diff options
Diffstat (limited to 'NEWS')
| -rw-r--r-- | NEWS | 79 |
1 files changed, 60 insertions, 19 deletions
@@ -1,11 +1,67 @@ -* What's new +* What's new in version 0.9 + +- Typecasting is now supported using the @cast operator. A script can + define a pointer type for a "long" value, and then access type members + using the same syntax as with $target variables. For example, this will + retrieve the parent pid from a kernel task_struct: + @cast(pointer, "task_struct", "kernel")->parent->pid + +- process().mark() probes are now possible to trace static user space + markers put in programs with the STAP_PROBE macro using the new + sys/sdt.h include file. This also provides dtrace compatible markers + through DTRACE_PROBE and an associated python 'dtrace' script that + can be used in builds based on dtrace that need dtrace -h or -G + functionality. + +- For those that really want to run stap from the build tree there is + now the 'run-stap' script in the top-level build directory that sets + up the SYSTEMTAP_TAPSET, SYSTEMTAP_RUNTIME, SYSTEMTAP_STAPRUN, and + SYSTEMTAP_STAPIO environment variables (installing systemtap, in a + local prefix, is still recommended for common use). + +- Systemtap now comes with a new Beginners Guide that walks the user + through their first steps setting up stap, understanding how it all + works, introduces some useful scripts and describes some common + pitfalls. It isn't created by default since it needs a Publican + setup, but full build instructions can be found in the wiki: + http://sourceware.org/systemtap/wiki/PublicanQuikHowto + An online version can be found at: + http://sourceware.org/systemtap/SystemTap_Beginners_Guide.pdf + +- Standard tapsets included with Systemtap were modified to include + extractable documentation information based on the kernel-doc + infrastructure. When configured --enabled-docs a HTML and PDF + version of the Tapset Reference Manual is produced explaining probes + defined in each tapset. + +- The systemtap client and compile server are now available. + These allow you to compile a systemtap module on a host other than + the one which it will be run, providing the client and server + are compatible. Other than using a server for passes 1 through + 4, the client behaves like the 'stap' front end itself. This + means, among other things, that the client will automatically + load the resulting module on the local host unless -p[1234] + was specified. See stap-server(8) for more details. + The client/server now use SSL for network connection security and + for signing. + + The systemtap client and server are prototypes only. Interfaces, options + and usage may change at any time. + +- function("func").label("label") probes are now supported to allow matching + the label of a function. + +- Systemtap initscript is available. This initscript allows you to run + systemtap scripts as system services (in flight recorder mode) and + control those scripts individually. + See README.initscript for details. - The stap "-r DIR" option may be used to identify a hand-made kernel build directory. The tool determines the appropriate release string automatically from the directory. -- A serious problem associated with user-space probing in shared libraries - was corrected, making it now possible to experiment with probe shared +- Serious problems associated with user-space probing in shared libraries + were corrected, making it now possible to experiment with probe shared libraries. Assuming dwarf debugging information is installed, use this twist on the normal syntax: @@ -13,7 +69,7 @@ This would probe all threads that call into that library. Running "stap -c CMD" or "stap -x PID" naturally restricts this to the target - command+descendants only. + command+descendants only. $$vars etc. may be used. - For scripts that sometimes terminate with excessive "skipped" probes, rerunning the script with "-t" (timing) will print more details about @@ -114,21 +170,6 @@ yet current lkml-track utrace; a "pass 4a"-time build failure means your system cannot use this yet. -- Prototype systemtap client and compile server are now available. - These allow you to compile a systemtap module on a host other than - the one which it will be run, providing the client and server - are compatible. Other than using a server for passes 1 through - 4, the client behaves like the 'stap' front end itself. This - means, among other things, that the client will automatically - load the resulting module on the local host unless -p[1234] - was specified. - - This client/server implementation is a prototype. It provides - NO NETWORK SECURITY OF ANY KIND and should be used only - among trusted hosts on a trusted network. - - See stap-server(8) for more details. - - Global variables which are written to but never read are now automatically displayed when the session does a shutdown. For example: |