--- name: "pcp2graphite" section: "1" platform: "linux" package: "pcp" version: "7.2.2-2" release: "Arch Linux 2026-11-01" platforms: ["linux"] url: "https://new.carta.tech/pcp2graphite" --- # pcp2graphite(1) pcp-to-graphite metrics exporter ## NAME **pcp2graphite** - pcp-to-graphite metrics exporter ## SYNOPSIS **pcp2graphite** \[**-5CGHIjLnrRvV?**\] \[**-4** *action*\] \[**-8**\|**-9** *limit*\] \[**-a** *archive*\] \[**-A** *align*\] \[**--archive-folio** *folio*\] \[**-b**\|**-B** *space-scale*\] \[**-c** *config*\] \[**--container** *container*\] \[**-D** *debug*\] \[**--daemonize**\] \[**-e** *derived*\] \[**-E** *text-port*\] \[**-g** *server*\] \[**-h** *host*\] \[**-i** *instances*\] \[**-J** *rank*\] \[**-K** *spec*\] \[**-N** *predicate*\] \[**-O** *origin*\] \[**-p** *pickle-port*\] \[**-P**\|**-0** *precision*\] \[**-q**\|**-Q** *count-scale*\] \[**-s** *samples*\] \[**-S** *starttime*\] \[**-t** *interval*\] \[**-T** *endtime*\] \[**-x** *prefix*\] \[**-X** *pickle-protocol*\] \[**-y**\|**-Y** *time-scale*\] *metricspec* \[...\] ## DESCRIPTION **pcp2graphite** is a customizable performance metrics exporter tool from PCP to Graphite. Any available performance metric, live or archived, system and/or application, can be selected for exporting using either command line arguments or a configuration file. **pcp2graphite** is a close relative of [**pmrep**(1)](/pmrep/1.md). Refer to [**pmrep**(1)](/pmrep/1.md) for the *metricspec* description accepted on **pcp2graphite** command line. See [**pmrep.conf**(5)](/pmrep.conf/5.md) for description of the **pcp2graphite.conf** configuration file syntax. This page describes **pcp2graphite** specific options and configuration file differences with [**pmrep.conf**(5)](/pmrep.conf/5.md). [**pmrep**(1)](/pmrep/1.md) also lists some usage examples of which most are applicable with **pcp2graphite** as well. Only the command line options listed on this page are supported, other options available for [**pmrep**(1)](/pmrep/1.md) are not supported. Options via environment values (see [**pmGetOptions**(3)](/pmGetOptions/3.md)) override the corresponding built-in default values (if any). Configuration file options override the corresponding environment variables (if any). Command line options override the corresponding configuration file options (if any). ## CONFIGURATION FILE **pcp2graphite** uses a configuration file with syntax described in [**pmrep.conf**(5)](/pmrep.conf/5.md). The following options are common with **pmrep.conf**: **version**, **source**, **speclocal**, **derived**, **header**, **globals**, **samples**, **interval**, **type**, **type\_prefer**, **ignore\_incompat**, **names\_change**, **instances**, **live\_filter**, **rank**, **limit\_filter**, **limit\_filter\_force**, **invert\_filter**, **predicate**, **omit\_flat**, **precision**, **precision\_force**, **count\_scale**, **count\_scale\_force**, **space\_scale**, **space\_scale\_force**, **time\_scale**, **time\_scale\_force**. The rest of the **pmrep.conf** options are recognized but ignored for compatibility. ### pcp2graphite specific options graphite\_host (string) Specify the destination Graphite server hostname or IP address. Corresponding command line option is **-g**. Defaults to **localhost**. graphite\_port (integer) Specify the port number of the Graphite server (plaintext or pickle). Corresponding command line options are **-p** and **-E**. Defaults to **2004**. pickle (boolean) Specify whether to use the pickle protocol. Corresponding command line options are **-p** and **-E**. Defaults to **yes**. pickle\_protocol (integer) Specify the pickle protocol version. Corresponding command line option is **-X**. Defaults to **0**. prefix (string) Specify the prefix for metrics sent to the server. Corresponding command line option is **-x**. Defaults to **pcp.