How to: Attach the Profiler to a .NET Framework Stand-Alone Application and Collect Application Statistics by Using the Command Line
This topic describes how to use Visual Studio Team System Developer Edition Profiling Tools command-line tools to attach the profiler to a running .NET Framework stand-alone (client) application and collect performance statistics using the sampling method.
To collect performance data from a .NET Framework application, the appropriate environment variables must be initialized before the target application starts. When the profiler is attached to the application, you can pause and resume data collection.
To end a profiling session, the profiler must no longer be attached to the application and the profiler must be explicitly shut down. In most cases, we recommend clearing the profiling environment variables at the end of a profiling session.
Attaching the Profiler
To attach the Profiler to a running .NET Framework application
Open a command prompt window. If necessary, add the profiler tools directory to your PATH environment variable. The path is not added at installation.
32 bit computers
On 32 bit computers, the default profiler tools directory is
\Program Files\Microsoft Visual Studio 9.0\Team Tools\Performance Tools.
64 bit computers
On 64 bit computers, specify the path according to the target platform of the application to be profiled.
To profile 32 bit applications, the default profiler tools directory is
\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft Visual Studio 9.0\Team Tools\Performance Tools
To profile 64 bit applications, the default profiler tools directory is
\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft Visual Studio 9.0\Team Tools\Performance Tools\x64
For example, to add the profiler directory to PATH on a 32 bit computer, type
set path=%path%;C:\Program Files\Microsoft Visual Studio 9.0\Team Tools\Performance Tools
Initialize the profiling environment variables. Type:
VSPerfClrEnv /sampleon [/samplelineoff]
- The /samplelineoff option disables the collection of source code line number data.
Start the profiler. Type:
**VSPerfCmd /start:sample /output:**OutputFile[Options]
The /start:sample option initializes the profiler.
The /output**:**OutputFile option is required with /start. OutputFile specifies the name and location of the profiling data (.vsp) file.
You can use any one of the following options with the /start:sample option.
/user:[Domain**\**]UserName
Specifies the optional domain and user name of the account that owns the profiled process. This option is required only if the profiled application has been started as a user other than the logged on user./crosssession
Enables profiling of processes in other logon sessions. /CS can be specified as an abbreviation for /crosssession. This option is required if the application is running in a different session./wincounter**:**WinCounterPath
Specifies a Windows performance counter to be collected during profiling./automark**:**Interval
Use with /wincounter only. Specifies the number of milliseconds between Windows performance counter collection events. Default is 500 ms./events**:**Config
Specifies an Event Tracing for Windows (ETW) event to be collected during profiling. ETW events are collected in a separate (.etl) file.
If necessary, start the target application in the typical way.
Attach the profiler to the target application. Type:
VSPerfCmd /attach:{PID|ProcessName} [Sample Event]
PID specifies the process ID of the target application. ProcessName specifies the name of the process. Note that if you specify ProcessName and multiple processes with the same name are running, results are unpredictable. You can view the process IDs of all running processes in Windows Task Manager.
By default, performance data is sampled every 10,000,000 non-halted processor clock cycles. This is approximately once every 10 seconds on a 1GH processor. You can specify one of the following options to change the clock cycle interval or to specify a different sampling event.
/timer**:**Interval
Changes the sampling interval to the number of non-halted clock cycles specified by Interval./pf [**:**Interval]
Changes the sampling event to page faults. If Interval is specified, sets the number of page faults between samples. Default is 10./sys [**:**Interval]
Changes the sampling event to system calls from the process to the operating system kernel (syscalls). If Interval is specified, sets the number of calls between samples. Default is 10./counter**:**Config
Changes the sampling event and interval to the processor performance counter and interval specified in Config.
Controlling Data Collection
When the target application is running, you can control data collection by starting and stopping the writing of data to the profiler data file by using VSPerfCmd.exe options. Controlling data collection enables you to collect data for a specific part of program execution, such as starting or shutting down the application.
To start and stop data collection
The following pairs of options start and stop data collection. Specify each option on a separate command line. You can turn data collection on and off multiple times.
/globalon /globaloff
Starts (/globalon) or stops (/globaloff) data collection for all processes./processon:PIDprocessoff:PID
Starts (/processon) or stops (/processoff) data collection for the process specified by the process ID (PID)./attach:{PID|ProcName}/detach[:{PID|ProcName}]
/attach starts to collect data for the process specified by the process ID (PID) or process name (ProcName). /detach stops data collection for the specified process or for all processes if a specific process is not specified.
You can also use the VSPerfCmd.exe/mark option to insert a profiling mark into the data file. The /mark command adds an identifier, a timestamp, and an optional user-defined text string. Marks can be used to filter the data in profiler reports and data views.
Ending the Profiling Session
To end a profiling session, the profiler must be detached from all profiled process and the profiler must be explicitly shut down . You can detach the from an application profiled with the sampling method by closing the application or by calling the VSPerfCmd /detach option. You then call the VSPerfCmd /shutdown option to turn the profiler off and close the profiling data file. The VSPerfClrEnv /off command clears the profiling environment variables.
To end a profiling session
Do one of the following to detach the profiler from the target application:
Type VSPerfCmd /detach
-or-
Close the target application.
Shut down the profiler. Type:
VSPerfCmd /shutdown
(Optional) Clear the profiling environment variables. Type:
VSPerfClrEnv /off