Before You Begin

This manual describes the performance analysis tools in the Sun Studio 10 software.

The Collector and Performance Analyzer are a pair of tools that perform statistical profiling of a wide range of performance data and tracing of various system calls, and relate the data to program structure at the function, source line and instruction level.

prof and gprof are tools that perform statistical profiling of CPU usage and provide execution frequencies at the function level.

tcov is a tool that provides execution frequencies at the function and source line levels.

This manual is intended for application developers with a working knowledge of Fortran, C, C++, or the Java programming language; and some understanding of the Solaris Operating System (Solaris OS), or the Linux operating system, and UNIX® operating system commands. Some knowledge of performance analysis is helpful but is not required to use the tools.

How This Book Is Organized

Chapter 1 introduces the performance analysis tools, briefly discussing what they do and when to use them.

Chapter 2 describes the data collected by the Collector and how the data is converted into metrics of performance.

Chapter 3 describes how to use the Collector to collect timing data, synchronization delay data, and hardware event data from your program.

Chapter 4 describes how to start the Performance Analyzer and how to use the tool to analyze performance data collected by the Collector.

Chapter 5 describes how to use the er_print command line interface to analyze the data collected by the Collector.

Chapter 6 describes the process of converting the data collected by the Collector into performance metrics and how the metrics are related to program structure.

Chapter 7 describes how to use and understand the information in the source and disassembly windows of the Performance Analyzer.

Chapter 8 presents information on the utilities that are provided for manipulating and converting performance experiments and viewing annotated source code and disassembly code without running an experiment.

Appendix A describes the UNIX profiling tools prof, gprof, and tcov. These tools provide timing information and execution frequency statistics.

Typographic Conventions

TABLE P-1 Typeface Conventions
Typeface	Meaning	Examples
`AaBbCc123`	The names of commands, files, and directories; on-screen computer output	Edit your `.login` file. Use `ls` `-a` to list all files. `% You have mail.`
`AaBbCc123`	What you type, when contrasted with on-screen computer output	`%` `su` `Password:`
AaBbCc123	Book titles, new words or terms, words to be emphasized	Read Chapter 6 in the User's Guide. These are called class options. You must be superuser to do this.
AaBbCc123	Command-line placeholder text; replace with a real name or value	To delete a file, type `rm` filename.

TABLE P-2 Code Conventions
Code Symbol	Meaning	Notation	Code Example
[ ]	Brackets contain arguments that are optional.	`O[`n`]`	`O4, O`
{ }	Braces contain a set of choices for a required option.	`d{y\|n}`	`dy`
\|	The "pipe" or "bar" symbol separates arguments, only one of which may be chosen.	`B{dynamic\|static}`	`Bstatic`
:	The colon, like the comma, is sometimes used to separate arguments.	`R`dir`[:`dir`]`	`R/local/libs:/U/a`
...	The ellipsis indicates omission in a series.	`xinline=`f1`[`,...fn`]`	`xinline=alpha,dos`

Supported Platforms

This Sun Studio release supports systems that use the SPARC^® and x86 families of processor architectures: UltraSPARC^®, SPARC64, AMD64, Pentium, and Xeon EM64T. The supported systems for the version of the Solaris Operating System you are running are available in the hardware compatibility lists at http://www.sun.com/bigadmin/hcl. These documents cite any implementation differences between the platform types.

In this document, the term "x86" refers to 64-bit and 32-bit systems manufactured using processors compatible with the AMD64 or Intel Xeon/Pentium product families. For supported systems, see the hardware compatibility lists.

Shell Prompts

Shell	Prompt
C shell	machine-name`%`
C shell superuser	machine-name`#`
Bourne shell and Korn shell	`$`
Superuser for Bourne shell and Korn shell	`#`

Accessing Sun Studio Software and Man Pages

The compilers and tools and their man pages are not installed into the standard /usr/bin/ and /usr/share/man directories. To access the compilers and tools, you must have your PATH environment variable set correctly (see Accessing the Compilers and Tools). To access the man pages, you must have the your MANPATH environment variable set correctly (see Accessing the Man Pages.).

For more information about the PATH variable, see the csh(1), sh(1), and ksh(1) man pages. For more information about the MANPATH variable, see the man(1) man page. For more information about setting your PATH variable and MANPATH variables to access this release, see the installation guide or your system administrator.

Note - The information in this section assumes that your Sun Studio compilers and tools are installed in the /opt directory on Solaris platforms and in the /opt/sun directory on Linux platforms. If your software is not installed in the /opt directory on Solaris platforms and in the default directory, ask your system administrator for the equivalent path on your system.

