class TracePoint

A class that provides the functionality of Kernel#set_trace_func in a nice Object-Oriented API.

Example¶ ↑

We can use TracePoint to gather information specifically for exceptions:

trace = TracePoint.new(:raise) do |tp|
    p [tp.lineno, tp.event, tp.raised_exception]
end
#=> #<TracePoint:disabled>

trace.enable
#=> false

0 / 0
#=> [5, :raise, #<ZeroDivisionError: divided by 0>]

Events¶ ↑

If you don’t specify the type of events you want to listen for, TracePoint will include all available events.

Note do not depend on current event set, as this list is subject to change. Instead, it is recommended you specify the type of events you want to use.

To filter what is traced, you can pass any of the following as events:

:line: execute an expression or statement on a new line
:class: start a class or module definition
:end: finish a class or module definition
:call: call a Ruby method
:return: return from a Ruby method
:c_call: call a C-language routine
:c_return: return from a C-language routine
:raise: raise an exception
:rescue: rescue an exception
:b_call: event hook at block entry
:b_return: event hook at block ending
:a_call: event hook at all calls (call, b_call, and c_call)
:a_return: event hook at all returns (return, b_return, and c_return)
:thread_begin: event hook at thread beginning
:thread_end: event hook at thread ending
:fiber_switch: event hook at fiber switch
:script_compiled: new Ruby code compiled (with eval, load or require)

Public Class Methods

allow_reentry { block }

Source

# File trace_point.rb, line 200
def self.allow_reentry
  Primitive.attr! :use_block
  Primitive.tracepoint_allow_reentry
end

In general, while a TracePoint callback is running, other registered callbacks are not called to avoid confusion by reentrance. This method allows the reentrance in a given block. This method should be used carefully, otherwise the callback can be easily called infinitely.

If this method is called when the reentrance is already allowed, it raises a RuntimeError.

Example:

# Without reentry
# ---------------

line_handler = TracePoint.new(:line) do |tp|
  next if tp.path != __FILE__ # only work in this file
  puts "Line handler"
  binding.eval("class C; end")
end.enable

class_handler = TracePoint.new(:class) do |tp|
  puts "Class handler"
end.enable

class B
end

# This script will print "Class handler" only once: when inside :line
# handler, all other handlers are ignored

# With reentry
# ------------

line_handler = TracePoint.new(:line) do |tp|
  next if tp.path != __FILE__ # only work in this file
  next if (__LINE__..__LINE__+3).cover?(tp.lineno) # don't be invoked from itself
  puts "Line handler"
  TracePoint.allow_reentry { binding.eval("class C; end") }
end.enable

class_handler = TracePoint.new(:class) do |tp|
  puts "Class handler"
end.enable

class B
end

# This wil print "Class handler" twice: inside allow_reentry block in :line
# handler, other handlers are enabled.

Note that the example shows the principal effect of the method, but its practical usage is for debugging libraries that sometimes require other libraries hooks to not be affected by debugger being inside trace point handling. Precautions should be taken against infinite recursion in this case (note that we needed to filter out calls by itself from :line handler, otherwise it will call itself infinitely).

new(*events) { |obj| block } → obj

Source

# File trace_point.rb, line 96
def self.new(*events)
  Primitive.attr! :use_block
  Primitive.tracepoint_new_s(events)
end

Returns a new TracePoint object, not enabled by default.

Next, in order to activate the trace, you must use TracePoint#enable

trace = TracePoint.new(:call) do |tp|
    p [tp.lineno, tp.defined_class, tp.method_id, tp.event]
end
#=> #<TracePoint:disabled>

trace.enable
#=> false

puts "Hello, TracePoint!"
# ...
# [48, IRB::Notifier::AbstractNotifier, :printf, :call]
# ...

When you want to deactivate the trace, you must use TracePoint#disable

trace.disable

See Events at TracePoint for possible events and more information.

A block must be given, otherwise an ArgumentError is raised.

If the trace method isn’t included in the given events filter, a RuntimeError is raised.

TracePoint.trace(:line) do |tp|
    p tp.raised_exception
end
#=> RuntimeError: 'raised_exception' not supported by this event

If the trace method is called outside block, a RuntimeError is raised.

TracePoint.trace(:line) do |tp|
  $tp = tp
end
$tp.lineno #=> access from outside (RuntimeError)

Access from other threads is also forbidden.

stat → obj

Source

# File trace_point.rb, line 119
def self.stat
  Primitive.tracepoint_stat_s
end

Returns internal information of TracePoint.

The contents of the returned value are implementation specific. It may be changed in future.

This method is only for debugging TracePoint itself.

trace(*events) { |obj| block } → obj

Source

# File trace_point.rb, line 134
def self.trace(*events)
  Primitive.attr! :use_block
  Primitive.tracepoint_trace_s(events)
end

A convenience method for TracePoint.new, that activates the trace automatically.

trace = TracePoint.trace(:call) { |tp| [tp.lineno, tp.event] }
#=> #<TracePoint:enabled>

trace.enabled? #=> true

Public Instance Methods

binding ()

Source

# File trace_point.rb, line 386
def binding
  Primitive.tracepoint_attr_binding
end

Return the generated binding object from event.

