[PowerShell Script] Displaying the Top 5 Exceptions and Up to 5 Different Call Stacks For Each Exception

Microsoft news and tips » [PowerShell Script] Displaying the Top 5 Exceptions and Up to 5 Different Call Stacks For Each Exception

Tue, 15 Apr 2008 03:17:37 GMT

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Jason Haley — Tue, 15 Apr 2008 17:18:40 GMT

re: [PowerShell Script] Displaying the Top 5 Exceptions and Up to 5 Different Call Stacks For Each Exception

Ed F — Fri, 18 Apr 2008 02:12:36 GMT

I was trying to automate the production of the log so I could use it during some automated tests I run, but I can't seem to get cdb to do it.

I tried it directly on the command line:

cdb -pn w3wp.exe -c ".load c:\debuggers\psscor2.dll;sxe -c '.echo =

==StartPrintException;!PrintException;.echo ===FinishPrintException; .echo ===St

artClrStack;!clrstack; .echo ===StopClrStack;gc' clr"

which gives me this error:

0:047> cdb: Reading initial command '.load c:\debuggers\psscor2.dll;sxe -c '.ech

o ===StartPrintException;!PrintException;.echo ===FinishPrintException; .echo ==

=StartClrStack;!clrstack; .echo ===StopClrStack;gc' clr'

^ Syntax error in '.load c:\debugger

s\psscor2.dll;sxe -c '.echo ===StartPrintException;!PrintException;.echo ===Fini

shPrintException; .echo ===StartClrStack;!clrstack; .echo ===StopClrStack;gc' cl

I tried a script file too:

cdb -pn w3wp.exe -loga log.txt -cf c:\debuggers\logexceptions.txt

logexceptions.txt:

.load c:\debuggers\psscor2.dll

sxe -c ".echo ===StartPrintException;!PrintException;.echo ===FinishPrintException; .echo ===StartClrStack;!clrstack; .echo ===StopClrStack;gc" clr

I get this error:

1\App_Web_pingservice.aspx.e27dd738.pcevj-7k.dll

Couldn't resolve error at 'clr'

any ideas or suggestions?

Thanks,

Ed.

re: [PowerShell Script] Displaying the Top 5 Exceptions and Up to 5 Different Call Stacks For Each Exception

Roberto Farah — Fri, 18 Apr 2008 04:49:42 GMT

I tried the script approach, just copying and pasting it, then replacing the file name. First I got an error because my extesions are in WinExt folder, after fixing it everything worked fine.

Here it is:

LogExceptions.txt

.load c:\debuggers\winext\psscor2.dll

sxe -c ".echo ===StartPrintException;!PrintException;.echo ===FinishPrintException; .echo ===StartClrStack;!clrstack; .echo ===StopClrStack;gc" clr

From the debuggers folder:

cdb -pn netwiz.exe -cf c:\debuggers\logexceptions.txt

My suggestion for you is to verify if your psscor2.dll extension is actually in c:\debuggers and not in c:\debuggers\winext

If the directory is right, then try to attach the debugger to a simple .NET application to see if the error is consistent. (this is what I did)

If you're still getting errors, use WinDbg and attach it to the simple application using the Attach To a Process... option.

Let me know the outcome.

Thanks,

Roberto

re: [PowerShell Script] Displaying the Top 5 Exceptions and Up to 5 Different Call Stacks For Each Exception

Ed F — Fri, 18 Apr 2008 08:04:19 GMT

<embarrassed> it was working. I was just confused because it stopped when I had expected it to keep going. I forgot the gn.

Is there a way to set a timer? Say to let it run for 10 minutes and then stop?

re: [PowerShell Script] Displaying the Top 5 Exceptions and Up to 5 Different Call Stacks For Each Exception

Roberto Farah — Fri, 18 Apr 2008 08:55:22 GMT

Cool!

I'm not aware of any command that does the job... but you just gave me a great idea! :)

A new cmdlet: Send-PowerDbgCTRL-BREAK

It's in my To Do list!

If you want to create you own version, here is my idea as a suggestion: you should create a cmdlet that doesn't use Send-PowerDbgCommand. However, it should reuse the overall concept, except for the logs.

What I have in mind for Send-PowerDbgCTRL-BREAK is to locate the WinDbg Windows, like Send-PowerDbgCommand, and send a CTRL-BREAK. With more work it could even detect if the CTRL-BREAK actually broke the debugger.

In theory it should work...

If it works you can create a simple PowerShell script that uses start-sleep and, after the delay, calls Send-PowerDbgCTRL-BREAK.

To use it you should attach WinDbg to the application. Change the title to PowerDbg, and use "g" to continue the execution. Then, from PowerShell you'd run your script that uses Send-PowerDbgCTRL-BREAK.

Again, in theory it should work. :)

Back to the problem, I wonder if another approach would work for you, at least as a workaround, like a breakpoint with a counter. (I have it done, I just need to post the article)

re: [PowerShell Script] Displaying the Top 5 Exceptions and Up to 5 Different Call Stacks For Each Exception

Brad — Wed, 17 Sep 2008 19:18:39 GMT

Hi,

This is great, is there a way to run this against a dump file as well?

Thanks!

re: [PowerShell Script] Displaying the Top 5 Exceptions and Up to 5 Different Call Stacks For Each Exception

Roberto Farah — Wed, 17 Sep 2008 19:36:31 GMT

No, because the script needs to know the exceptions being thrown during the time (or during a specific timeframe) the application is running. The PowerShell script parses the log file collected during the specific timeframe and creates the statistics.

re: [PowerShell Script] Displaying the Top 5 Exceptions and Up to 5 Different Call Stacks For Each Exception

Roberto Farah — Thu, 13 Nov 2008 21:23:35 GMT

New version just released. Same functionality but now it uses a Progress bar to show progress, instead of points.

Thanks to Ayax Vargas that changed the code.