cannot analyze user tasks with update 4

[James_P_3]

Starting with 2015 update 4, vtune seems to be unable to analyze user tasks, erroring upon capture completion. I've bounced back and forth a few times between updates 3 and 4, and it only started happening with 4. I could reinstall 4 to get the error messages, but is this already a known issue?

Thanks,
James
 

[Robert_L_Intel1]

Hi James - I'm only finding one known issue in the release notes.  If this is not your issue, it would be good to have the error message along with more details about the specific scenario.

Here is the known issue:

 Information collected via ITT API is not available when attaching to a process (200172007)
o When collecting statistics data using ITT API injected into a source code, like Frame Analysis or JIT-profiling, attaching to a process will not bring expected results. Use the VTune Amplifier XE analysis to start an application instead of attaching to a process.

[Robert_L_Intel1]

... found a few more, but none of these are specific to 2015 Update 4 as you suggest.  So, yes, error information and more details would be appreciated.  Thanks!

 Information collected via ITT API is not available when attaching to a process (200172007)
o When collecting statistics data using ITT API injected into a source code, like Frame Analysis or JIT-profiling, attaching to a process will not bring expected results. Use the VTune Amplifier XE analysis to start an application instead of attaching to a process.

 VTune Amplifier XE user APIs are not supported for static binaries (200279211)
o To use ITT and JIT APIs with software based collectors (Hotspots, Concurrency, Locks and Waits) user needs to link their application dynamically.

User tasks, events and frames marked with ITT APIs may not be shown if target application is finished by Ctrl+C (200304207)
o Use another method to stop application, or VTune Amplifier XE "stop" command.

 ITT API task or frame is not shown in results if its end occurs when collector is inactive (200331811)
o When ITT task or frame end notification occurs after collection was paused, or detach or stop command issued, the frame or task is not displayed in the result.

If you prefer, for secure communications with the VTune Amplifier XE support staff, you can always submit your problem to Intel(R) Premier Support.

https://premier.intel.com/
 
It's free, secure technical support.

[James_P_3]

I think I've found a workaround. If I close my application normally instead of using the Stop button in the VTune analysis tab, I get the user task data as usual. The Stop button used to work fine for this in update 3 though, and it's in a more convenient place.

This is the error message that I was seeing:
Cannot load data file `C:\...\My Amplifier XE Results - ...\r010runss0\data.0\userapicollector-7200-ad1e4ba2.trace' (Data file is corrupted).

[Robert_L_Intel1]

Hi James - I'm working on a reproducer for this.  Can you give me some more details about what ITT API's you are using, specifically?

I've got a similar error condition with a simplified use of the task APIs, but I do not get the data corruption message along with it.  Perhaps if you can tell me more about what APIs you are using and how, I can be better assured it is the same problem I see.

[James_P_3]

These are the functions that are being called. I create the domain up front, and call the rest of the functions throughout frames of a game.

__itt_domain_create
__itt_string_handle_createA
__itt_task_begin
__itt_task_end
__itt_frame_begin_v3
__itt_frame_end_v3

[Vladimir_R_Intel]

Hi James,

Could you please upload the corrupted result? And a sample on which you reproduce the issue if it's possible. If not please describe the scenario step by step (including ITT API actions in your application).

[James_P_3]

Sample attached. The corrupt VTune result was made with Concurrency (Paused) + user tasks, and pressing the Stop button inside the analysis tab.

[Vladimir_R_Intel]

James, thank you for this report. The bug will be fixed in the Gold release. As a workaround please use start (not start-paused) collection case.

Also I think you need to use "unsigned long long" in your cycle, otherwise it's an endless loop.

for (volatile unsigned long long i = 0; i<60000000000L; i++);

[Caesar]

I am also having some trouble to use VTune Update 4 to collect task information.

I profile a program on my desktop machine with VTune Update 3 and I am able to successfully see task information in the GUI. However, when I profile the same program on a server machine using VTune Update 4 I get the following error message:

divcesar@ubuntu:~$ /opt/intel/vtune_amplifier_xe_2015/bin64/amplxe-cl -report gpu-computing-tasks -r r000cc/
amplxe: Using result path `/home/divcesar/r000cc'
amplxe: Executing actions 50 % Generating a report                             
Empty request output.
amplxe: Executing actions 100 % done                                           
amplxe: Error: 0x40000023 (User input error)

What does this error mean?

Furthermore, I am only interested in seeing total CPU time per task, is there a way to speed-up the process? The step of "Finalizing/collecting results" tasks a lot of time..

[Vladimir_R_Intel]

Hi Caesar,

please specify what you collected and exactly what you want to see.

Currently it seems that you try to generate a report with data which you didn't collect.

Maybe you need:

/opt/intel/vtune_amplifier_xe_2015/bin64/amplxe-cl -report hotspots -group-by task -r r000cc/