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From: "Jukka A. Ukkonen" <jau@jau.tmt.tele.fi>
Message-Id: <199706111423.RAA24797@jau.tmt.tele.fi>
Subject: what about adding fktrace() to parallel ktrace()
To: questions@freebsd.org
Date: Wed, 11 Jun 1997 17:23:57 +0300 (EET DST)
Latin-Date: Miercuri XI Iunie a.d. MCMXCVII
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	Hello everybody!

	Sometimes it would be nice to be able run online process
	tracing on some processes. Currently this is impossible due
	to ktrace(1) using ktrace(2) system call and due to how this
	system call has been implemented.
	It would be quite simple to make kdump(1) to read a socket or
	a fifo though.

	Wouldn't it be reasonable to add also a new system call
	fktrace() to parallel the current ktrace(2). To this new system
	call one would pass a file descriptor instead of the file name.
	Having fktrace() call would allow one to modify ktrace(1) to
	generate the trace output directly via a socket to kdump(1).
	This would instantly give us an online tracing capability.

	In fact with some weird programming applied this would also
	allow running kdump(1) on a remote machine, which probably is
	not a very bright idea. ;-)


	Cheers,
		// jau
------
  /    Jukka A. Ukkonen,   Internet Services R&D / Telecom Finland Ltd.
 /__   M.Sc. (sw-eng & cs)                     (Phone) +358-2040-4025
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 v     Internet: ukkonen@nic.funet.fi       (Home&Fax) +358-9-6215280