[PATCH 10/10] perf record: Update documentation for BPF filters

From: Namhyung Kim
Date: Tue Mar 14 2023 - 19:43:46 EST


Add more description and examples.

Signed-off-by: Namhyung Kim <namhyung@xxxxxxxxxx>
---
tools/perf/Documentation/perf-record.txt | 47 +++++++++++++++++++++++-
1 file changed, 46 insertions(+), 1 deletion(-)

diff --git a/tools/perf/Documentation/perf-record.txt b/tools/perf/Documentation/perf-record.txt
index 122f71726eaa..680396c56bd1 100644
--- a/tools/perf/Documentation/perf-record.txt
+++ b/tools/perf/Documentation/perf-record.txt
@@ -183,7 +183,52 @@ OPTIONS

A BPF filter can access the sample data and make a decision based on the
data. Users need to set an appropriate sample type to use the BPF
- filter.
+ filter. BPF filters need root privilege.
+
+ The sample data field can be specified in lower case letter. Multiple
+ filters can be separated with comma. For example,
+
+ --filter 'period > 1000, cpu == 1'
+ or
+ --filter 'mem_op == load || mem_op == store, mem_lvl > l1'
+
+ The former filter only accept samples with period greater than 1000 AND
+ CPU number is 1. The latter one accepts either load and store memory
+ operations but it should have memory level above the L1. Since the
+ mem_op and mem_lvl fields come from the (memory) data_source, it'd only
+ work with some events which set the data_source field.
+
+ Also user should request to collect that information (with -d option in
+ the above case). Otherwise, the following message will be shown.
+
+ $ sudo perf record -e cycles --filter 'mem_op == load'
+ Error: cycles event does not have PERF_SAMPLE_DATA_SRC
+ Hint: please add -d option to perf record.
+ failed to set filter "BPF" on event cycles with 22 (Invalid argument)
+
+ Essentially the BPF filter expression is:
+
+ <term> <operator> <value> (("," | "||") <term> <operator> <value>)*
+
+ The <term> can be one of:
+ ip, id, tid, pid, cpu, time, addr, period, txn, weight, phys_addr,
+ code_pgsz, data_pgsz, weight1, weight2, weight3, ins_lat, retire_lat,
+ p_stage_cyc, mem_op, mem_lvl, mem_snoop, mem_remote, mem_lock,
+ mem_dtlb, mem_blk, mem_hops
+
+ The <operator> can be one of:
+ ==, !=, >, >=, <, <=, &
+
+ The <value> can be one of:
+ <number> (for any term)
+ na, load, store, pfetch, exec (for mem_op)
+ l1, l2, l3, l4, cxl, io, any_cache, lfb, ram, pmem (for mem_lvl)
+ na, none, hit, miss, hitm, fwd, peer (for mem_snoop)
+ remote (for mem_remote)
+ na, locked (for mem_locked)
+ na, l1_hit, l1_miss, l2_hit, l2_miss, any_hit, any_miss, walk, fault (for mem_dtlb)
+ na, by_data, by_addr (for mem_blk)
+ hops0, hops1, hops2, hops3 (for mem_hops)

--exclude-perf::
Don't record events issued by perf itself. This option should follow
--
2.40.0.rc1.284.g88254d51c5-goog