--- name: "pmevent" section: "1" platform: "linux" package: "pcp" version: "7.2.2-2" release: "Arch Linux 2026-11-01" platforms: ["linux"] url: "https://new.carta.tech/pmval" --- # pmevent(1) arbitrary performance metrics value dumper Part of [pmval(1)](/pmval/1.md). ## NAME **pmval**, **pmevent** - arbitrary performance metrics value dumper ## SYNOPSIS **pmval** \[**-dgLrvVXz?**\] \[**-a** *archive*\] \[**-A** *align*\] \[**--container**=*name*\] \[**-D** *debug*\] \[**--derived**=*file*\] \[**-f** *N*\] \[**-h** *host*\] \[**-i** *instances*\] \[**-K** *spec*\] \[**-n** *pmnsfile*\] \[**-O** *offset*\] \[**-p** *port*\] \[**-s** *samples*\] \[**-S** *starttime*\] \[**-t** *interval*\] \[**-T** *endtime*\] \[**-U** *archive*\] \[**-w** *width*\] \[**-x** *pattern*\] \[**-Z** *timezone*\] *metricname* **pmevent** ... ## DESCRIPTION **pmval** prints current or archived values for the nominated performance metric. The metric of interest is named in the *metricname* argument, subject to instance qualification with the **-i** flag as described below. Unless directed to another host by the **-h** option, or to a set of archives by the **-a** or **-U** options, **pmval** will contact the Performance Metrics Collector Daemon (PMCD) on the local host to obtain the required information. The *metricname* argument may also be given in the metric specification syntax, as described in [**PCPIntro**(1)](/PCPIntro/1.md), where the source, metric and instance may all be included in the *metricname*, e.g. thathost:kernel.all.load\["1 minute"\]. When this format is used, none of the **-h** or **-a** or **-U** options may be specified. When using the metric specification syntax, the \`\`hostname'' **@** is treated specially and causes **pmval** to use a local context to collect metrics from PMDAs on the local host without PMCD. Only some metrics are available in this mode. When processing a set of archives, **pmval** may relinquish its own timing control, and operate under the control of a a [**pmtime**(1)](/pmtime/1.md) process that uses a GUI dialog to provide timing control. In this case, either the **-g** option should be used to start **pmval** as the sole client of a new [**pmtime**(1)](/pmtime/1.md) instance, or **-p** should be used to attach **pmval** to an existing [**pmtime**(1)](/pmtime/1.md) instance via the IPC channel identified by the *port* argument. The **-S**, **-T**, **-O** and **-A** options may be used to define a time window to restrict the samples retrieved, set an initial origin within the time window, or specify a \`\`natural'' alignment of the sample times; refer to [**PCPIntro**(1)](/PCPIntro/1.md) for a complete description of these options. The output from **pmval** is directed to standard output. The following symbols may occasionally appear, in place of a metric value, in **pmval** output: A question mark symbol (?) indicates that a value is no longer available for that metric instance. An exclamation mark (!) indicates that a 64-bit counter wrapped during the sample. **pmevent** is an alias for **pmval**. ## OPTIONS The available command line options are: - **-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. See also **-U**. - **-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*. - **--container**=*container* Specify an individual *container* to be queried. - **-d**, **--delay** When replaying from an archive, this option requests that the prevailing real-time delay be applied between samples (see **-t**) to effect a pause, rather than the default behaviour of replaying at full speed. - **--derived**=*file* Load derived metric definitions from *file*. - **-f** *precision*, **--precision**=*precision* Numbers are reported in \`\`fixed point'' notation, rather than the default scientific notation, using *precision* digits for precision. Each number will be up to the column width determined by the default heuristics, else the **-w** option if specified, and include *precision* digits after the decimal point. So, the options **-f 3 -w 8** would produce numbers of the form 9999.999. A value of zero for *precision* omits the decimal point and any fractional digits. - **-g**, **--guimode** Start **pmval** as the sole client of a new [**pmtime**(1)](/pmtime/1.md) server process for replay of archived performance data using the [**pmtime**(1)](/pmtime/1.md) graphical user interface. - **-h** *host*, **--host**=*host* Fetch performance metrics from [**pmcd**(1)](/pmcd/1.md) on *host*, rather than from the default localhost. - **-i** *instances*, **--instances**=*instances* Specify a list of one or more names of *instances* for the nominated performance metric - just these *instances* will be retrieved and reported (the default is to report all instances). The list must be a single argument, with elements of the list separated by commas and/or white space. The instance name may be quoted with single (') or double (") quotes for those cases where the instance name contains white space or commas. Multiple **-i** options are allowed as an alternative way of specifying more than one instance of interest. As an example, the following are all equivalent: ``` $ pmval -i "'1 minute','5 minute'" kernel.all.load $ pmval -i '"1 minute","5 minute"' kernel.all.load $ pmval -i "'1 minute' '5 minute'" kernel.all.load $ pmval -i "'1 minute'" -i "'5 minute'" kernel.all.load $ pmval 'localhost:kernel.all.load["1 minute","5 minute"]' ``` - **-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** *pmnsfile*, **--namespace**=*pmnsfile* Load an alternative Performance Metrics Name Space ([**PMNS**(5)](/PMNS/5.md)) from the file *pmnsfile*. - **-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*, **--guiport**=*port* Attach **pmval** to an existing [**pmtime**(1)](/pmtime/1.md) time control process instance via the IPC channel identified by the *port* argument. This option is normally only used by other tools, e.g. [**pmchart**(1)](/pmchart/1.md), when they launch **pmval** with synchronized time control. - **-r**, **--raw** Print raw values for cumulative counter metrics. Normally cumulative counter metrics are converted to rates. For example, disk transfers are reported as number of disk transfers per second during the preceding sample interval, rather than the raw value of number of disk transfers since the machine was booted. If you specify this option, the raw metric values are printed. - **-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, **pmval** will sample and report continuously (in real time mode) or until the end of the set of PCP archives (in archive mode). - **-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). - **-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*. - **-U** *archive*, **--nointerp**=*archive* Performance metric values are retrieved from the Performance Co-Pilot (PCP) *archive*. The argument 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. However, unlike **-a** every recorded value in the archive for the selected metric and instances is reported (so no interpolation mode, and the sample interval (**-t** option) is ignored. See also **-a**. At most one of the options **-a** and **-U** may be specified. - **-v**, **--verbose** Enable verbose mode. - **-V**, **--version** Display version number and exit. - **-w** *width*, **--width**=*width* Set the width of each column of output to be *width* columns. If not specified columns are wide enough to accommodate the largest value of the type being printed. - **-x** *pattern*, **--filter**=*pattern* The given *pattern* is sent to the performance metric domain agent for the requested *metricname* before any values are requested. This serves two purposes. Firstly, it provides a mechanism for server-side event filtering that is customisable for individual event streams. In addition, some performance metrics domain agents also use the PMCD store mechanism to provide a basic security model (e.g. for sensitive log files, only a client host with [**pmStore**(3)](/pmStore/3.md) access would be able to access the event stream). As *pattern* may be processed by [**regcomp**(3)](/regcomp/3.md) it should be a non-empty string. Use . (dot) for a “match all” *pattern*. - **-X**, **--timestamp** When replaying from an archive, this option requests that the timestamp be reported with additional date information and increased precision (microseconds with a single **-X**, nanoseconds with an additional **-X**), for example **Sat May 22 20:32:20.971633 2021** instead of the default format, for example **20:32:20.971**. - **-z**, **--hostzone** Use the local timezone of the host that is the source of the performance metrics, as identified by either the **-h** or the **-a** or the **-U** options. The default is to use the timezone of the local host. - **-Z** *timezone*, **--timezone**=*timezone* Use *timezone* for the date and time. *Timezone* is in the format of the environment variable **TZ** as described in [**environ**(7)](/environ/7.md). - **-?**, **--help** Display usage message and exit. ## CAVEATS By default, **pmval** attempts to display non-integer numeric values in a way that does not distort the inherent precision (rarely more than 4 significant digits), and tries to maintain a tabular format in the output. These goals are sometimes in conflict. In the absence of the **-f** option (described above), the following table describes the formats used for different ranges of numeric values for any metric that is of type **PM\_TYPE\_FLOAT** or **PM\_TYPE\_DOUBLE**, or any metric that has the semantics of a counter (for which **pmval** reports the rate converted value): | | | | --- | --- | | Format | Value Range | | `!` | No values available | | `9.999E-99` | \< 0.1 | | `0.0 ` | 0 | | `9.9999` | \> 0 and \<= 0.9999 | | `9.999 ` | \> 0.9999 and \< 9.999 | | `99.99 ` | \> 9.999 and \< 99.99 | | `999.9 ` | \> 99.99 and \< 999.9 | | `9999. ` | \> 999.9 and \< 9999 | | `9.999E+99` | \> 9999 | ## 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). ## 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. Debugging options specific to **pmval** are as follows: | | | | --- | --- | | Option | Description | | appl0 | initial timeline positioning when **-a** used | ## SEE ALSO [**PCPIntro**(1)](/PCPIntro/1.md), [**pmcd**(1)](/pmcd/1.md), [**pmchart**(1)](/pmchart/1.md), [**pmdumptext**(1)](/pmdumptext/1.md), [**pminfo**(1)](/pminfo/1.md), [**pmlogdump**(1)](/pmlogdump/1.md), [**pmlogger**(1)](/pmlogger/1.md), [**pmrep**(1)](/pmrep/1.md), [**pmtime**(1)](/pmtime/1.md), [**PMAPI**(3)](/PMAPI/3.md), [**pmSpecLocalPMDA**(3)](/pmSpecLocalPMDA/3.md), [**pmStore**(3)](/pmStore/3.md), [**pcp.conf**(5)](/pcp.conf/5.md), [**pcp.env**(5)](/pcp.env/5.md) and [**PMNS**(5)](/PMNS/5.md).