Figure 6-39 Series options

You can use the handle on the left side of each series control to reorder the series in a chart. You can also use it to move or copy the series to another chart. To move the series, drag and drop it. To copy the series, hold down the Ctrl key while dragging it. When moving the series to a new chart, make sure the chart configuration panel is open for the destination chart.

Each series in a chart contains the following options:

Color

To change the color of a series in the Timeline view, click on the color box in its series control. This opens the Color dialog box:

Figure 6-40 The Color dialog box on Windows

Note

The type of Color dialog box that appears depends on your operating system.

Pick a new color for the series from the existing options or define a custom color. Streamline uses this defined color for the series in the Timeline view.

Name

Enter a name for the series. This name appears next to the chart color in the chart key.

Tooltip

Enter a description for the series in this field. When you hover over the series title or color in the Timeline view, a tooltip appears, containing the description defined here.

Expression

Use this field to define the data set that the series uses. Press Ctrl + Space or the $ symbol to activate a drop-menu that shows you a list of counters. You can select a counter in this Content Assist list to see its description. Click on a counter to add it to the Expression field. You can create an expression using more than one counter by using a combination of counter names and any of the following operators: >, <, >=, <=, ==, !=, ||, !, &&, %, *, /, +, -. You can use parentheticals to define the order of operation.

In addition to the mathematical and comparative operators, you can use the following expressions in the Expression field:

if

Evaluates whether a condition is true or false before applying an effect.

Usage: if(x, y, z), where x is the expression to be analyzed. The result is y if x is non-zero or z if x is zero. Only one of y or z is evaluated.

abs

Returns the absolute value of the numeric expression specified as the parameter.

Usage: abs(x), where x is a numeric expression.

ceil

Returns the smallest integer that is greater than or equal to the numeric expression given as a parameter.

Usage: ceil(x), where x is a numeric expression.

floor

Returns the largest integer that is less than or equal to a numeric expression given as a parameter.

Usage: floor(x), where x is a numeric expression.

max

Compares the arguments and returns the greater value.

Usage: max(x,y), where x and y are numeric expressions.

min

Compares the arguments and returns the lesser value.

Usage: min(x,y), where x and y are numeric expressions.

round

Returns a numerical value rounded to an integer.

Usage: round(x), where x is a numeric expression.

For events-based sampling (EBS) captures, Streamline samples counters on context switches and when the specified counter has been triggered a number of times equal to its threshold value. You specify the threshold using the Threshold field of the Counter Configuration dialog box. For standard, non-EBS captures, Streamline samples counters on every context switch and at the frequency corresponding to the Sample Rate drop-down menu in the Capture & Analysis Options dialog box.

Functions drop-down menu

You can select one of the following functions to apply to all the values in the series using the drop-down menu in the series options panel:

accumulate

Returns the accumulated value of all the samples in the time bin.

minimum

Returns the minimum values for the counter for each time bin in the current zoom level in the Timeline view. So, if the current zoom level of the Timeline view is one second, minimum provides you the lowest value recorded for any millisecond within that second.

Note

In most cases, minimum provides the lowest value for each millisecond within any time bin. If you have High Resolution Timeline enabled, minimum provides the lowest value per microsecond, if the given counter provides that level of detail.

maximum

Works the same way as minimum, except that it provides a maximum value for each time bin.

average

Works the same way as minimum, except that it provides an average value for each time bin.

hertz

Converts the counter to a rate. It takes the value for each time bin and divides it by the unit of time represented by the time bin, then converts it up to seconds. You can use it to convert a cycles count into cycles per second.

There are three basic types of counters in Streamline and the type of counter is important when choosing one of the available functions:

Absolute counters

Absolute counters like Memory: Free report the current, absolute value. Use average, maximum, and minimum with these counter types.

Delta counters

Delta counters Clock: Cycles provide the change in value since the last measurement. Use accumulate and hertz with delta counters.

Activity counters

Activity counters like Contention: Wait report when the CPU/GPU changes from one activity or state to another. Use the average function with activity counters.

Note

When used independently from source data, entering constants in the Expression field can yield inconsistent results.

If more than one sample is received at the smallest time bin, a single value is calculated based on the above logic for the time bin. Even in a high-resolution report, 1ms is the smallest time bin for counters. When there is more than one sample in the smallest time bin, Streamline uses linear interpolation to calculate a value for accumulate and hertz. For average, maximum, and minimum, the actual samples are used without interpolation. If no samples are received, then average, maximum, and minimum are zero.

Unit

Enter the unit type for the series. The value you enter in this field appears when you use the Cross Section Marker to select one or more bins.

-

Removes the current series from the chart.

+

Adds a new series to the chart. The new series appears immediately in the Timeline when you add valid entries in the Expression and Name fields. You can have up to eight series in a single chart.