**. ## OPTIONS The available command line options are: - **-0** *precision*, **--precision-force**=*precision* Like **-P** but this option *will* override per-metric specifications. - **-4** *action*, **--names-change**=*action* Specify which *action* to take on receiving a metric names change event during sampling. These events occur when a PMDA discovers new metrics sometime after starting up, and informs running client tools like **pcp2graphite**. Valid values for *action* are **update** (refresh metrics being sampled), **ignore** (do nothing - the default behaviour) and **abort** (exit the program if such an event occurs). - **-5**, **--ignore-unknown** Silently ignore any metric name that cannot be resolved. At least one metric must be found for the tool to start. - **-8** *limit*, **--limit-filter**=*limit* Limit results to instances with values above/below *limit*. A positive integer will include instances with values at or above the limit in reporting. A negative integer will include instances with values at or below the limit in reporting. A value of zero performs no limit filtering. This option will *not* override possible per-metric specifications. See also **-J** and **-N**. - **-9** *limit*, **--limit-filter-force**=*limit* Like **-8** but this option *will* override per-metric specifications. - **-a** *archive*, **--archive**=*archive* Performance metric values are retrieved from the set of Performance Co-Pilot (PCP) archive files identified by the *archive* argument, which is a comma-separated list of names, each of which may be the base name of an archive or the name of a directory containing one or more archives. - **-A** *align*, **--align**=*align* Force the initial sample to be aligned on the boundary of a natural time unit *align*. Refer to [**PCPIntro**(1)](/PCPIntro/1.md) for a complete description of the syntax for *align*. - **--archive-folio**=*folio* Read metric source archives from the PCP archive *folio* created by tools like [**pmchart**(1)](/pmchart/1.md) or, less often, manually with [**mkaf**(1)](/mkaf/1.md). - **-b** *scale*, **--space-scale**=*scale* *Unit/scale* for space (byte) metrics, possible values include **bytes**, **Kbytes**, **KB**, **Mbytes**, **MB**, and so forth. This option will *not* override possible per-metric specifications. See also [**pmParseUnitsStr**(3)](/pmParseUnitsStr/3.md). - **-B** *scale*, **--space-scale-force**=*scale* Like **-b** but this option *will* override per-metric specifications. - **-c** *config*, **--config**=*config* Specify the *config* file or directory to use. In case *config* is a directory all files in it ending **.conf** will be included. The default is the first found of: *./pcp2graphite.conf*, *`$HOME`/.pcp2graphite.conf*, *`$HOME`/pcp/pcp2graphite.conf*, and *`$PCP_SYSCONF_DIR`/pcp2graphite.conf*. For details, see the above section and [**pmrep.conf**(5)](/pmrep.conf/5.md). - **--container**=*container* Fetch performance metrics from the specified *container*, either local or remote (see **-h**). - **-C**, **--check** Exit before reporting any values, but after parsing the configuration and metrics and printing possible headers. - **--daemonize** Daemonize on startup. - **-e** *derived*, **--derived**=*derived* Specify *derived* performance metrics. If *derived* starts with a slash (\`\`/'') or with a dot (\`\`.'') it will be interpreted as a PCP derived metrics configuration file, otherwise it will be interpreted as comma- or semicolon-separated derived metric expressions. For complete description of derived metrics and PCP derived metrics configuration files see [**pmLoadDerivedConfig**(3)](/pmLoadDerivedConfig/3.md) and [**pmRegisterDerived**(3)](/pmRegisterDerived/3.md). Alternatively, using [**pmrep.conf**(5)](/pmrep.conf/5.md) configuration syntax allows defining derived metrics as part of metricsets. In case of issues with derived metrics, review the aforementioned manual pages in detail and ensure all the required metrics are available, especially when using archives. Use **-Dderive** to see additional debug information about parsing derived metrics. - **-E** *port*, **--text-port**=*port* Graphite server plaintext *port*. Using this option disables the pickle protocol. - **-g** *server*, **--graphite-host**=*server* Destination Graphite *server* hostname or IP address. - **-G**, **--no-globals** Do not include global metrics in reporting (see [**pmrep.conf**(5)](/pmrep.conf/5.md)). - **-h** *host*, **--host**=*host* Fetch performance metrics from [**pmcd**(1)](/pmcd/1.md) on *host*, rather than from the default localhost. - **-H**, **--no-header** Do not print any headers. - **-i** *instances*, **--instances**=*instances* Retrieve and report only the specified metric *instances*. By default all instances, present and future, are reported. Refer to [**pmrep**(1)](/pmrep/1.md) for complete description of this