README

Python Linux Ramdump Parser

What does this tool do?
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This tool takes as its input a vmlinux symbol file, and files representing
memory from devices that run Linux. It proceeds to dump useful information
such as process stacks, IRQ and workqueue information.

What does this tool need?
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1) Python. This tool has been tested with Python 2.6.5 on both Linux and Windows
1) a set of RAM dumps. Ideally, the load location of each dump as well.
2) The corresponding vmlinux file

How is this tool invoked?
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python ramparse.py invokes the parser. Options:

--ram-file <file path> <start> <end> : Add this ram file to be parsed.
At least one of --ram-file and --auto-dump required

--vmlinux <path> : path for vmlinux to use. This is required

--auto-dump <path to folder> : Automatically find files for a RAM dump and
detect useful informaton.

--gdb-path <path> : path for the GNU gdb debugger. If no path is given, the
path will be used from local_settings.py

--gdb-path <path> : path for the nm tool. If no path is given, the
path will be used from local_settings.py

--outdir <path> : Output directory to store any files written. If no path is
given, the ramfile directory will be used if given, else the current directory
will be used.

--out-file <path> : File to write all output to. If no path is given,
linux-parser-output.txt is used

--stdout : Write to stdout instead of the out-file. This overrides any
--out-file given.

The list of features parsed is constantly growing. Please use --help option
to see the full list of features that can be parsed.

Setting up the toolchains
-------------------------------
The parser relies on having access to gdb and nm to work. You will need to
specify the paths to these tools. This can be done in three ways

1) Using --gdb-path and --nm-path to specify the absolute path
2) Using CROSS_COMPILE to specify the prefix
3) Using local_settings.py as described below

Just having gdb/nm on the path is not supported as there are too many
variations on names to invoke.

local_settings.py
-------------------------------
The parser attempts to figure out most of the settings automatically but there
are some settings that are unique to the environment of the running system.
These must be specified in local_settings.py. The current format for the file
is

<setting name> = <string identifying the feaure>

Currently supported features:
gdb_path - absolute path to the gdb tool for the ramdumps
nm_path - absolute path to the gdb tool for the ramdumps

Note that local_settings.py is just a python file so the file may take advantage
of python features.