Step: a framework for the efficient encoding of general trace data

• Main Author: Brown, Rhodes Hart Fraser
• Other Authors: Hendren, Laurie J. (advisor)
• Format: Others
• Language: en
• Published: McGill University 2003
• Subjects: Computer Science.
• Online Access: http://digitool.Library.McGill.CA:80/R/?func=dbin-jump-full&object_id=78332

Program tracing is a common technique employed by software and hardware developers who are interested in characterizing the dynamic behavior of complex software systems. However, despite the popularity of trace-driven analyses, there are surprisingly few options for encoding trace data in a standard format. === In the past, many developers have resorted to creating their own ad-hoc trace encoding solutions, tailored specifically to the data they are considering. Such efforts are usually redundant, and in many cases lead to an obscure and poorly documented trace format which ultimately limits the reuse and sharing of potentially valuable information. === The STEP system was created to address this problem by providing a standard method for encoding general program trace data in a flexible and compact format. The system consists of a trace data definition language along with a compiler for the language and an encoding architecture that implements a number of common trace compaction techniques. The system simplifies the development and interoperability of trace clients by encapsulating the encoding process and presenting the data as an abstract object stream. === This thesis presents a detailed description of the STEP system and evaluates its utility by applying it to a variety of trace data from Java programs. Initial results indicate that compressed STEP encodings are often substantially more compact than similarly compressed naive formats.