the contents of the Timeline pane is also found here.

Figure 8-5 shows the settings for the active monitor meter Display settings for the Activity Monitor instrument

Access and use individual Instruments