---
name: "trace-cmd-convert"
section: "1"
platform: "linux"
package: "trace-cmd"
version: "3.4-1"
release: "Arch Linux 2026-11-01"
platforms: ["linux"]
url: "https://new.carta.tech/trace-cmd-convert"
---

# trace-cmd-convert(1)

convert trace files

## NAME

trace-cmd-convert - convert trace files

## SYNOPSIS

**trace-cmd convert** \[*OPTIONS*\] \[*output-file*\]

## DESCRIPTION

The [trace-cmd(1)](/trace-cmd/1.md) convert command converts trace file. It reads the input file and copies the data into an output file. The output file may be in different format, depending on the command line arguments. The default output is in version 7 and compressed (if compiled with compression support).

## OPTIONS

- **-i** *input-file*

  By default, trace-cmd convert will read the file *trace.dat*. But the **-i** option open up the given *input-file* instead.

- **-o** *out-file*

  The name of the output file, this parameter is mandatory. Note, the output file may also be specified as the last item on the command line.

- **--file-version**

  Desired version of the output file. Supported versions are 6 or 7.

- **--compression**

  Compression of the trace output file, one of these strings can be passed:

  ```
  'any'  - auto select the best available compression algorithm
  ```

  ```
  'none' - do not compress the trace file
  ```

  ```
  'name' - the name of the desired compression algorithms. Available algorithms can be listed with
  trace-cmd list -c
  ```

- **--help**

  Print usage information.

## EXAMPLES

\# trace-cmd convert --compression any trace\_compress.dat

## SEE ALSO

[trace-cmd(1)](/trace-cmd/1.md), trace-cmd.dat(1)

## AUTHOR

**Steven Rostedt** \<**rostedt@goodmis.org**\[1\]\>, author of **trace-cmd**. **Tzvetomir Stoyanov** \<**tz.stoyanov@gmail.com**\[2\]\>, author of this man page.

## RESOURCES

**https://git.kernel.org/pub/scm/utils/trace-cmd/trace-cmd.git/**

## COPYING

Copyright (C) 2021 VMware. Free use of this software is granted under the terms of the GNU Public License (GPL).

## NOTES

- 1\.

  rostedt@goodmis.org

  mailto:rostedt@goodmis.org

- 2\.

  tz.stoyanov@gmail.com

  mailto:tz.stoyanov@gmail.com