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-rw-r--r--tools/perf/Documentation/perf-diff.txt171
1 files changed, 161 insertions, 10 deletions
diff --git a/tools/perf/Documentation/perf-diff.txt b/tools/perf/Documentation/perf-diff.txt
index 20d97d84ea1..b3b8abae62b 100644
--- a/tools/perf/Documentation/perf-diff.txt
+++ b/tools/perf/Documentation/perf-diff.txt
@@ -3,46 +3,61 @@ perf-diff(1)
NAME
----
-perf-diff - Read two perf.data files and display the differential profile
+perf-diff - Read perf.data files and display the differential profile
SYNOPSIS
--------
[verse]
-'perf diff' [oldfile] [newfile]
+'perf diff' [baseline file] [data file1] [[data file2] ... ]
DESCRIPTION
-----------
-This command displays the performance difference amongst two perf.data files
-captured via perf record.
+This command displays the performance difference amongst two or more perf.data
+files captured via perf record.
If no parameters are passed it will assume perf.data.old and perf.data.
+The differential profile is displayed only for events matching both
+specified perf.data files.
+
OPTIONS
-------
+-D::
+--dump-raw-trace::
+ Dump raw trace in ASCII.
+
+-m::
+--modules::
+ Load module symbols. WARNING: use only with -k and LIVE kernel
+
-d::
--dsos=::
Only consider symbols in these dsos. CSV that understands
- file://filename entries.
+ file://filename entries. This option will affect the percentage
+ of the Baseline/Delta column. See --percentage for more info.
-C::
--comms=::
Only consider symbols in these comms. CSV that understands
- file://filename entries.
+ file://filename entries. This option will affect the percentage
+ of the Baseline/Delta column. See --percentage for more info.
-S::
--symbols=::
Only consider these symbols. CSV that understands
- file://filename entries.
+ file://filename entries. This option will affect the percentage
+ of the Baseline/Delta column. See --percentage for more info.
-s::
--sort=::
- Sort by key(s): pid, comm, dso, symbol.
+ Sort by key(s): pid, comm, dso, symbol, cpu, parent, srcline.
+ Please see description of --sort in the perf-report man page.
-t::
--field-separator=::
Use a special separator character and don't pad with spaces, replacing
- all occurances of this separator in symbol names (and other output)
+ all occurrences of this separator in symbol names (and other output)
with a '.' character, that thus it's the only non valid separator.
-v::
@@ -50,6 +65,142 @@ OPTIONS
Be verbose, for instance, show the raw counts in addition to the
diff.
+-f::
+--force::
+ Don't complain, do it.
+
+--symfs=<directory>::
+ Look for files with symbols relative to this directory.
+
+-b::
+--baseline-only::
+ Show only items with match in baseline.
+
+-c::
+--compute::
+ Differential computation selection - delta,ratio,wdiff (default is delta).
+ See COMPARISON METHODS section for more info.
+
+-p::
+--period::
+ Show period values for both compared hist entries.
+
+-F::
+--formula::
+ Show formula for given computation.
+
+-o::
+--order::
+ Specify compute sorting column number.
+
+--percentage::
+ Determine how to display the overhead percentage of filtered entries.
+ Filters can be applied by --comms, --dsos and/or --symbols options.
+
+ "relative" means it's relative to filtered entries only so that the
+ sum of shown entries will be always 100%. "absolute" means it retains
+ the original value before and after the filter is applied.
+
+COMPARISON
+----------
+The comparison is governed by the baseline file. The baseline perf.data
+file is iterated for samples. All other perf.data files specified on
+the command line are searched for the baseline sample pair. If the pair
+is found, specified computation is made and result is displayed.
+
+All samples from non-baseline perf.data files, that do not match any
+baseline entry, are displayed with empty space within baseline column
+and possible computation results (delta) in their related column.
+
+Example files samples:
+- file A with samples f1, f2, f3, f4, f6
+- file B with samples f2, f4, f5
+- file C with samples f1, f2, f5
+
+Example output:
+ x - computation takes place for pair
+ b - baseline sample percentage
+
+- perf diff A B C
+
+ baseline/A compute/B compute/C samples
+ ---------------------------------------
+ b x f1
+ b x x f2
+ b f3
+ b x f4
+ b f6
+ x x f5
+
+- perf diff B A C
+
+ baseline/B compute/A compute/C samples
+ ---------------------------------------
+ b x x f2
+ b x f4
+ b x f5
+ x x f1
+ x f3
+ x f6
+
+- perf diff C B A
+
+ baseline/C compute/B compute/A samples
+ ---------------------------------------
+ b x f1
+ b x x f2
+ b x f5
+ x f3
+ x x f4
+ x f6
+
+COMPARISON METHODS
+------------------
+delta
+~~~~~
+If specified the 'Delta' column is displayed with value 'd' computed as:
+
+ d = A->period_percent - B->period_percent
+
+with:
+ - A/B being matching hist entry from data/baseline file specified
+ (or perf.data/perf.data.old) respectively.
+
+ - period_percent being the % of the hist entry period value within
+ single data file
+
+ - with filtering by -C, -d and/or -S, period_percent might be changed
+ relative to how entries are filtered. Use --percentage=absolute to
+ prevent such fluctuation.
+
+ratio
+~~~~~
+If specified the 'Ratio' column is displayed with value 'r' computed as:
+
+ r = A->period / B->period
+
+with:
+ - A/B being matching hist entry from data/baseline file specified
+ (or perf.data/perf.data.old) respectively.
+
+ - period being the hist entry period value
+
+wdiff:WEIGHT-B,WEIGHT-A
+~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
+If specified the 'Weighted diff' column is displayed with value 'd' computed as:
+
+ d = B->period * WEIGHT-A - A->period * WEIGHT-B
+
+ - A/B being matching hist entry from data/baseline file specified
+ (or perf.data/perf.data.old) respectively.
+
+ - period being the hist entry period value
+
+ - WEIGHT-A/WEIGHT-B being user suplied weights in the the '-c' option
+ behind ':' separator like '-c wdiff:1,2'.
+ - WIEGHT-A being the weight of the data file
+ - WIEGHT-B being the weight of the baseline data file
+
SEE ALSO
--------
-linkperf:perf-record[1]
+linkperf:perf-record[1], linkperf:perf-report[1]