Chapter 7. Introduction

ParaProf is a portable, scalable performance analysis tool included with the TAU distribution.

[Important] Important

ParaProf requires Oracle / Sun's Java 1.5 Runtime Environment for basic functionality. Java JOGL (included) is required for 3d visualization and image export. Additionally, OpenGL is required for 3d visualization.

[Note] Note

Most windows in ParaProf can export bitmap (png/jpg) and vector (svg/eps) images to disk (png/jpg) or print directly to a printer. This are available through the File menu.

7.1. Using ParaProf from the command line

ParaProf is a java program that is run from the supplied paraprof script (paraprof.bat for windows binary release).

% paraprof --help
Usage: paraprof [options] <files/directory>

Options:

  -f, --filetype <filetype>       Specify type of performance data, options are:
                                    profiles (default), pprof, dynaprof, mpip,
                                    gprof, psrun, hpm, packed, cube, hpc, ompp
                                    snap, perixml, gptl, ipm, google
  --range a-b:c                   Load only profiles from the given range(s) of processes
                                    Seperate individual ids or dash-defined ranges with colons
  -h, --help                      Display this help message

The following options will run only from the console (no GUI will launch):

  --merge <file.gz>               Merges snapshot profiles
  --pack <file>                   Pack the data into packed (.ppk) format
  --dump                          Dump profile data to TAU profile format
  --dumprank <rank>               Dump profile data for <rank> to TAU profile format
  -v, --dumpsummary               Dump derived statistical data to TAU profile format
  --overwrite                     Allow overwriting of profiles
  -o, --oss                       Print profile data in OSS style text output
  -q, --dumpmpisummary            Print high level time and communication summary
  -d, --metadump                  Print profile metadata (works with --dumpmpisummary)
  -x, --suppressmetrics           Exclude child calls and exclusive time from --dumpmpisummary
  -s, --summary                   Print only summary statistics
                                    (only applies to OSS output)

Notes:
  For the TAU profiles type, you can specify either a specific set of profile
files on the commandline, or you can specify a directory (by default the current
directory).  The specified directory will be searched for profile.*.*.* files,
or, in the case of multiple counters, directories named MULTI_* containing
profile data.