Re: [RFC PATCH] perf/core: Put size of a sample at the end of it

[Peter Zijlstra <peterz@infradead.org>]

On Wed, Dec 02, 2015 at 01:38:19PM +0000, Wang Nan wrote:
> This sloution requires user program (perf) do more things. At least
> following things and limitations should be considered:
> 
>  1. Before reading such ring buffer, perf must ensure all events which
>     may output to it is already stopped, so the 'head' pointer it get
>     is the end of the last record.

Right, this is tricky, this would not allow two snapshots to happen back
to back since that would then result in a bunch of missed events.

Aside from this issue its a rather nice idea.

>  2. We must ensure all events attached this ring buffer has
>     'PERF_SAMPLE_SIZE' selected.

That can be easily enforced.

>  3. There must no tracking events output to this ring buffer.

That is rather unfortunate, we'd best fix that up.

>  4. 2 bytes extra space is required for each record.

8, perf records must be 8 byte aligned and sized.

> Further improvement can be taken:
> 
>  1. If PERF_SAMPLE_SIZE is selected, we can avoid outputting the event
>     size in header. Which eliminate extra space cose;

That would mandate you always parse the stream backwards. Which seems
rather unfortunate. Also, no you cannot recoup the extra space, see the
alignment and size requirement.

>  2. We can find a way to append size information for tracking events
>     also.

The !sample records you mean? Yes those had better have them too.