Devel::DProf 19990108

Devel::DProf is a Perl code profiler.

SYNOPSIS

perl5 -d:DProf test.pl

The Devel::DProf package is a Perl code profiler. This will collect information on the execution time of a Perl script and of the subs in that script. This information can be used to determine which subroutines are using the most time and which subroutines are being called most often. This information can also be used to create an execution graph of the script, showing subroutine relationships.
To profile a Perl script run the perl interpreter with the -d debugging switch. The profiler uses the debugging hooks. So to profile script test.pl the following command should be used:

perl5 -d:DProf test.pl

When the script terminates (or when the output buffer is filled) the profiler will dump the profile information to a file called tmon.out. A tool like dprofpp can be used to interpret the information which is in that profile. The following command will print the top 15 subroutines which used the most time:

dprofpp

To print an execution graph of the subroutines in the script use the following command:

dprofpp -T

Consult dprofpp for other options.

PROFILE FORMAT

The old profile is a text file which looks like this:

#fOrTyTwO
$hz=100;
$XS_VERSION=DProf 19970606;
# All values are given in HZ
$rrun_utime=2; $rrun_stime=0; $rrun_rtime=7
PART2
+ 26 28 566822884 DynaLoader::import
- 26 28 566822884 DynaLoader::import
+ 27 28 566822885 main::bar
- 27 28 566822886 main::bar
+ 27 28 566822886 main::baz
+ 27 28 566822887 main::bar
- 27 28 566822888 main::bar
[....]

The first line is the magic number. The second line is the hertz value, or clock ticks, of the machine where the profile was collected. The third line is the name and version identifier of the tool which created the profile. The fourth line is a comment. The fifth line contains three variables holding the user time, system time, and realtime of the process while it was being profiled. The sixth line indicates the beginning of the sub entry/exit profile section.

The columns in PART2 are:

sub entry(+)/exit(-) mark
apps user time at sub entry/exit mark, in ticks
apps system time at sub entry/exit mark, in ticks
apps realtime at sub entry/exit mark, in ticks
fully-qualified sub name, when possible

With newer perls another format is used, which may look like this:

#fOrTyTwO
$hz=10000;
$XS_VERSION=DProf 19971213;
# All values are given in HZ
$over_utime=5917; $over_stime=0; $over_rtime=5917;
$over_tests=10000;
$rrun_utime=1284; $rrun_stime=0; $rrun_rtime=1284;
$total_marks=6;

PART2
@ 406 0 406
& 2 main bar
+ 2
@ 456 0 456
- 2
@ 1 0 1
& 3 main baz
+ 3
@ 141 0 141
+ 2
@ 141 0 141
- 2
@ 1 0 1
& 4 main foo
+ 4
@ 142 0 142
+ & Devel::DProf::write
@ 5 0 5
- & Devel::DProf::write

(with high value of $ENV{PERL_DPROF_TICKS}).

New $over_* values show the measured overhead of making $over_tests calls to the profiler These values are used by the profiler to subtract the overhead from the runtimes.

The lines starting with @ mark time passed from the previous @ line. The lines starting with & introduce new subroutine id and show the package and the subroutine name of this id. Lines starting with +, - and * mark entering and exit of subroutines by ids, and goto ⊂r.

The old-style +- and --lines are used to mark the overhead related to writing to profiler-output file.