("struct pmc") Set up a counter with parameters and flags defined in the structure. The following fields are defined in struct pmc:
"int pmc_num"
the number of the counter in question; must be less than NPMC (currently 2).
"u_char pmc_event"
the particular event number to be monitored, as defined in .In machine/perfmon.h .
"u_char pmc_unit"
the unit mask value, specific to the event type (see the Intel documentation).
"u_char pmc_flags"
flags modifying the operation of the counter (see below).
"u_char pmc_mask"
the counter mask value; essentially, this is a threshold used to restrict the count to events lasting more (or less) than the specified number of clocks.
The following pmc_flags values are defined:
PMCF_USR
count events in user mode
PMCF_OS
count events in kernel mode
PMCF_E
count number of events rather than their duration
PMCF_INV
invert the sense of the counter mask comparison
PMIOGET
("struct pmc") returns the current configuration of the specified counter.
PMIOSTART PMIOSTOP
(int) starts (stops) the specified counter. Due to hardware deficiencies, counters must be started and stopped in numerical order. (That is to say, counter 0 can never be stopped without first stopping counter 1.) The driver will not enforce this restriction (since it may not be present in future CPUs).
PMIORESET
(int) reset the specified counter to zero. The counter should be stopped with PMIOSTOP before it is reset. All counters are automatically reset by PMIOSETUP.
PMIOREAD
("struct pmc_data") get the current value of the counter. The pmc_data structure defines two fields:
"int pmcd_num"
the number of the counter to read
"quad_t pmcd_value"
the resulting value as a 64-bit signed integer
In the future, it may be possible to use the RDPMC instruction on "Pentium Pro" processors to read the counters directly.
PMIOTSTAMP
("struct pmc_tstamp") read the time stamp counter. The pmc_tstamp structure defines two fields:
"int pmct_rate"
the approximate rate of the counter, in MHz
"quad_t pmct_value"
the current value of the counter as a 64-bit integer
It is important to note that the counter rate, as provided in the pmct_rate field, is often incorrect because of calibration difficulties and non-integral clock rates. This field should be considered more of a hint or sanity-check than an actual representation of the rate of clock ticks.