Note that for :c_call and :c_return events, the method will return nil, since C methods themselves do not have bindings.

callee_id ()

Source

# File trace_point.rb, line 342
def callee_id
  Primitive.tracepoint_attr_callee_id
end

Return the called name of the method being called

defined_class ()

Source

# File trace_point.rb, line 378
def defined_class
  Primitive.tracepoint_attr_defined_class
end

Return class or module of the method being called.

class C; def foo; end; end
trace = TracePoint.new(:call) do |tp|
  p tp.defined_class #=> C
end.enable do
  C.new.foo
end

If method is defined by a module, then that module is returned.

module M; def foo; end; end
class C; include M; end;
trace = TracePoint.new(:call) do |tp|
  p tp.defined_class #=> M
end.enable do
  C.new.foo
end

Note: defined_class returns singleton class.

6th block parameter of Kernel#set_trace_func passes original class of attached by singleton class.

This is a difference between Kernel#set_trace_func and TracePoint.

class C; def self.foo; end; end
trace = TracePoint.new(:call) do |tp|
  p tp.defined_class #=> #<Class:C>
end.enable do
  C.foo
end

disable → true or false

disable { block } → obj

Source

# File trace_point.rb, line 300
def disable
  Primitive.attr! :use_block
  Primitive.tracepoint_disable_m
end

Deactivates the trace

Return true if trace was enabled. Return false if trace was disabled.

trace.enabled?      #=> true
trace.disable       #=> true (previous status)
trace.enabled?      #=> false
trace.disable       #=> false

If a block is given, the trace will only be disable within the scope of the block.

trace.enabled?
#=> true

trace.disable do
    trace.enabled?
    # only disabled for this block
end

trace.enabled?
#=> true

Note: You cannot access event hooks within the block.

trace.disable { p tp.lineno }
#=> RuntimeError: access from outside

enable(target: nil, target_line: nil, target_thread: nil) → true or false

enable(target: nil, target_line: nil, target_thread: :default) { block } → obj

Source

# File trace_point.rb, line 263
def enable(target: nil, target_line: nil, target_thread: :default)
  Primitive.attr! :use_block
  Primitive.tracepoint_enable_m(target, target_line, target_thread)
end

Activates the trace.

Returns true if trace was enabled. Returns false if trace was disabled.

trace.enabled?  #=> false
trace.enable    #=> false (previous state)
                #   trace is enabled
trace.enabled?  #=> true
trace.enable    #=> true (previous state)
                #   trace is still enabled

If a block is given, the trace will only be enabled during the block call. If target and target_line are both nil, then target_thread will default to the current thread if a block is given.

trace.enabled?
#=> false

trace.enable do
  trace.enabled?
  # only enabled for this block and thread
end

trace.enabled?
#=> false

target, target_line and target_thread parameters are used to limit tracing only to specified code objects. target should be a code object for which RubyVM::InstructionSequence.of will return an instruction sequence.

t = TracePoint.new(:line) { |tp| p tp }

def m1
  p 1
end

def m2
  p 2
end

t.enable(target: method(:m1))

m1
# prints #<TracePoint:line test.rb:4 in `m1'>
m2
# prints nothing

Note: You cannot access event hooks within the enable block.

trace.enable { p tp.lineno }
#=> RuntimeError: access from outside

enabled? → true or false

Source

# File trace_point.rb, line 309
def enabled?
  Primitive.tracepoint_enabled_p
end

The current status of the trace

eval_script ()

Source

# File trace_point.rb, line 412
def eval_script
  Primitive.tracepoint_attr_eval_script
end

Compiled source code (String) on *eval methods on the :script_compiled event. If loaded from a file, it will return nil.

event ()

Source

# File trace_point.rb, line 316
def event
  Primitive.tracepoint_attr_event
end

Type of event

See Events at TracePoint for more information.

inspect → string

Source

# File trace_point.rb, line 106
def inspect
  Primitive.tracepoint_inspect
end

Return a string containing a human-readable TracePoint status.

instruction_sequence ()

Source

# File trace_point.rb, line 420
def instruction_sequence
  Primitive.tracepoint_attr_instruction_sequence
end

Compiled instruction sequence represented by a RubyVM::InstructionSequence instance on the :script_compiled event.

Note that this method is MRI specific.

lineno ()

Source

# File trace_point.rb, line 321
def lineno
  Primitive.tracepoint_attr_lineno
end

Line number of the event

method_id ()

Source

# File trace_point.rb, line 337
def method_id
  Primitive.tracepoint_attr_method_id
end

Return the name at the definition of the method being called

parameters ()

Source

# File trace_point.rb, line 332
def parameters
  Primitive.tracepoint_attr_parameters
end

Return the parameters definition of the method or block that the current hook belongs to. Format is the same as for Method#parameters

path ()

Source

# File trace_point.rb, line 326
def path
  Primitive.tracepoint_attr_path
end

Path of the file being run

raised_exception ()

Source

# File trace_point.rb, line 406
def raised_exception
  Primitive.tracepoint_attr_raised_exception
end

Value from exception raised on the :raise event, or rescued on the :rescue event.

return_value ()

Source

# File trace_point.rb, line 401
def return_value
  Primitive.tracepoint_attr_return_value
end

Return value from :return, :c_return, and :b_return event

self ()

Source

# File trace_point.rb, line 396
def self
  Primitive.tracepoint_attr_self
end

Return the trace object during event

Same as the following, except it returns the correct object (the method receiver) for :c_call and :c_return events:

trace.binding.eval('self')