Hello Monks,

please share me your wisdom for this case:
I have to write a script which is checking a given
function call sequence like "FunctionZ", "FunctionY",...
against a call stack trace in following textual format:
State: time: memory: Name:
ENTRY: 0.000 0x004e2aa8 FunctionA()
EXIT: 0.000 0x004e2aa8 FunctionA()
ENTRY: 0.000 0x004e3ac8 InitSomething()
ENTRY: 0.000 0x0045760c FunctionZ()
ENTRY: 0.000 0x00455fbd FunctionY()
EXIT: 0.000 0x00455fbd FunctionY()
EXIT: 0.000 0x0045760c FunctionZ()
EXIT: 0.000 0x004e3ac8 InitSomething()
So given the sequence "FunctionZ", "FunctionY" should return true and the sequence "FunctionY", "FunctionZ" should return false.

My Problem is, i am not sure what's the best way for implementing this. I have several ideas. The basis of all ideas is that i read-in the given c-call-stack trace completely and create a data-structure.

This data-structure could be:
#1 A Hash, where all subsequent functioncalls are listed
$->{InitSomething}{FunctionZ}{FunctionY}
Problem here:
  • when i have several calls to "InitSomething" with different subsequent function-calls I have to create additionally arrays for each hash item
  • Data will be doubled, each subsequent function call could be the root of the sequence requested to be matched, thus i have to create a hash item for each sub function call.. i feel by doing this i will end up in hell

    • 2# represent each "ENTRY" sequence in the stack trace as a string. Putting this string in a Hash and check the requested sequence if it is available in the hash.
    Problem here, only a small subset of function could be requested and then it is not working.
    3# Just like 2# but putting all in an array and do a reg-expression withe the requested sequence for each item.
    Problem here: It might be that the sequence wont be matched due to missing function names.
    4# Making a kind of Linked list for each function call where the root-function-call is placed into an hash. Then we search for the sequence in the list.
    Problem: I cannot install in perl the lib for linked lists as i do not have the perl maintenance rights thus i have to create them by myself, not really tricky but also here i fell to end up in hell..

    Maybe someone had a similar problem solved more elegant than my proposals - i hope so! Any help is highly welcome!

    Best regards Tobias

    In reply to Analyze a C Call-Stack sequence trace and get call sequence from given Function name onwards. by tobias_hofer

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