path: root/lib/et/doc/src/et_intro.xml

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<chapter>
  <header>
    <copyright>
      <year>2002</year><year>2013</year>
      <holder>Ericsson AB. All Rights Reserved.</holder>
    </copyright>
    <legalnotice>
      Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
      you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
      You may obtain a copy of the License at
 
          http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0

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      WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.
      See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
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    <title>Introduction</title>
    <prepared>H&aring;kan Mattsson</prepared>
    <responsible>H&aring;kan Mattsson</responsible>
    <docno></docno>
    <approved>H&aring;kan Mattsson</approved>
    <checked></checked>
    <date></date>
    <rev>%VSN%</rev>
    <file>et_intro.xml</file>
  </header>

  <p>The <c>Event Tracer (ET)</c> uses the built-in trace mechanism in
  Erlang and provides tools for collection and graphical viewing of
  trace data.</p>

  <p>The viewed trace data is normally collected from Erlang trace
  ports or files.</p>

  <section>
    <title>Scope and Purpose</title>

    <p>This manual describes the <c>Event Tracer (ET)</c> application,
    as a component of the Erlang/Open Telecom Platform development
    environment. It is assumed that the reader is familiar with the
    Erlang Development Environment, which is described in a separate
    User's Guide.</p>
  </section>

  <section>
    <title>Prerequisites</title>

    <p>The following prerequisites is required for understanding the
    material in the <c>Event Tracer (ET)</c> User's Guide:</p>

    <list type="bulleted">
      <item>
        <p>familiarity with the Erlang system and Erlang programming
        in general and the especially the art of Erlang tracing.</p>
      </item>
    </list>

    <p>The application requires Erlang/OTP release R13BB or later. If
    you use the old <c>GS</c> based GUI it does suffice with R7B.</p>

  </section>

  <section>
    <title>About This Manual</title>

    <p>In addition to this introductory chapter, the <c>Event
    Tracers</c> User's Guide contains the following chapters:</p>

    <list type="bulleted">
      <item>
        <p>Chapter 2: "Tutorial" provides a walk-through of the
        various parts of the application. The tutorial is based on
        <c>Jayson Vantuyl's</c> article
        <c>http://souja.net/2009/04/making-sense-of-erlangs-event-tracer.html</c>.</p>
      </item>

      <item>
        <p>Chapter 3: "Description" describes the architecture and typical
        usage of the application.</p>
      </item>

      <item>
        <p>Chapter 4: "Advanced examples" gives some usage examples</p>
      </item>
    </list>

  </section>

  <section>
    <title>Where to Find More Information</title>

    <p>Refer to the following documentation for more information about
    <c>Event Tracer (ET)</c> and about the Erlang/OTP development system:</p>

    <list type="bulleted">
      <item>
        <p>the Reference Manual of the <c>Event Tracer (ET)</c>.</p>
      </item>

      <item>
        <p>documentation of basic tracing in <c>erlang:trace/4</c> and
        <c>erlang:trace_pattern/3</c> and then the utilities derived
        from these: <c>dbg</c>, <c>observer</c>, <c>invisio</c> and
        <c>et</c>.</p>
      </item>

      <item>
        <p>Programming Erlang: Software for a Concurrent World by Joe
        Armstrong; ISBN: 978-1-93435-600-5</p>
      </item>
    </list>
  </section>
</chapter>