ARM Profiler
When performance is paramount, programmers will often spend enormous amounts of time optimising and rearranging code to minimise run time. Very often these efforts are 'blind', and rely on intuition and experience. Sometimes, a lot of effort can be directed into the wrong area with the result that little improvement is made.
The ARM Profiler removes this blind spot and allows programmers to direct their effort towards identified and proven bottlenecks. The profiler tool provides a tremendous amount of visibility into the execution of your software.
When integrated with the compiler and linker, a 'closed loop' system is created, where code is adjusted, built and analysed in a continuous, optimal cycle until the desired result is obtained. The implications for programmer productivity are profound.
Features and Benefits
Here are the features and benefits reproduced from ARM's web site.
| Feature | Benefit |
|---|---|
| Long duration profiling | Analyzes device software that is processing a real work load for as long as is needed |
| Non-intrusive profiling of fully optimized code | Analyzes production software to identify real bottlenecks, without the chance of the measurement influencing the results |
| Statement and branch coverage information | Superior insight into the quality of the software by quantifying the effectiveness of the software validation |
| Hardware platform profiling via ETM Trace | Analyzes the software on the actual device at speeds up to 450 MHz |
| Includes six models from the Fast Model Library | Analyzes the software on instruction-accurate virtual platforms before silicon is available at speeds reaching up to 250 MHz |
| Highlighting of delays | Feedback on suboptimal cycles per instruction helps developers to get the best out of ARM technology-based devices in the shortest possible time |
| Profile-Driven Compilation | When used with the ARM Compiler in RealView Development Suite 4.0 Professional, applications can see an immediate improvement based on runtime performance |
| Trace Replay | Locate specific causes of delay by running and stepping backward and forward through instruction trace |
| Linux, Android and Symbian OS support | Understanding of software performance bottlenecks off the next-generation mobile applications running on Linux, Android or Symbian OS |
