[PATCH v4 1/5] perf/core: Define the common branch type classification

From: Jin Yao
Date: Tue Apr 11 2017 - 10:24:09 EST


It is often useful to know the branch types while analyzing branch
data. For example, a call is very different from a conditional branch.

Currently we have to look it up in binary while the binary may later
not be available and even the binary is available but user has to take
some time. It is very useful for user to check it directly in perf
report.

Perf already has support for disassembling the branch instruction
to get the x86 branch type.

To keep consistent on kernel and userspace and make the classification
more common, the patch adds the common branch type classification
in perf_event.h.

PERF_BR_NONE : unknown
PERF_BR_JCC : conditional jump
PERF_BR_JMP : jump
PERF_BR_IND_JMP : indirect jump
PERF_BR_CALL : call
PERF_BR_IND_CALL : indirect call
PERF_BR_RET : return
PERF_BR_SYSCALL : syscall
PERF_BR_SYSRET : syscall return
PERF_BR_IRQ : hw interrupt/trap/fault
PERF_BR_INT : sw interrupt
PERF_BR_IRET : return from interrupt
PERF_BR_FAR_BRANCH: not generic far branch type

The patch also adds a new field type (4 bits) in perf_branch_entry
to record the branch type.

Since the disassembling of branch instruction needs some overhead,
a new PERF_SAMPLE_BRANCH_TYPE_SAVE is introduced to indicate if it
needs to disassemble the branch instruction and record the branch
type.

Comparing to previous version, the major changes are:

1. Remove the PERF_BR_JCC_FWD/PERF_BR_JCC_BWD, they will be
computed later in userspace.

2. Remove the "cross" field in perf_branch_entry. The cross page
computing will be done later in userspace.

Signed-off-by: Jin Yao <yao.jin@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
---
include/uapi/linux/perf_event.h | 29 ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++-
tools/include/uapi/linux/perf_event.h | 29 ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++-
2 files changed, 56 insertions(+), 2 deletions(-)

diff --git a/include/uapi/linux/perf_event.h b/include/uapi/linux/perf_event.h
index d09a9cd..69af012 100644
--- a/include/uapi/linux/perf_event.h
+++ b/include/uapi/linux/perf_event.h
@@ -174,6 +174,8 @@ enum perf_branch_sample_type_shift {
PERF_SAMPLE_BRANCH_NO_FLAGS_SHIFT = 14, /* no flags */
PERF_SAMPLE_BRANCH_NO_CYCLES_SHIFT = 15, /* no cycles */

+ PERF_SAMPLE_BRANCH_TYPE_SAVE_SHIFT = 16, /* save branch type */
+
PERF_SAMPLE_BRANCH_MAX_SHIFT /* non-ABI */
};

@@ -198,9 +200,32 @@ enum perf_branch_sample_type {
PERF_SAMPLE_BRANCH_NO_FLAGS = 1U << PERF_SAMPLE_BRANCH_NO_FLAGS_SHIFT,
PERF_SAMPLE_BRANCH_NO_CYCLES = 1U << PERF_SAMPLE_BRANCH_NO_CYCLES_SHIFT,

+ PERF_SAMPLE_BRANCH_TYPE_SAVE =
+ 1U << PERF_SAMPLE_BRANCH_TYPE_SAVE_SHIFT,
+
PERF_SAMPLE_BRANCH_MAX = 1U << PERF_SAMPLE_BRANCH_MAX_SHIFT,
};

