Why can't I get an HPROF dump from certain devices?

Question

As has been detailed by many helpful sites, one way to analyze memory usage of Android apps is to execute a "kill -10 [PID]" to trigger an HPROF dump. This seems to work on some devices, and the logcat normally contains something like this:

I/dalvikvm(32170): threadid=3: reacting to signal 10
I/dalvikvm(32170): SIGUSR1 forcing GC and HPROF dump
I/dalvikvm(32170): hprof: dumping VM heap to "/data/misc/heap-dump-tm1302633572-pid32170.hprof-hptemp".
I/dalvikvm(32170): hprof: dumping heap strings to "/data/misc/heap-dump-tm1302633572-    pid32170.hprof".
I/dalvikvm(32170): hprof: heap dump completed, temp file removed

However, on other devices, executing the "kill -10" results in this:

I/dalvikvm( 5687): threadid=4: reacting to signal 10
I/dalvikvm( 5687): SIGUSR1 forcing GC (no HPROF)

All the devices I'm trying this on are rooted and I've made sure to chmod /data/misc to 777. I don't get any error messages after executing "kill -10".

In case it's helpful, here are the devices where I do get an HPROF dump: HTC ACE (Desire HD), HTC G1, HTC Nexus One (T-Mobile)

And here are the devices where I do NOT get an HPROF dump: Nexus S, Droid, Droid X, Nexus One (AT&T)

Why can't I get an HPROF dump from certain devices and is there anything I can do to allow me to get the dumps?

Trisa

Answer 1

Use DDMS. Click on the "Dump HPROF File" toolbar icon -- it looks like a half-full can with a downward-pointing arrow. Worked like a charm when I tried it just now on a Nexus S.

Craftsman

Excellent, thank you. Looks like this also saves me from having to convert it with hprof-conv. – Trisa

here's the diff which disabled the feature: android.git.kernel.org/?p=platform/… – Eipper

To be clear for future readers, the feature @Jan Berkel is referring to is the SIGUSR1 to force an HPROF dump that the OP used to use. The DDMS HPROF approach still works AFAIK. – Craftsman

That link no longer works, by the by. It redirects to here – Rezzani

i wish the android team would support stable links to commits, here's the updated link: android.googlesource.com/platform/dalvik/+/… – Eipper

Is there an Eclipse option that shows/hides the DDMS HPROF dump icon? I used to see it (half-full can with downward pointing arrow) when I was in the DDMS perspective, but now it's gone (?). – Bosun

@gcl1: If it is not in the toolbar of your Devices view, click the little drop-arrow on the right side of that toolbar, and see if it appears there. – Craftsman

@CommonsWare: Thanks, I just needed to expose the Devices view. All set! – Bosun