Accessing the Compilers and Tools

Use the steps below to determine whether you need to change your PATH variable to access the compilers and tools.

To Determine Whether You Need to Set Your `PATH` Environment Variable

1. Display the current value of the PATH variable by typing the following at a command prompt.

% echo $PATH

2. On Solaris platforms, review the output to find a string of paths that contain /opt/SUNWspro/bin/. On Linux platforms, review the output to find a string of paths that contain /opt/sun/sunstudio10/bin.

If you find the path, your PATH variable is already set to access the compilers and tools. If you do not find the path, set your PATH environment variable by following the instructions in the next procedure.

To Set Your `PATH` Environment Variable to Enable Access to the Compilers and Tools

1. If you are using the C shell, edit your home .cshrc file. If you are using the Bourne shell or Korn shell, edit your home .profile file.

2. On Solaris platforms, add the following to your PATH environment variable. If you have Forte Developer software, Sun ONE Studio software, or another release of Sun Studio software installed, add the following path before the paths to those installations:

/opt/SUNWspro/bin

On Linux platforms, add the following to your PATH environment variable:

/opt/sun/sunstudio10/bin

Accessing the Man Pages

Use the following steps to determine whether you need to change your MANPATH variable to access the man pages.

To Determine Whether You Need to Set Your `MANPATH` Environment Variable

1. Request the collect man page by typing the following at a command prompt.

% man collect

2. Review the output, if any.

If the collect(1) man page cannot be found or if the man page displayed is not for the current version of the software installed, follow the instructions in the next procedure for setting your MANPATH environment variable.

To Set Your `MANPATH` Environment Variable to Enable Access to the Man Pages

On Solaris platforms, add the following to your MANPATH environment variable:

/opt/SUNWspro/man

On Linux platforms, add the following to your MANPATH environment variable:

/opt/sun/sunstudio10/man

Accessing the Integrated Development Environment

The Sun Studio integrated development environment (IDE) provides modules for creating, editing, building, debugging, and analyzing the performance of a C, C++, Java, or Fortran application.

The command to start the IDE is sunstudio. For details on this command, see the sunstudio(1) man page.

The correct operation of the IDE depends on the IDE being able to find the core platform. The sunstudio command looks for the core platform in two locations:

The command looks first in the default installation directory, /opt/netbeans/3.5V on Solaris platforms and /opt/sun/netbeans/3.5V on Linux platforms.

If the command does not find the core platform in the default directory, it assumes that the directory that contains the IDE and the directory that contains the core platform are both installed in or mounted to the same location. For example, on Solaris platforms, if the path to the directory that contains the IDE is /foo/SUNWspro, the command looks for the core platform in /foo/netbeans/3.5V. On Linux platforms, if the path to the directory that contains the IDE is /foo/sunstudio10, the command looks for the core platform in /foo/netbeans/3.5V.

If the core platform is not installed or mounted to either of the locations where the sunstudio command looks for it, then each user on a client system must set the environment variable SPRO_NETBEANS_HOME to the location where the core platform is installed or mounted (/installation_directory/netbeans/3.5V).

On Solaris platforms, each user of the IDE also must add /installation_directory/SUNWspro/bin to their $PATH in front of the path to any other release of Forte Developer software, Sun ONE Studio software or Sun Studio software.

On Linux platforms, each user of the IDE also must add /installation_directory/sunstudio10/bin to their $PATH in front of the path to any other release of Sun Studio software.

The path /installation_directory/netbeans/3.5V/bin should not be added to the user's $PATH.

Accessing Sun Studio Documentation

You can access the documentation at the following locations:

The documentation is available from the documentation index that is installed with the software on your local system or network at file:/opt/SUNWspro/docs/index.html on Solaris platforms, and at file:/opt/sun/sunstudio10/docs/index.html on Linux platforms.

If your software is not installed in the /opt directory on a Solaris platform or the /opt/sun directory on a Linux platform, ask your system administrator for the equivalent path on your system.

Most manuals are available from the docs.sun.com^sm web site. The following titles are available through your installed software only:

Standard C++ Library Class Reference

Standard C++ Library User's Guide

Tools.h++ Class Library Reference

Tools.h++ User's Guide

The release notes are available from the docs.sun.com web site.

Online help for all components of the IDE is available through the Help menu, as well as through Help buttons on many windows and dialogs, in the IDE.