option. - **-I**, **--ignore-incompat** Ignore incompatible metrics. By default incompatible metrics (that is, their type is unsupported or they cannot be scaled as requested) will cause **pcp2graphite** to terminate with an error message. With this option all incompatible metrics are silently omitted from reporting. This may be especially useful when requesting non-leaf nodes of the PMNS tree for reporting. - **-j**, **--live-filter** Perform instance live filtering. This allows capturing all named instances even if processes are restarted at some point (unlike without live filtering). Performing live filtering over a huge number of instances will add some internal overhead so a bit of user caution is advised. See also **-n**. - **-J** *rank*, **--rank**=*rank* Limit results to highest/lowest *rank*ed instances of set-valued metrics. A positive integer will include highest valued instances in reporting. A negative integer will include lowest valued instances in reporting. A value of zero performs no ranking. Ranking does not imply sorting, see **-6**. See also **-8**. - **-K** *spec*, **--spec-local**=*spec* When fetching metrics from a local context (see **-L**), the **-K** option may be used to control the DSO PMDAs that should be made accessible. The *spec* argument conforms to the syntax described in [**pmSpecLocalPMDA**(3)](/pmSpecLocalPMDA/3.md). More than one **-K** option may be used. - **-L**, **--local-PMDA** Use a local context to collect metrics from DSO PMDAs on the local host without PMCD. See also **-K**. - **-n**, **--invert-filter** Perform ranking before live filtering. By default instance live filtering (when requested, see **-j**) happens before instance ranking (when requested, see **-J**). With this option the logic is inverted and ranking happens before live filtering. - **-N** *predicate*, **--predicate**=*predicate* Specify a comma-separated list of *predicate* filter reference metrics. By default ranking (see **-J**) happens for each metric individually. With predicates, ranking is done only for the specified predicate metrics. When reporting, rest of the metrics sharing the same *instance domain* (see [**PCPIntro**(1)](/PCPIntro/1.md)) as the predicate will include only the highest/lowest ranking instances of the corresponding predicate. Ranking does not imply sorting, see **-6**. So for example, using **proc.memory.rss** (resident memory size of process) as the *predicate* metric together with **proc.io.total\_bytes** and **mem.util.used** as metrics to be reported, only the processes using most/least (as per **-J**) memory will be included when reporting total bytes written by processes. Since **mem.util.used** is a single-valued metric (thus not sharing the same instance domain as the process related metrics), it will be reported as usual. - **-O** *origin*, **--origin**=*origin* When reporting archived metrics, start reporting at *origin* within the time window (see **-S** and **-T**). Refer to [**PCPIntro**(1)](/PCPIntro/1.md) for a complete description of the syntax for *origin*. - **-p** *port*, **--pickle-port**=*port* Graphite server pickle *port*. Using this option enables the pickle protocol. - **-P** *precision*, **--precision**=*precision* Use *precision* for numeric non-integer output values. The default is to use 3 decimal places (when applicable). This option will *not* override possible per-metric specifications. - **-q** *scale*, **--count-scale**=*scale* *Unit/scale* for count metrics, possible values include **count x 10^-1**, **count**, **count x 10**, **count x 10^2**, and so forth from **10^-8** to **10^7**. (These values are currently space-sensitive.) This option will *not* override possible per-metric specifications. See also [**pmParseUnitsStr**(3)](/pmParseUnitsStr/3.md). - **-Q** *scale*, **--count-scale-force**=*scale* Like **-q** but this option *will* override per-metric specifications. - **-r**, **--raw** Output raw metric values, do not convert cumulative counters to rates. This option *will* override possible per-metric specifications. - **-R**, **--raw-prefer** Like **-r** but this option will *not* override per-metric specifications. - **-s** *samples*, **--samples**=*samples* The *samples* argument defines the number of samples to be retrieved and reported. If *samples* is 0 or **-s** is not specified, **pcp2graphite** will sample and report continuously (in real time mode) or until the end of the set of PCP archives (in archive mode). See also **-T**. - **-S** *starttime*, **--start**=*starttime* When reporting archived metrics, the report will be restricted to those records logged at or after *starttime*. Refer to [**PCPIntro**(1)](/PCPIntro/1.md) for a complete description of the syntax for *starttime*. - **-t** *interval*, **--interval**=*interval* Set the reporting *interval* to something other than the default 1 second. The *interval* argument follows the syntax described in [**PCPIntro**(1)](/PCPIntro/1.md), and in the simplest form may be an unsigned integer (the implied units in this case are seconds). See also the **-T** option. - **-T** *endtime*, **--finish**=*endtime* When reporting archived metrics, the report will be restricted to those records logged before or at *endtime*. Refer to [**PCPIntro**(1)](/PCPIntro/1.md) for a complete description of the syntax for *endtime*. When used to define the runtime before **pcp2graphite** will exit, if no *samples* is given (see **-s**) then the number of reported samples depends on *interval* (see **-t**). If *samples* is given then *interval* will be adjusted to allow reporting of *samples* during runtime. In case all of **-T**, **-s**, and **-t** are given, *endtime* determines the actual time **pcp2graphite** will run. - **-v**, **--omit-flat** Report only set-valued metrics with instances (e.g. disk.dev.read) and omit single-valued \`\`flat'' metrics without instances (e.g. kernel.all.sysfork). See **-i** and **-I**. - **-V**, **--version** Display version number and exit. - **-x** *prefix*, **--prefix**=*prefix* Metrics *prefix* for measurements sent to the server. - **-X** *protocol*, **--pickle-protocol**=*protocol* Pickle *protocol* version number. - **-y** *scale*, **--time-scale**=*scale* *Unit/scale* for time metrics, possible values include **nanosec**, **ns**, **microsec**, **us**, **millisec**, **ms**, and so forth up to **hour**, **hr**. This option will *not* override possible per-metric specifications. See also [**pmParseUnitsStr**(3)](/pmParseUnitsStr/3.md). - **-Y** *scale*, **--time-scale-force**=*scale* Like **-y** but this option *will* override per-metric specifications. - **-?**, **--help** Display usage message and exit. ## FILES - *pcp2graphite.conf* **pcp2graphite** configuration file (see **-c**) - *`$PCP_SYSCONF_DIR`/pmrep/\*.conf* system provided default **pmrep** configuration files ## PCP ENVIRONMENT Environment variables with the prefix **PCP\_** are used to parameterize the file and directory names used by PCP. On each installation, the file */etc/pcp.conf* contains the local values for these variables. The **$PCP\_CONF** variable may be used to specify an alternative configuration file, as described in [**pcp.conf**(5)](/pcp.conf/5.md). For environment variables affecting PCP tools, see [**pmGetOptions**(3)](/pmGetOptions/3.md). Of particular note, **PCP\_DISCRETE\_ONCE** can be set to ensure that discrete metric values are reported only once, unless they change at some point. ## DEBUGGING OPTIONS The **-D** or **--debug** option enables the output of additional diagnostics on *stderr* to help triage problems, although the information is sometimes cryptic and primarily intended to provide guidance for developers rather than for end-users. *debug* is a comma separated list of debugging options; use [**pmdbg**(1)](/pmdbg/1.md) with the **-l** option to obtain a list of the available debugging options and their meaning. ## SEE ALSO [**PCPIntro**(1)](/PCPIntro/1.md), [**mkaf**(1)](/mkaf/1.md), [**pcp**(1)](/pcp/1.md), [**pcp2elasticsearch**(1)](/pcp2elasticsearch/1.md), [**pcp2influxdb**(1)](/pcp2influxdb/1.md), [**pcp2json**(1)](/pcp2json/1.md), [**pcp2spark**(1)](/pcp2spark/1.md), [**pcp2xlsx**(1)](/pcp2xlsx/1.md), [**pcp2xml**(1)](/pcp2xml/1.md), [**pcp2zabbix**(1)](/pcp2zabbix/1.md), [**pmcd**(1)](/pmcd/1.md), [**pminfo**(1)](/pminfo/1.md), [**pmrep**(1)](/pmrep/1.md), [**pmGetOptions**(3)](/pmGetOptions/3.md), [**pmLoadDerivedConfig**(3)](/pmLoadDerivedConfig/3.md), [**pmParseUnitsStr**(3)](/pmParseUnitsStr/3.md), [**pmRegisterDerived**(3)](/pmRegisterDerived/3.md), [**pmSpecLocalPMDA**(3)](/pmSpecLocalPMDA/3.md), [**LOGARCHIVE**(5)](/LOGARCHIVE/5.md), [**pcp.conf**(5)](/pcp.conf/5.md), [**pmrep.conf**(5)](/pmrep.conf/5.md) and [**PMNS**(5)](/PMNS/5.md).