xmperf Command

The xmperf program allows you to define monitoring environments to supervise the performance of the local AIX system and remote systems.

Syntax

xmperf [-v auxz] [-w width] [-o options_file] [-p weight] [-h localhostname] [-r network_timeout]

Flags

All command line options are optional and all except -r and -h correspond to X Window System resources that can be used in place of the command line arguments. The options v, a, u, x, and z are true or false options. If one of those options is set through an X Window System resource, it can not be overridden by the corresponding command line argument. The options are described as follows:

v

Verbose. This option prints the configuration file lines to the xmperf log file $HOME/xmperf.log as they are processed. Any errors detected for a line will be printed immediately below the line. The option is intended as a help to find and correct errors in a configuration file. Use the option if you don't understand why a line in your configuration file does not have the expected effect.

Setting the X Window System resource BeVerbose to true has the same effect as this flag.

a

Adjust size of the value path name that is displayed in instruments to what is required for the longest path name in each instrument. The length can be less than the default fixed length (or the length specified by the -w option if used) but never longer. The use of this option can result in consoles where the time scales are not aligned from one instrument to the next.

Note: For pie chart graphs, adjustment is always done, regardless of this command line argument.

Setting the X Window System resource LegendAdjust to true has the same effect as this flag.

u

Use popup menus. As described in "Console Windows" , the overall menu structure can be based upon pulldown menus (which is the default) or popup menus as activated with this flag. Typically, pulldown menus are easier to understand for occasional users; while popup menus provide a faster, but less intuitive interface.

Setting the X Window System resource PopupMenus to true has the same effect as this flag.

x

Subscribe to exception packets from remote hosts. This option makes xmperf inform all the remote hosts it identifies that they should forward exception packets produced by the filtd daemon, if the daemon is running. If this flag is omitted, xmperf will not subscribe to exception packets.

Setting the X Window System resource GetExceptions to true has the same effect as this flag.

z

For monochrome displays and X stations, you might want to try the -z option, which causes xmperf to draw graphical output directly to the display rather than always redrawing from a pixmap. By default, xmperf first draws graphical output to a pixmap and then, when all changes are done, moves the pixmap to the display. Generally, with a locally-attached color display, performance is better when graphical output is redrawn from pixmaps. Also, a flaw in some levels of X Window System can be bypassed when this option is in effect.

Setting the X Window System resource DirectDraw to true has the same effect as this flag.

w

Must be followed by a number between 8 and 32 to define the number of characters from the value path name to display in instruments. The default number of characters is 12.

Alternatively, the legend width can be set through the X Window System resource LegendWidth.

o

Must be followed by a file name of a configuration file (environment) to be used in this execution of xmperf. If this option is omitted, the configuration file name is assumed to be $HOME/xmperf.cf. If this file is not found, the file is searched for as described in "Performance Toolbox for AIX Files" .

Alternatively, the configuration file name can be set through the X Window System resource ConfigFile.

p

If given, this flag must be followed by a number in the range 25-100. When specified, this flag turns on "averaging" or "weighting" of all observations for state graphs before they are plotted. The number is taken as the "weight percentage" to use when averaging the values plotted in state graphs. The formula used to calculate the average is:

val = new * weight/100 + old * (100-weight) / 100

where:

val

Is the value used to plot.

new

Is the latest observation value.

old

Is the val calculated for the previous observation.

weight

Is the weight specified by the -p flag. If a number outside the valid range is specified, a value of 50 is used. If this flag is omitted, averaging is not used.

Alternatively, the averaging weight can be set through the X Window System resource Averaging.

The weight also controls the calculation of weighted average in tabulating windows.

h

Must be followed by the host name of a remote host that is to be regarded as Localhost. The Localhost is used to qualify all value path names that do not have a host name specified. If not specified, Localhost defaults to the host where xmperf executes.

Note: With the Performance Toolbox Local feature of Version 2.2 or later, this flag always uses the local host name.

r

Specifies the timeout (in milliseconds) used when waiting for responses from remote hosts. The value specified must be between 5 and 10,000. If not specified, this value defaults to 100 milliseconds.

Note: On networks that extend over several routers, gateways, or bridges, the default value is likely to be too low.

One indication of a too low timeout value is when the list of hosts displayed by xmperf contains many host names that are followed by two asterisks. The two asterisks indicate that the host did not respond to xmperf broadcasts within the expected timeout period. The " Host Selection List from xmperf" shows how some hosts in a host selection list have asterisks. The list shown was generated in a network with multiple levels of routers where the default timeout is on the low side during busy hours.