Post-compile instrumentation of object code for generating execution trace data

Abstract

The invention is directed to instrumenting object code of an application and/or an operating system on a target machine so that execution trace data can be generated, collected, and subsequently analyzed for various purposes, such as debugging and performance. Automatic instrumentation may be performed on an application's object code before, during or after linking. A target machine's operating system's object code can be manually or automatically instrumented. By identifying address space switches and thread switches in the operating system's object code, instrumented code can be inserted at locations that enable the execution trace data to be generated. The instrumentation of the operating system and application can enable visibility of total system behavior by enabling generation of trace information sufficient to reconstruct address space switches and context switches.

1 . A method for generating execution trace data for a program that executes on a target machine, comprising:
 determining each block of object code for the program to be instrumented, wherein at least one block of object code for the program is instrumented for executing on the target machine; and   associating an instrumented object code block with a memory location of the target machine, such that, if the instrumented object code block is executed, a simulated trace probe is arranged to collect trace data that is written to the memory location.