[PATCH v2 11/16] perf pmu: Probe memory profiling events and sample formats

From: Ian Rogers

Date: Fri Nov 13 2026 - 18:11:51 EST


Extend perf_pmu__probe() with try_open_mem_evlist() and
probe_mem_events() to test which perf_mem_events types (such as
ldlat-loads and ldlat-stores) can be opened on the PMU and which
additional memory sample formats (PERF_SAMPLE_WEIGHT,
PERF_SAMPLE_WEIGHT_STRUCT, PERF_SAMPLE_PHYS_ADDR,
PERF_SAMPLE_DATA_PAGE_SIZE, PERF_SAMPLE_TRANSACTION) are supported with
them.

Signed-off-by: Ian Rogers <irogers@xxxxxxxxxx>
---
tools/perf/util/pmu.c | 139 ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
tools/perf/util/pmu.h | 7 +++
2 files changed, 146 insertions(+)

diff --git a/tools/perf/util/pmu.c b/tools/perf/util/pmu.c
index 80159358318e..45c557c85c5e 100644
--- a/tools/perf/util/pmu.c
+++ b/tools/perf/util/pmu.c
@@ -3652,6 +3652,142 @@ static void probe_pmu_regs_one(const struct perf_pmu *pmu,
*out_pred_precise_mask = pred_precise_mask;
}

+static bool try_open_mem_evlist(struct evlist *evlist,
+ const struct perf_event_attr *base_attr,
+ pid_t pid, int cpu, unsigned long flags,
+ int precise_ip, u64 sample_type)
+{
+ int fds[16];
+ size_t nr_fds = 0;
+ int leader_fd = -1;
+ struct evsel *evsel;
+ bool ok = true;
+
+ evlist__for_each_entry(evlist, evsel) {
+ struct perf_event_attr attr = evsel->core.attr;
+ int fd;
+
+ if (nr_fds >= ARRAY_SIZE(fds)) {
+ ok = false;
+ break;
+ }
+
+ attr.disabled = (leader_fd < 0) ? 1 : 0;
+ attr.sample_period = attr.sample_period ?: 10000;
+ attr.sample_type = sample_type;
+ attr.exclude_user = base_attr->exclude_user;
+ attr.exclude_kernel = base_attr->exclude_kernel;
+ attr.exclude_hv = base_attr->exclude_hv;
+ attr.exclude_idle = base_attr->exclude_idle;
+ attr.exclude_host = base_attr->exclude_host;
+ attr.exclude_guest = base_attr->exclude_guest;
+ if (evsel->precise_max || precise_ip > 0)
+ attr.precise_ip = precise_ip;
+
+ fd = sys_perf_event_open(&attr, pid, cpu, leader_fd, flags);
+ if (fd < 0) {
+ ok = false;
+ break;
+ }
+ if (leader_fd < 0)
+ leader_fd = fd;
+ fds[nr_fds++] = fd;
+ }
+
+ for (size_t i = nr_fds; i > 0; i--)
+ close(fds[i - 1]);
+
+ return ok && nr_fds > 0;
+}
+
+/*
+ * Probe which perf_mem_events types (e.g. ldlat-loads, ldlat-stores) and
+ * additional memory sample formats can be opened on @pmu.
+ */
+static void probe_mem_events(struct perf_pmu *pmu,
+ const struct perf_event_attr *base_attr,
+ pid_t pid, int cpu, unsigned long flags)
+{
+ static const u64 extra_mem_stypes[] = {
+ PERF_SAMPLE_WEIGHT,
+ PERF_SAMPLE_WEIGHT_STRUCT,
+ PERF_SAMPLE_PHYS_ADDR,
+ PERF_SAMPLE_DATA_PAGE_SIZE,
+ PERF_SAMPLE_TRANSACTION,
+ };
+
+ if (!pmu->mem_events)
+ return;
+
+ perf_pmu__mem_events_init_pmu(pmu);
+
+ for (int j = 0; j < PERF_MEM_EVENTS__MAX; j++) {
+ struct perf_mem_event *e = perf_pmu__mem_events_ptr(pmu, j);
+ const char *s;
+ char buf[256];
+ struct evlist *evlist;
+ struct parse_events_error err;
+ struct evsel *first;
+ int max_p, min_p, working_p = -1;
+ u64 base_stype = PERF_SAMPLE_IP | PERF_SAMPLE_ADDR | PERF_SAMPLE_DATA_SRC;
+ int ret;
+
+ if (!e || !e->tag || !e->supported)
+ continue;
+
+ s = perf_pmu__mem_events_name(pmu, j, buf, sizeof(buf));
+ if (!s)
+ continue;
+
+ evlist = evlist__new();
+ if (!evlist)
+ continue;
+
+ parse_events_error__init(&err);
+ ret = __parse_events(evlist, s, /*pmu_filter=*/NULL,
+ /*cputype_filter=*/false, &err, /*fake_pmu=*/false,
+ /*warn_if_reordered=*/false, /*fake_tp=*/false);
+ parse_events_error__exit(&err);
+ if (ret || evlist__empty(evlist)) {
+ evlist__put(evlist);
+ continue;
+ }
+
+ first = evlist__first(evlist);
+ if (first->precise_max) {
+ max_p = pmu->probed.max_precise > 0 ? pmu->probed.max_precise : 3;
+ min_p = 1;
+ } else {
+ max_p = first->core.attr.precise_ip;
+ min_p = first->core.attr.precise_ip;
+ }
+
+ for (int p = max_p; p >= min_p; p--) {
+ if (try_open_mem_evlist(evlist, base_attr, pid, cpu,
+ flags, p, base_stype)) {
+ working_p = p;
+ break;
+ }
+ }
+
+ if (working_p >= 0) {
+ pmu->probed.mem_events_mask |= (1u << j);
+ pmu->probed.mem_sample_types |= PERF_SAMPLE_ADDR | PERF_SAMPLE_DATA_SRC;
+
+ for (size_t k = 0; k < ARRAY_SIZE(extra_mem_stypes); k++) {
+ u64 st = base_stype | extra_mem_stypes[k];
+
+ if (try_open_mem_evlist(evlist, base_attr, pid, cpu,
+ flags, working_p, st)) {
+ pmu->probed.mem_sample_types |= extra_mem_stypes[k];
+ }
+ }
+ }
+
+ evlist__put(evlist);
+ }
+}
+
/*
* Pack @value into the perf_event_attr config field named by the sysfs format
* @name of @pmu, e.g. "rdpmc" defined as "config1:1". Returns false if the
@@ -4073,6 +4209,9 @@ static void __perf_pmu__probe(struct perf_pmu *pmu, int pmu_cpu)
&pmu->probed.intr_pred_precise_mask);
}

