.TH etop 3erl "observer 1.1" "Ericsson AB" "Erlang Module Definition"
.SH NAME
etop \- Erlang Top is a tool for presenting information about erlang processes similar to the information presented by "top" in UNIX.
.SH DESCRIPTION
.LP
\fIetop\fR\& should be started with the provided scripts \fIetop\fR\& and \fIgetop\fR\& for text based and graphical presentation respectively\&. This will start a hidden erlang node which connects to the node to be measured\&. The measured node is given with the \fI-node\fR\& option\&. If the measured node has a different cookie than the default cookie for the user who invokes the script, the cookie must be explicitly given witht the \fI-setcookie\fR\& option\&.
.LP
Under Windows the batch files \fIetop\&.bat\fR\& and \fIgetop\&.bat\fR\& can be used\&.
.LP
The following configuration parameters exist for the \fIetop\fR\& tool\&. When executing the \fIetop\fR\& or \fIgetop\fR\& scripts, these parameters can be given as command line options, e\&.g\&. \fIgetop -node testnode@myhost -setcookie MyCookie\fR\&\&.
.RS 2
.TP 2
.B
node:
The measured node\&. 
.br
 Value: atom() 
.br
 Mandatory
.TP 2
.B
setcookie:
Cookie to use for the etop node - must be the same as the cookie on the measured node\&. 
.br
 Value: atom()
.TP 2
.B
lines:
Number of lines (processes) to display\&. 
.br
 Value: integer() 
.br
 Default: 10
.TP 2
.B
interval:
The time interval (in seconds) between each update of the display\&. 
.br
 Value: integer() 
.br
 Default: 5
.TP 2
.B
accumulate:
If \fItrue\fR\& the execution time and reductions are accumulated\&. 
.br
 Value: boolean() 
.br
 Default: \fIfalse\fR\&
.TP 2
.B
sort:
Identifies what information to sort by\&. 
.br
 Value: \fIruntime | reductions | memory | msg_q\fR\&
.br
 Default: \fIruntime\fR\& (\fIreductions\fR\& if \fItracing=off\fR\&)
.TP 2
.B
tracing:
\fIetop\fR\& uses the erlang trace facility, and thus no other tracing is possible on the measured node while \fIetop\fR\& is running, unless this option is set to \fIoff\fR\&\&. Also helpful if the \fIetop\fR\& tracing causes too high load on the measured node\&. With tracing off, runtime is not measured\&. 
.br
 Value: \fIon | off\fR\&
.br
 Default: \fIon\fR\&
.RE
.LP
All interaction with \fIetop\fR\& when running the graphical presentation should happen via the menus\&. For the text based presentation the functions described below can be used\&.
.LP
See the \fBuser\&'s guide\fR\& for more information about the \fIetop\fR\& tool\&.
.SH EXPORTS
.LP
.B
start() -> ok
.br
.RS
.LP
This function starts \fIetop\fR\&\&. Note that etop is preferably started with the etop and getop scripts
.RE

.LP
.B
start(Options) -> ok
.br
.RS
.LP
Types:

.RS 3
Options = [Option]
.br
Option = {Key, Value}
.br
Key = atom()
.br
Value = term()
.br
.RE
.RE
.RS
.LP
This function starts \fIetop\fR\&\&. Use \fBhelp/0\fR\& to see a description of the possible options\&.
.RE

.LP
.B
help() -> ok
.br
.RS
.LP
This function prints the help of \fIetop\fR\& and its options\&.
.RE

.LP
.B
config(Key,Value) -> Result
.br
.RS
.LP
Types:

.RS 3
Result = ok | {error,Reason}
.br
Key = lines | interval | accumulate | sort
.br
Value = term()
.br
.RE
.RE
.RS
.LP
This function is used to change the tool\&'s configuration parameters during runtime\&. The table above indicates the allowed values for each parameter\&.
.RE

.LP
.B
dump(File) -> Result
.br
.RS
.LP
Types:

.RS 3
Result = ok | {error,Reason}
.br
File = string()
.br
.RE
.RE
.RS
.LP
This function dumps the current display to a text file\&.
.RE

.LP
.B
stop() -> stop
.br
.RS
.LP
This function terminates \fIetop\fR\&\&.
.RE