Event Trace Parser Tool for Microsoft Dynamics AX Released

  • Article

We have released the RTM version of Event Trace Parser Tool for Microsoft Dynamics AX (aka TraceParser). You can download the tool from CustomerSource or PartnerSouorce.

The Event Trace Parser for Microsoft Dynamics® AX is a user interface and data analyzer built on top of the Event Tracing for Windows (ETW) framework. The ETW framework allows an administrator to conduct tracing with an overhead of approximately 4%. This low overhead allows administrators to diagnose performance problems in live environments as opposed to development environments.

The Trace Parser is built on top of Microsoft SQL Server. It enables rapid analysis of traces to find the longest running code, longest running SQL query, highest call count and other metrics useful in debugging a performance problem. In addition, it provides a call tree of the code that was executed, giving the developer insight into the code, and the power to quickly become familiar with the flow of an unfamiliar piece of code. It also provides the ability to jump from the searching feature to the call tree, so that the person analyzing the trace can determine how the problematic code was called.

Event Trace Parser works with Microsoft Dynamics AX 4.0, Microsoft Dynamics AX 2009, Microsoft SQL Server 2005 and Microsoft SQL Server 2008.

Event Trace Parser for Microsoft Dynamics AX is being released as an unsupported tool. However, as alwasys we appreciate your feedback and suggestions very much!

Comments

  • Anonymous
    June 20, 2009
    There is no documentation in the installer package. Is the installation same as the previous trace parser?
  • Anonymous
    June 22, 2009
    @arijitbasu: The documentation is included in the install location of Trace Parser as Microsoft Dynamics AX Trace Parser Guide.doc
  • Anonymous
    June 22, 2009
    Thank you very much. I have made it work.
  • Anonymous
    June 29, 2009
    Hi! I've installed the tool in the following environment:DAX 4.0 SP2, latest Kernel RollupSQL Server 2008Windows 2008 Server StandardWhen installing the Client integration I got no errors, warnings or tasks. But the Form TracingCockpit is empty. I've also searched for a xpo containing the project.Any hints?
  • Anonymous
    July 01, 2009
    Hi, the tool is fantastic, but sometimes I have a problem, when importing trace files (and the import is stopped, because of an unhandled exception). I have Dynamics 5.0 SP1 and SQL2008 (I use the recommended trace settings). When I click debug, I get this information: in Stored procedure [TestInsertSqlStatement]: "String or binary data would be truncated". Do you have any idea, what is the problem with the import?It would be very useful to find out some performance issues with this tool!Thank you,Laszlo Ipolyi
  • Anonymous
    July 10, 2009
    Dear, did the installation wizard change between the RTM version and the RC2? I have no install options (Ax integration option not available) and no trace form is available from the development tools.Also, when I start a trace on my client, and I verify if it is running with the command "logman -ets query providers"onlySession                    Id     FileMSDTC_TRACE_SESSION        2      C:WINDOWSsystem32MSDtctracedtctrace.logis shown.Do I need to start a 'special' or additional service?No trace file is created.(I installed the Trace Parser as available on customersource: https://mbs.microsoft.com/customersource/downloads/servicepacks/ax_traceparser.htm?printpage=false&stext=trace%20parser) modified on 18/06/2009)thanks for your reply
  • Anonymous
    August 05, 2009
    Nice to have a RTM version that is public. I've been using a MS supplied version for a couple years. Very good tool that has been useful with Dynamics AX.
  • Anonymous
    December 01, 2009
    I try to use this, but I am having problems accesing the X++ Code, .net Business Connector is installed.What else needs to be configured? The Documentation is not helping me in that case...The "Table Details" Function (which uses the Business Conector as well), I get an error sayingErrorUnable to retrieve information from the Application Object ServerOK  
  • Anonymous
    January 31, 2010
    I am currently testing the trace parser tool on a bigger company. As a note, we have 2 AOS and a load balancer in front.I was tracing on the aos, then I imported the file into the trace parser tool getting the error that a huge amount of events were dropped. Finally nothing was imported.I then changed the tracebuffersize from 1024 to 512 and traced again. On Import i got some data but about 60.000 events were dropped again.What should i do?
  • Anonymous
    March 08, 2010
    Is anyone having troubles with the trace parser on Windows 7? I used trace parser very succesful on Windows XP, but now on Windows 7, it crashes on startup after a clean install. Anyone has an idea?
  • Anonymous
    March 08, 2010
    @nicer: Trace Parser requires .Net Framework 3.5 SP1 and  Business Connector to be installed. Please check on both of these.
  • Anonymous
    May 05, 2010
    Hi, this week i tried the Trace Parser again but couldnt get it work. So i have some questions:First: I want to trace client and server but i don't know if i need to start the trace on the server utility or the client utility or both and which data to use for import?Second: The client integration never works. Is this because i have several configurations on the machine. It also looks like the client integration changes the configurations aos configuration...Third: When i import a trace file i get dropped events. I've changed the buffer sizes like you said and did some research but i did not get it to import.Forth: Is trace parser the best tool to use? Will there be a new version? Whats the future with this?ThanksAndi
  • Anonymous
    November 16, 2010
    Has the documentation been taken off for the new trace parser?There is no document that is created when installed.Also which logman query needs to be started, as i do get the same error reported "Dataset not found" for the logman query run by the parser tool
  • Anonymous
    January 27, 2011
    Error in the xpo file, missing guide and log dir isn't created automatically and you need to set parameters using tablebrowser!?sorry - not good!
  • Anonymous
    May 30, 2011
    Hi, After installing, the documentation is included in the install location of Trace Parser as Microsoft Dynamics AX Trace Parser Guide.doc,but I can't find it there,
  • Anonymous
    October 05, 2011
    Hii have been using trace parser for months in AX 5.0SQL 2008Windows 2008 32 bit.  we have moved all the ax instance to windows 2008 64 bit.  its not generating the server side trace file using trace parser cockpit.Tried generating the file through server configuration utility. its genrating the file in configured log folder.Please help on this.
  • Anonymous
    October 06, 2011
    thiya:It could be a permission issue – your AOS service account may not have permission to write events. Please take a look at this page and double check your configuration:community.dynamics.com/.../dynamics-ax-tracing-part-2.aspx