The docs.sun.com web site (http://docs.sun.com) enables you to read, print, and buy Sun Microsystems manuals through the Internet. If you cannot find a manual, see the documentation index that is installed with the software on your local system or network.

Note - Sun is not responsible for the availability of third-party Web sites mentioned in this document. Sun does not endorse and is not responsible or liable for any content, advertising, products, or other materials that are available on or through such sites or resources. Sun will not be responsible or liable for any actual or alleged damage or loss caused by or in connection with the use of or reliance on any such content, goods, or services that are available on or through such sites or resources.

Documentation in Accessible Formats

The documentation is provided in accessible formats that are readable by assistive technologies for users with disabilities. You can find accessible versions of documentation as described in the following table. If your software is not installed in the /opt directory, ask your system administrator for the equivalent path on your system.

Type of Documentation	Format and Location of Accessible Version
Manuals (except third-party manuals)	HTML at `http://docs.sun.com`
Third-party manuals: Standard C++ Library Class Reference Standard C++ Library User's Guide Tools.h++ Class Library Reference Tools.h++ User's Guide	HTML in the installed software on Solaris platforms through the documentation index at `file:/opt/SUNWspro/docs/index.html`
Readmes and man pages	HTML in the installed software through the documentation index at `file:/opt/SUNWspro/docs/index.html` on Solaris platforms, and at `file:/opt/sun/sunstudio10/docs/index.html` on Linux platforms.
Online help	HTML available through the Help menu in the IDE or analyzer
Release notes	HTML at `http://docs.sun.com`

Document Title	Description
C User's Guide	Describes the Sun Studio 10 C programming language compiler along with ANSI C compiler-specific information.
C++ User's Guide	Instructs you in the use of the Sun Studio 10 C++ compiler and provides detailed information on command-line compiler options.
Fortran User's Guide	Describes the compile-time environment and command-line options for the Sun Studio 10 Fortran compiler.
OpenMP API User's Guide	Information on compiler directives used to parallelize programs.
Fortran Programming Guide	Discusses programming techniques, including parallelization, optimization, creation of shared libraries.
Debugging a Program With `dbx`	Reference manual for use of the debugger. Provides information on attaching and detaching to Solaris processes, and executing programs in a controlled environment.
Performance Analyzer Readme	Lists new features, and known problems, limitations, and incompatibilities of the Performance Analyzer.
`analyzer`(1), `collect`(1), `collector`(1), `er_print`(1), `er_src`(1), and `libcollector`(3) man pages	Describe Performance Analyzer command-line utilities

Document Title	Description
Performance Analyzer Readme	Lists new features, and known problems, limitations, and incompatibilities of the Performance Analyzer.
`analyzer`(1), `collect`(1), `collector`(1), `er_print`(1), `er_src`(1), and `libcollector`(3) man pages	Describe Performance Analyzer command-line utilities
Debugging a Program With `dbx`	Reference manual for use of the debugger. Provides information on attaching and detaching to Solaris processes, and executing programs in a controlled environment.

Accessing Related Solaris Documentation

The following table describes related documentation that is available through the docs.sun.com web site.

Document Collection	Document Title	Description
Solaris Reference Manual Collection	See the titles of man page sections.	Provides information about the Solaris Operating System.
Solaris Software Developer Collection	Linker and Libraries Guide	Describes the operations of the Solaris link-editor and runtime linker.
Solaris Software Developer Collection	Multithreaded Programming Guide	Covers the POSIX® and Solaris threads APIs, programming with synchronization objects, compiling multithreaded programs, and finding tools for multithreaded programs.
Solaris Software Developer Collection	SPARC Assembly Language Reference Manual	Describes the assembly language for SPARC^® processors.
Solaris 9 Update Collection	Solaris Tunable Parameters Reference Manual	Provides reference information on Solaris tunable parameters.

Resources for Developers

Visit http://developers.sun.com/prodtech/cc to find these frequently updated resources:

Articles on programming techniques and best practices

A knowledge base of short programming tips

Documentation of compilers and tools components, as well as corrections to the documentation that is installed with your software

Information on support levels

User forums

Downloadable code samples

New technology previews

You can find additional resources for developers at http://developers.sun.com.

Contacting Sun Technical Support

If you have technical questions about this product that are not answered in this document, go to:

http://www.sun.com/service/contacting

Sending Your Comments

Sun is interested in improving its documentation and welcomes your comments and suggestions. Submit your comments to Sun at this URL

http://www.sun.com/hwdocs/feedback

Please include the part number (819-0493-11) of your document.