Operation and Use, Volume 2

pct

NAME

pct - Invokes the Performance Collection Tool (PCT) in either its graphical-user-interface or command-line mode.

SYNOPSIS

pct [-c [-s script_file]]

The pct command starts the PCT in either its graphical-user-interface mode, or, if the -c flag is specified, its command-line mode.

FLAGS

-c

Specifies that the PCT should be started in command-line mode. Refer to Subcommands of the pct command for information on the subcommands you can issue once the PCT is running in this mode.

-s script_file

When running in command-line mode, instructs the PCT to read its commands from the script file specified. When running in graphical user interface mode, you cannot use this option.

DESCRIPTION

The PCT is a highly scalable performance monitoring tool built on dynamic instrumentation technology -- the Dynamic Probe Class Library (DPCL). Using the PCT, you can collect:

• MPI and user event traces for eventual analysis by either:
  • Jumpshot (a public-domain tool developed at Argonne National Lab).

    or

  • the utestats utility provided as part of the PE Benchmarker Toolset.

  Since the MPI and user trace information will be output as standard AIX trace files, we have also supplied, as part of the PE Benchmarker tool set, several utilities for converting the AIX trace files created by the PCT into a format readable by Jumpshot and the utestats utility.

• Hardware and operating system profiles for playback within the Performance Visualization Tool (as invoked by the pvt command).

The PCT can be run in either its graphical-user-interface mode, or, if the -c flag is specified, its command-line mode. The PCT's graphical user interface is built on top of its command-line interface; in other words, your manipulations of the graphical user interface are translated by the tool into pct subcommands. These subcommands are issued, and the information returned is used to update the graphical user interface. The pct subcommands that result from your interface interactions are displayed in an information area of the PCT's Main Window.

When running in command-line mode, you can optionally have the PCT read its commands from a script file. You can specify the script file using the -s option when issuing the pct command, or you can use the run subcommand.

The pct command's subcommands (for controlling the PCT in command-line mode) are listed alphabetically under Subcommands of the pct command.

EXAMPLES

To start the PCT in graphical-user-interface mode:

pct

To start the PCT in command-line mode:

pct -c

To start the PCT in command-line mode, and read commands from the script file myscript.cmd.

pct -c -s myscript.cmd

RELATED INFORMATION

Commands: uteconvert(1), pvt(1), slogmerge(1), utemerge(1), utestats(1)