.TH LIBPFM 3  "December, 2009" "" "Linux Programmer's Manual"
.SH NAME
pfm_get_event_info \- get event information
.SH SYNOPSIS
.nf
.B #include <perfmon/pfmlib.h>
.sp
.BI "int pfm_get_event_info(int " idx ", pfm_os_t " os ", pfm_event_info_t *" info ");"
.sp
.SH DESCRIPTION
This function returns in \fBinfo\fR information about a specific event
designated by its opaque unique identifier in \fBidx\fR for the operating system
specified in \fBos\fR.

The \fBpfm_event_info_t\fR structure is defined as follows:
.nf
typedef struct {
        const char              *name;
        const char              *desc;
        const char              *equiv;
        size_t			size;
        uint64_t                code;
        pfm_pmu_t               pmu;
        pfm_dtype_t             dtype
        int                     idx;
        int                     nattrs;
        struct {
          unsigned int is_precise:1;
          unsigned int reserved_bits:31;
        };
} pfm_event_info_t;
.fi

The fields of this structure are defined as follows:
.TP
.B name
This is the name of the event. This is a read-only string.
.TP
.B desc
This is the description of the event. This is a read-only string. It may contain
multiple sentences.
.TP
.B equiv
Certain events may be just variations of actual events. They may be provided as
handy shortcuts to avoid supplying a long list of attributes. For those events,
this field is not NULL and contains the complete equivalent event string.
.TP
.B code
This is the raw event code. It should not be confused with the encoding
of the event. This field represents only the event selection code, it does
not include any unit mask or attribute settings.
.TP
.B pmu
This is the identification of the PMU model this event belongs to. It is
of type \fBpfm_pmu_t\fR. Using this value and the \fBpfm_get_pmu_info\fR
function, it is possible to get PMU information.
.TP
.B dtype
This field returns the representation of the event data. By default, it
is \fBPFM_DATA_UINT64\fR.

.B idx
This is the event unique opaque identifier. It is identical to the idx
passed to the call and is provided for completeness.
.TP
.B nattrs
This is the number of attributes supported by this event. Attributes
may be unit masks or modifiers. If the event has not attribute, then
the value of this field is simply 0.
.TP
.B size
This field contains the size of the struct passed. This field is used to provide
for extensibility of the struct without compromising backward compatibility.
The value should be set to \fBsizeof(pfm_event_info_t)\fR. If instead, a value of
\fB0\fR is specified, the library assumes the struct passed is identical to the
first ABI version which size is \fBPFM_EVENT_INFO_ABI0\fR. Thus, if fields were
added after the first ABI, they will not be set by the library. The library
does check that bytes beyond what is implemented are zeroes.
.TP
.B is_precise
This bitfield indicates whether or not the event support precise sampling.
Precise sampling is a hardware mechanism that avoids instruction address
skid when using interrupt-based sampling. When the event has umasks, this
field means that at least one umask supports precise sampling. On Intel X86
processors, this indicates whether the event supports Precise Event-Based
Sampling (PEBS).
.PP

The \fBpfm_os_t\fR enumeration provides the following choices:
.TP
.B PFM_OS_NONE
The returned information pertains only to what the PMU hardware exports.
No operating system attributes is taken into account.
.TP
.B PFM_OS_PERF_EVENT
The returned information includes the actual PMU hardware and the
additional attributes exported by the perf_events kernel interface.
The perf_event attributes pertain only the PMU hardware.
In case perf_events is not detected, an error is returned.
.TP
.B PFM_OS_PERF_EVENT_EXT
The returned information includes all of what is already provided
by \fBPFM_OS_PERF_EVENT\fR plus all the software attributes controlled
by perf_events, such as sampling period, precise sampling.
.PP
.SH RETURN

If successful, the function returns \fBPFM_SUCCESS\fR and event information
in \fBinfo\fR, otherwise it returns an error code.
.SH ERRORS
.TP
.B PFMLIB_ERR_NOINIT
Library has not been initialized properly.
.TP
.B PFMLIB_ERR_INVAL
The \fBidx\fR argument is invalid or \fBinfo\fR is \fBNULL\fR or \fBsize\fR
is not zero.
.TP
.B PFMLIB_ERR_NOTSUPP
The requested \fBos\fR is not detected or supported.
.SH AUTHOR
Stephane Eranian <eranian@gmail.com>
.PP