How to: Instrument a Stand-Alone .NET Framework Component and Collect Memory Data with the Profiler by Using the Command Line
This topic describes how to use Visual Studio Team System Developer Edition Profiling Tools command-line tools to instrument a .NET Framework component of a stand-alone application such as an .exe or .dll file and collect memory information by using the profiler.
To collect memory data from a .NET Framework component by using the instrumentation method, you use the VSInstr.exe tool to generate an instrumented version of the component and the VSPerfCLREnv.cmd tool to initialize profiling environment variables. You then start the profiler by using the VSPerfCmd.exe tool.
When the instrumented component is executed, memory data is automatically collected to a data file. You can pause and resume data collection during the profiling session.
To end a profiling session, you close the target application and explicitly shut down the profiler. In most cases, we recommend clearing the profiling environment variables at the end of a session.
Starting the Application with 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
Use the VSInstr tool to generate an instrumented version of the target application.
Initialize the .NET Framework profiling environment variables. Type:
VSPerfClrEnv {/tracegc | /tracegclife}
- The /tracegc and /tracegclife options initialize the environment variables to collect only memory allocation data, or to collect both memory allocation and object lifetime data.
/tracegc
Enables collection of memory allocation data only./tracegclife
Enables collection of both memory allocation and object lifetime data.
Start the profiler. Type:
**VSPerfCmd /start:trace /output:**OutputFile[Options]
The /start:trace 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 of the following options with the /start:trace option.
/user:[Domain**\**]UserName
Specifies the domain and user name of the account that owns the profiled process. This option is required only if the process is running as a user other than the logged on user. The process owner is listed in the User Name column on the Processes tab of Windows Task Manager./crosssession
Enables profiling of processes in other sessions. This option is required if the application is running in a different session. The session id is listed in the Session ID column on the the Processes tab of Windows Task Manager. /CS can be specified as an abbreviation for /crosssession./globaloff
To start the profiler with data collection paused, add the /globaloff option to the /start command line. Use /globalon to resume profiling./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./counter**:**Config
Collects information from the processor performance counter specified in Config. Counter information is added to the data collected at each profiling event.events**:**Config
Specifies an Event Tracing for Windows (ETW) event to be collected during profiling. ETW events are collected in a separate (.etl) file.
Start the target application from the command prompt window.
Controlling Data Collection
While the target application is running, you can control data collection by starting and stopping the writing of data to the file with 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 VSPerfCmd 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:PID/processoff:PID
Starts (/processon) or stops (/processoff) data collection for the process specified by the process ID (PID)./threadon:TID/threadoff:TID
Starts (/threadon) or stops (/threadoff) data collection for the thread specified by the thread ID (TID).
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.
Ending the Profiling Session
To end a profiling session, close the application that is running the instrumented component, and 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
Close the target application.
Shut down the profiler. Type:
VSPerfCmd /shutdown
(Optional) Clear the profiling environment variables. Type:
VSPerfCmd /off