NAME

       pmdbg - report Performance Co-Pilot debug options

SYNOPSIS

       pmdbg code ...
       pmdbg -l [-o]
       pmdbg -D name[,name ...]

DESCRIPTION

       The  components  of  the  Performance  Co-Pilot  (PCP)  use  a global mechanism to control
       diagnostic and debug output.  Historically this was a vector of bit-fields  but  this  was
       later  replaced by an array of debug options.  All of the bit-field debug controls have an
       equivalent in the new scheme, but some new debug options cannot be represented in the  old
       bit-field scheme.

       pmdbg  with  a  -l argument prints out all the debug options.  Without the -o argument the
       output lists the name of each option and some descriptive text.  Otherwise the  output  is
       for  only  the  old  bit-fields with the mnemonic and decimal values of each the bit-field
       along with some descriptive text.

       pmdbg with a -D argument parses the list of names(s) using __pmParseDebug(3)  and  reports
       the  corresponding decimal value.  This use is not required in the new scheme, but for the
       old bit-fields scheme it was useful when debugging and wanting to set the  internal  value
       of  the  control  vector  (pmDebug) via a debugger, e.g.  gdb(1).  For the new scheme, the
       same effect can be achieved using the name of the option(s) and calling pmSetDebug(3) from
       within the debugger.

       The  alternative usage also relates to the old bit-field scheme and the code arguments are
       values for the debug vector, and the bit-fields that are enabled by each of  these  values
       is listed.

       Each code may be an integer, a hexadecimal value or a hexadecimal value prefixed by either
       ``0x'' or ``0X''.

       Most applications using the facilities of the PCP support a -D name[,name  ...]   command-
       line syntax to enable debug control using the name(s) of the desired debug options.

       Alternatively  the initial value of the debug control flags may be set to either a value N
       (old scheme)  or  a  comma-separated  list  if  option  name(s)  (new  scheme)  using  the
       environment  variable  $PCP_DEBUG.  If both mechanisms are used the effect is additive, so
       the resultant flags are those set via $PCP_DEBUG  combined  with  those  set  via  any  -D
       command line options.

PCP ENVIRONMENT

       Environment variables with the prefix PCP_ are used to parameterize the file and directory
       names used by PCP.  On each installation, the file /etc/pcp.conf contains the local values
       for  these  variables.   The  $PCP_CONF  variable  may  be  used to specify an alternative
       configuration file, as described in pcp.conf(5).

SEE ALSO

       PCPIntro(1),   pmSetDebug(3),   pmClearDebug(3),   __pmParseDebug(3),   pcp.conf(5)    and
       pcp.env(5).