Dump Formatter User Guide

The Dump Formatter is an interactive line-mode utility that supports a variety of commands for extracting and displaying information from a system dump. There are two versions of the Dump Formatter:

df_ret.exe

The Dump Formatter for dumps from systems running either the RETAIL or HSTRICT kernels.
df_deb.exe
The Dump Formatter for dumps from systems running the ALLSTRICT kernel.

Note: Refer to the Kernel Debugger User Guide for a discussion on the different OS/2 Kernels.

Each of the two Dump Formatters is generated for each build of the OS/2 kernel. Thus the Dump Formatter is system level and fix-pack level dependent, in a similar way to the debug kernels. Several base versions of the Dump Formatters are distributed with the OS2PDP package. Versions of the Dump Formatter that apply to a particular fix-pack may be obtained from the following sources:

• The OS/2 Base Product CDROM for WARP is distributed with the ALLSTRICT kernel and Dump Formatter. (For the initial release of WARP this was only available on the US version of WARP).

• The Developer Connection CDROM - this may be ordered through the Developer Assistance Program (DAP) or the System Library Subscription Service (SLSS).

• From your local IBM Marketing Representative.

• Calling the SDM BBS at USA 407-443-8000.

• For IBM internal users by FTP to the SDM at node:

              sdm.bocaraton.ibm.com       or
              9.83.12.237
  
  

  Logon using Id and Password Anonymous. A list of files is contained in files.bbs.

The Dump Formatter has a named pipe interface that allow it to be controlled from another program. This is exploited by the PMDF program, which is also distributed with the OS2PDP package.

PMDF provides:

• A PM interface to the Dump Formatter.

• Automatic Dump Formatter version management.

• The ability to log output to a file.

• Use of Drag and Drop on Dump Formatter output to the PMDF commands line.

• A REXX interface that allows REXX EXECs to issue Dump Formatter commands and capture their output.

• Process Dump Formatting.

The command set supported by Dump Formatter is very similar to that of the Kernel Debugger. In many cases they share common commands. These are documented in the Kernel Debugger and Dump Formatter Command Reference.

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