Re: SPIES utility

[Jon Paris <jon.paris@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Like Mark I do not recall any such tool. Chances are it would not work on RPG IV programs if it was that long ago …

We did review two trace tools in this article: http://www.ibmsystemsmag.com/ibmi/developer/rpg/trace-tools/

One of them (TSX) directs its output to SQL tables and so most any kind of analysis is possible. Including comparing multiple test runs. There are examples in the docs of how to query the database.


Jon Paris

www.partner400.com
www.SystemiDeveloper.com

On Nov 10, 2014, at 9:58 AM, Mark S Waterbury <mark.s.waterbury@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:

> Mike:
>
> I cannot recall any tools with that name ...
>
> You asked essentially the same question on this list on June 28, 2007:
>
> http://archive.midrange.com/rpg400-l/200706/msg00684.html
>
> It appears that you did not get any replies back then either ...
>
> What you are describing sounds like something built on top of the old AS/400 CISC (IMPI) tools, namely, "Sample Address Monitor" (SAM) or "Timing and Paging Statistics Tool" (TPST). Those were withdrawn long ago, replaced by AS/400 Performance Tools
>
> A google search for "RPG/400 program trace" (without quotes) found some interesting links ... this one looks promising:
>
> http://search400.techtarget.com/tip/Utility-helps-you-trace-RPGLE-programs
>
> This web page provides source code for a tool that sounds like it might do what you are looking for.
>
> See also:
>    http://www.dbg400.net/foswiki/bin/view/DBG400/RunPgmTrc
>
> for another similar tool for OPM programs.
>
> HTH,
>
> Mark S. Waterbury
>
> > On 11/9/2014 9:11 PM, Mike Skvarenina wrote:
> > In years past there was a tool provided by IBM that allowed for analysis of
> > an RPG program.  I seem to recall it was called "SPIES" and it allowed you
> > to start a job and enter the RPG program name and snapshot interval and this
> > tool would then record at each snapshot where an RPG program was at during
> > the snapshot.  Then you could print a report that would show how many times
> > the program was at a line number during the collection period.  This report
> > was useful in locating sections of code that where CPU or I/O intensive and
> > were sometimes candidates for rewrites.
> >
> > I can't find this SPIES utility in any recent documentation and I'm
> > wondering if it still exists hidden under the covers somewhere of if it's
> > been replaces with a new tool.  If a commercial tool exists today that's
> > fine too, I just need to find a tool like this somewhere.
>
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