+ /* 3c. Memory event types and memory sample formats */
+ probe_mem_events(pmu, &base_attr, pid, cpu, flags);
+
/* 4. Privilege / exclusion modifiers */
pmu->probed.exclude_user =
test_exclude_flag(&base_attr, pid, cpu, flags, PROBE_EXCLUDE_USER);
diff --git a/tools/perf/util/pmu.h b/tools/perf/util/pmu.h
index 21c4b1a4b608..ee56570cac00 100644
--- a/tools/perf/util/pmu.h
+++ b/tools/perf/util/pmu.h
@@ -304,11 +304,18 @@ struct perf_pmu {
int user_regs_abi;
/** @probed.intr_regs_abi: ABI flags for intr_regs_mask. */
int intr_regs_abi;
+ /** @probed.mem_events_mask: Bitmask of memory event types verified by probing. */
+ unsigned int mem_events_mask;
/**
* @probed.sample_types: Bitmask of supported
* enum perf_event_sample_format flags.
*/
u64 sample_types;
+ /**
+ * @probed.mem_sample_types: Bitmask of memory sample formats
+ * verified on mem_events.
+ */
+ u64 mem_sample_types;
/** @probed.user_regs_mask: Bitmask of supported sample_regs_user registers. */
u64 user_regs_mask;
/** @probed.intr_regs_mask: Bitmask of supported sample_regs_intr registers. */
--
2.56.1.703.gf848ed807c-goog