Tracing instruction execution

摘要

A method of tracing instruction execution on a processor of an integrated circuit chip in real time whilst the processor continues to execute instructions during clock cycles of the processor, the method comprises: monitoring the instruction execution of the processor by: counting the number of successive instructions which are retired contiguously in time to form an instruction count; and counting the number of subsequent contiguous clock cycles of the processor during which no instruction is retired to form a stall count; generating a trace message which includes the instruction count and the stall count; and outputting the trace message.