CPROF(1) CPROF(1)
NAME
cprof - coverage profiling of limbo programs
SYNOPSIS
cprof [ -nfer ] [ -m modname ] ... [ cmd arg ... ]
wm/cprof [ -efr ] [ -m modname ] ... [ cmd arg ... ]
DESCRIPTION
Cprof is a coverage profiling tool which shows whether lines
of limbo source have been executed or not. It can also show
the number of times a line of code has been executed and can
accumulate results over a series of runs if so desired. The
source in question should be compiled with the -g flag so
that the relevant symbol table files exist.
The -n option lists the name of the file along with the line
number.
The -f option shows the number of times source code is exe-
cuted rather than simply indicating coverage.
The -r options indicates that the profiling results should
be recorded. Any profiled dis file of the form <name>.dis
will have the raw profiling results stored in a file named
<name>.prf. If this file already existed before the run, the
results will be added to this file. The profiling results
are not shown when this option is given.
The -m option lists the module names which are to be pro-
filed. If none are given, all the modules loaded by the ker-
nel will be profiled. The name may be the actual name of the
module or its path name.
The -e option profiles the module that is loaded first in
any following command. In this case there is no need to give
a -m option as this is added automatically.
Any remaining arguments are assumed to specify a command and
set of arguments to the command. If this is the case, cprof
will automatically start profiling, run the command to com-
pletion and then stop profiling before either recording the
results or showing the profile statistics.
If no command is given to profile, then cprof will show the
profile statistics from any existing recorded results in
.prf files instead.
Cprof discriminates between different sections of code on
the same line. A limbo for statement, for example,
Page 1 Plan 9 (printed 11/6/25)
CPROF(1) CPROF(1)
consisting of initialization, condition and step all on the
same line of source code will be dealt with as three sepa-
rate sections.
Cprof displays the profile statistics as a list of the limbo
source preceded by a line number and an indication of
whether the line was executed or not. For each section of
code on each line, a plus sign indicates that it was exe-
cuted, a minus sign that it was not and a question mark
indicates that some of the dis instructions associated with
the section of code were executed but some were not. Lines
with no associated dis code do not have an indication. Of
course, given the -f option, the number of times each sec-
tion is executed is shown instead.
Wm/cprof is a graphical coverage profiling tool which shows
which lines of limbo source have not been executed. It can
accumulate results over a series of runs if so desired.
The -r options indicates that the profiling results should
be recorded. Any profiled dis file of the form <name>.dis
will have the raw profiling results stored in a file named
<name>.prf. If this file already existed before the run, the
results will be added to this file.
The -m option lists the module names which are to be pro-
filed. If none are given, all the modules loaded by the ker-
nel will be profiled. The name may be the actual name of the
module or its path name.
The -e option profiles the module that is loaded first in
any following command. In this case there is no need to give
a -m option as this is added automatically.
The -f option allows a view of the execution profile rather
than coverage profile. Each source line is preceded by the
number of times it was executed and the text is coloured
according to this: the darker the colour the more times the
section of code was executed.
Any remaining arguments are assumed to specify a command and
set of arguments to the command. If this is the case,
wm/cprof will automatically start profiling, run the command
to completion and then stop profiling before optionally
recording the results and showing the profile statistics.
If no command is given to profile, then wm/cprof will show
the profile statistics from any existing recorded results in
.prf files instead.
Wm/cprof displays the profile statistics graphically. When
the -f option is not present, code that has not been
Page 2 Plan 9 (printed 11/6/25)
CPROF(1) CPROF(1)
executed is shown in white against a red background. Code
whose corresponding dis instructions have not been wholly
executed are shown in red against a white background. Typi-
cally a line of code such as
x = !x;
might show only partial execution if x has changed value
from 1 to 0 but not vice-verse.
The top of the text window names the module along with any
modules before and after it in the list. If a module has
100% coverage this is stated as well. To help find unexe-
cuted code, use the find icon in the menu bar. To move to
the next or go back to any other profiled modules, use the
arrow icons in the menu bar. The last icon, the reload icon,
pops up a menu of profiled modules to choose from.
wm/cprof calls cprof to do the actual work.
EXAMPLE
To profile a particular command
cprof /dis/math/sieve 100
To profile the same command but restrict attention to its
own module (Sieve).
cprof -m Sieve /dis/math/sieve 100
A shorter version of the above:
cprof -e /dis/math/sieve 100
Make 3 runs recording results as we go:
cprof -e -r /dis/math/sieve 100
cprof -e -r /dis/math/sieve 1000
cprof -e -r /dis/math/sieve 10000
Now look at the cumulative results:
cprof -m /dis/math/sieve.dis
To profile a particular command:
wm/cprof /dis/math/sieve 100
To profile the same command but restrict attention to its
own module (Partitions).
wm/cprof -m Sieve /dis/math/sieve 100
A shorter version of the above:
Page 3 Plan 9 (printed 11/6/25)
CPROF(1) CPROF(1)
wm/cprof -e /dis/math/sieve 100
Make 3 runs recording results as we go using cprof for sim-
plicity:
cprof -e -r /dis/math/sieve 100
cprof -e -r /dis/math/sieve 1000
cprof -e -r /dis/math/sieve 10000
Now look at the cumulative results graphically:
wm/cprof -m /dis/math/sieve.dis
SOURCE
/appl/cmd/cprof.b
/appl/wm/cprof.b
SEE ALSO
mprof(1), prof(1), prof(2), prof(3)
BUGS
Neither command can profile compiled limbo programs.
Page 4 Plan 9 (printed 11/6/25)