+/*
+ * Common flow change classification
+ */
+enum {
+ PERF_BR_NONE = 0, /* unknown */
+ PERF_BR_JCC = 1, /* conditional jump */
+ PERF_BR_JMP = 2, /* jump */
+ PERF_BR_IND_JMP = 3, /* indirect jump */
+ PERF_BR_CALL = 4, /* call */
+ PERF_BR_IND_CALL = 5, /* indirect call */
+ PERF_BR_RET = 6, /* return */
+ PERF_BR_SYSCALL = 7, /* syscall */
+ PERF_BR_SYSRET = 8, /* syscall return */
+ PERF_BR_IRQ = 9, /* hw interrupt/trap/fault */
+ PERF_BR_INT = 10, /* sw interrupt */
+ PERF_BR_IRET = 11, /* return from interrupt */
+ PERF_BR_FAR_BRANCH = 12, /* not generic far branch type */
+ PERF_BR_MAX,
+};
+
#define PERF_SAMPLE_BRANCH_PLM_ALL \
(PERF_SAMPLE_BRANCH_USER|\
PERF_SAMPLE_BRANCH_KERNEL|\
@@ -999,6 +1024,7 @@ union perf_mem_data_src {
* in_tx: running in a hardware transaction
* abort: aborting a hardware transaction
* cycles: cycles from last branch (or 0 if not supported)
+ * type: branch type
*/
struct perf_branch_entry {
__u64 from;
@@ -1008,7 +1034,8 @@ struct perf_branch_entry {
in_tx:1, /* in transaction */
abort:1, /* transaction abort */
cycles:16, /* cycle count to last branch */
- reserved:44;
+ type:4, /* branch type */
+ reserved:40;
};

#endif /* _UAPI_LINUX_PERF_EVENT_H */
diff --git a/tools/include/uapi/linux/perf_event.h b/tools/include/uapi/linux/perf_event.h
index d09a9cd..69af012 100644
--- a/tools/include/uapi/linux/perf_event.h
+++ b/tools/include/uapi/linux/perf_event.h
@@ -174,6 +174,8 @@ enum perf_branch_sample_type_shift {
PERF_SAMPLE_BRANCH_NO_FLAGS_SHIFT = 14, /* no flags */
PERF_SAMPLE_BRANCH_NO_CYCLES_SHIFT = 15, /* no cycles */

+ PERF_SAMPLE_BRANCH_TYPE_SAVE_SHIFT = 16, /* save branch type */
+
PERF_SAMPLE_BRANCH_MAX_SHIFT /* non-ABI */
};

@@ -198,9 +200,32 @@ enum perf_branch_sample_type {
PERF_SAMPLE_BRANCH_NO_FLAGS = 1U << PERF_SAMPLE_BRANCH_NO_FLAGS_SHIFT,
PERF_SAMPLE_BRANCH_NO_CYCLES = 1U << PERF_SAMPLE_BRANCH_NO_CYCLES_SHIFT,

+ PERF_SAMPLE_BRANCH_TYPE_SAVE =
+ 1U << PERF_SAMPLE_BRANCH_TYPE_SAVE_SHIFT,
+
PERF_SAMPLE_BRANCH_MAX = 1U << PERF_SAMPLE_BRANCH_MAX_SHIFT,
};

+/*
+ * Common flow change classification
+ */
+enum {
+ PERF_BR_NONE = 0, /* unknown */
+ PERF_BR_JCC = 1, /* conditional jump */
+ PERF_BR_JMP = 2, /* jump */
+ PERF_BR_IND_JMP = 3, /* indirect jump */
+ PERF_BR_CALL = 4, /* call */
+ PERF_BR_IND_CALL = 5, /* indirect call */
+ PERF_BR_RET = 6, /* return */
+ PERF_BR_SYSCALL = 7, /* syscall */
+ PERF_BR_SYSRET = 8, /* syscall return */
+ PERF_BR_IRQ = 9, /* hw interrupt/trap/fault */
+ PERF_BR_INT = 10, /* sw interrupt */
+ PERF_BR_IRET = 11, /* return from interrupt */
+ PERF_BR_FAR_BRANCH = 12, /* not generic far branch type */
+ PERF_BR_MAX,
+};
+
#define PERF_SAMPLE_BRANCH_PLM_ALL \
(PERF_SAMPLE_BRANCH_USER|\
PERF_SAMPLE_BRANCH_KERNEL|\
@@ -999,6 +1024,7 @@ union perf_mem_data_src {
* in_tx: running in a hardware transaction
* abort: aborting a hardware transaction
* cycles: cycles from last branch (or 0 if not supported)
+ * type: branch type
*/
struct perf_branch_entry {
__u64 from;
@@ -1008,7 +1034,8 @@ struct perf_branch_entry {
in_tx:1, /* in transaction */
abort:1, /* transaction abort */
cycles:16, /* cycle count to last branch */
- reserved:44;
+ type:4, /* branch type */
+ reserved:40;
};

#endif /* _UAPI_LINUX_PERF_EVENT_H */
--
2.7.4