This chapter describes how to profile your programs with the Xprofiler profiling tool of the IBM Parallel Environment for AIX. This chapter explains how to use the Xprofiler graphical user interface (GUI) to profile your application, so it is best to read it while you have the GUI up and running.
If you intend to use the AIX gprof command to profile your parallel application, see Appendix D, Profiling programs with the AIX prof and gprof commands for information on how to do so. You may also find it helpful to consult the AIX 5L Version 5.1 Commands Reference.
You do not need to be familiar with the AIX gprof command to use Xprofiler.
Xprofiler is a tool that helps you analyze your parallel application's performance quickly and easily. It uses data collected by the -pg compiling option to construct a graphical display of the functions within your application. Xprofiler provides quick access to the profiled data, which lets you identify the functions that are the most CPU-intensive. The graphical user interface also lets you manipulate the display in order to focus on the application's critical areas.