Method and apparatus for flexible, accurate, and/or efficient code profiling

摘要

An apparatus and method for profiling program code. In particular, an apparatus according to one embodiment comprises a filtering component identifying a first set of instructions for which profiling is desired wherein, in response to detecting that an instruction has been retired, the filtering component determines whether the instruction is within the first set of instructions for which profiling is desired; an event selection component detecting an event in response to the instruction retiring, the event selection component generating event signals in response to a designated event; and a profiling component recording the occurrence or not occurrence of the event within a first storage device responsive to signals from the filtering component and/or the event selection component.

主权项

1. A machine-implemented method for profiling program code comprising:
identifying a first set of the instructions for which profiling is desired, wherein the first set of the instructions comprises a subset of all instructions, and wherein identifying the first set of the instructions comprises specifying a particular address range and identifying instructions within the address range as being instructions for which profiling is desired; associating profiling events with each of the first set of instructions; receiving an indication that an instruction has been retired; determining whether the instruction is within the first set of instructions for which profiling is desired; and if the instruction is within the first set, then determining whether a designated event associated with the instruction has occurred or not occurred; and recording the occurrence or not occurrence of the event within a first storage device upon an indication indicating the first storage device is not saturated, wherein the first storage device is a register having an entry for each of a plurality of instruction and event pairs, each entry recording a number of occurrences and a number of not occurrence of a particular event for a particular instruction.