Confused about Trace Concept

[Former Member]

There are two different directory to store trace file shown below:

1. /usr/sap/DEV/DVEBMGS00/work/dev_*

2. /usr/sap/DEV/DVEBMGS00/log/TRACE

Here is my opinion,

1. Those files dev_* are created by SAP system automatically when error occurs, and we can not switch on/off them manually.

2. TRACE file is created by ST01 or ST05, we can switch on/off them manually.

Please advise whether my opinion is right or not.

Another confused thing, eg, RFC trace, we can get it from ST01, ST05, and dev_rfc, dev_rfc0 and so on. What's the difference between them? Please advise.

Thanks so much.

James

[former_member1351727 · Accepted solution]

There are two types of traces:

One is Developer trace other one is system trace.

Developer Trace:

rdisp/TRACE=<n> option set to the instance.

We can even use the SM50 and choose the WP and activate the trace or increase/decrease the trace.

Default location in OS level is /usr/sap/SID/D*/Work

Can be see from St11 or at OS level.

These are recommended for system monitoring and problem analysis.

System Trace:

ST01/ST05 We can on/off the trace for particular activity .

rstr/filename this profile parameter is used to set the location of the System trace file location.

Usually it is /usr/sap/SID/D*/log/TRACE

To view ST01-->Analysis (once trace is on and activity is completed Trace off then we can view this )

These are used to record the SAP internal activities.

=========================================

Even I not clear with the following :

RFC (Remote Function Call) facility

dev_rfc, dev_rfc<n>

dev_rfc traces RFC calls to external functions (written in C or Visual Basic).

dev_rfc<n> traces RFC calls that are executed in SAP work processes. <n> is the number of the work process in the server . A work process uses the same log file across RFC calls.

==============================

Under trace Directory the files get created if we on the trace for the RFC call.

Other wise I think ingeneral it will get recorded in work Directory as a normal process due to system is generally traced for level 1.

Some help :

http://help.sap.com/saphelp_nw2004s/helpdata/en/1f/8311664bc511d189750000e8322d00/frameset.htm

http://help.sap.com/saphelp_nw04/helpdata/en/6f/1bd5b6a85b11d6b28500508b5d5211/frameset.htm

Thanks.

[Former Member]

Hi,

The difference between logs and trace files are

1) Logs are mainly addresssed by administrators and traces by devolpers to check a particular compent in the application is wroking properly(performance) after the compenent got changed.

2) Any error message(of severity ERROR and FATAL) has to be written as a log message.It is recommended that the messages of severity ERROR and FATAL must not be written as trace Messages.

3) During normal operation devolpers and supporters are not looking on running of the system.On the other hand the administrator has to check the system regularly.This implies that traces have not to be shown during normal operation, but logs do.

Hope this helps you.

Thanks

Rama

[Former Member]

Dear James,

You are right about the trace file.

And regarding the RFC trace, if you want to perform a trace, than you need ST01 (ST05 for SQL trace for perfomance) and dev_rfc<n> trace file was generate by you workprocess, this file contain all the system log and you can use this log to analyst for error also.

Regards,

Fendi Suyanto

[Former Member]

What's the difference between TRACE file and dev_rfc<n> files, since both of them contains RFC trace information?

Since these two kind of files are created in different directories. I am not sure which program creates TRACE file and which program creates dev_rfc<n> files?

Thanks

James