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xscope - X Window Protocol Viewer
xscope [-i<in-port>] [-o<out-port>]
[-h<server-host>] [-d<display-number>] [-q] [-v<n>] [-r] [-D<debug-level>] [-S<n>] [-t]
Xscope
sits in-between an X11 client and an X11 server and prints the contents
of each request, reply, error, or event that is communicated between them.
Xscope can decode the core X11 protocol and several extensions, including
BIG-REQUESTS, LBX, MIT-SHM, NCD-WinCenterPro, RANDR, and RENDER. This information
can be useful in debugging and performance tuning of X11 servers and clients.
To operate, xscope must know the host, port, and display to use to connect
to the X11 server. In addition, it must know the port on which it should
listen for X11 clients. Two cases are common:
- (1) The X11 server is on
the same host as xscope.
- In this case, the input port for xscope should
be selected as an X11 server on a different display, and the client DISPLAY
argument adjusted to select xscope . For example, if the X11 server is
on port 6001, display 1, then xscope can use port 6002 as its input port.
The client can use display 1 for direct access to X11 or display 2 for
access to xscope.
- (2) The X11 server is on a different host than xscope.
- In this case the same input and output ports can be used, and the host
component of the DISPLAY is used to select xscope or X11.
- -i<input-port>
- Specify the port that xscope will use to take requests from clients (defaults
to 1). For X11, this port is automatically biased by 6000.
- -o<output-port>
- Determines
the port that xscope will use to connect to X11 (defaults to 0). For X11,
this port is automatically biased by 6000.
- -h<host>
- Determines the host that
xscope will use to find its X11 server.
- -d<display>
- Defines the display number.
The display number is added to the input and output port to give the actual
ports which are used by xscope.
- -q
- Quiet output mode. Gives only the names
of requests, replies, errors, and events, but does not indicate contents.
- -v<print-level>
- Determines the level of printing which xscope will provide.
The print-level can be 0 (same as quiet mode), 1, 2, 3, 4. The larger numbers
give more and more output. For example, a successful setup returns a string
which is the name of the vendor of the X11 server. At level 1, the explicit
field giving the length of the string is suppressed since it can be inferred
from the string. At level 2 and above the length is explicitly printed.
- -r
- Print only raw data without decoding it.
- -D<debug-level>
- Print debugging information
at the specified level.
- -S<n>
- Toggle output on or off when SIGUSR1 is received.
If n is 0, the initial state is off. If n is 1, the initial state is on.
- -t
- Terminate xscope when all clients close.
When xscope receives
an interrupt signal (normally generated by Control-C) it enters an interactive
mode in which it prompts for commands. Available commands in this mode are:
- audio, a
- Show current verbosity level for NAS protocol packets.
- audio n,
a n
- Set current verbosity level for NAS protocol packets to n.
- break, b
- List currently defined breakpoints.
- break request..., b request...
- Create a breakpoint
for the specified protocol requests. The breakpoint will be enabled by
default. When the breakpoint is enabled, xscope will stop for interactive
commands after processing a request of the specified type. Requests and
extensions may be specified by name or number. If an extension is followed
by a ":" and a number, it will only break for the specified minor opcode
for that extension. Note that since extension opcodes are not known until
the extension is first seen, breakpoints cannot currently be set on extensions
until after a QueryExtension request and reply are processed for that extension,
so users may need to initially set a breakpoint on QueryExtension, and
after processing that set the breakpoint for the target extension.
- cont,
c
- Resume processing of data passing between server and clients.
- delete,
del
- Delete all breakpoints.
- delete breakpoint..., del breakpoint...
- Delete listed
breakpoints, specified by number.
- disable, d
- Disable all breakpoints.
- disable
breakpoint..., d breakpoint...
- Disable listed breakpoints, specified by number.
- enable, e
- Enable all breakpoints.
- enable breakpoint..., e breakpoint...
- Enable
listed breakpoints, specified by number.
- help, ?
- Print list of available
commands.
- help command..., ? command...
- Describe specified command or commands.
- level, l
- Show current verbosity level for X11 protocol packets.
- level n,
l n
- Set current verbosity level for X11 protocol packets to n.
- quit, q
- Quit
xscope.
- step, s
- Process one request, then prompt for another command.
xscope
-v4 -hcleo -d0 -o0 -i1
This command would have xscope communicate with an X11
server on host “cleo”, display 0; xscope itself would be available on the
current host as display 1 (display of 0 plus the 1 of -i1). Verbose level
4.
xscope -q -d1 -o1 -o3
The X11 server for the current host, display 2 (1 for
-d1 plus 1 for -o1) would be used by xscope which would run as display 4
(1 for -d1 plus 3 for -o3). Quiet mode (verbose level 0).
X(7)
, Xsecurity(7)
,
X11 Protocol and extension protocol documents
James L. Peterson (MCC)
Copyright (C) 1988 MCC
Permission to use, copy, modify, distribute, and
sell this software and its documentation for any purpose is hereby granted
without fee, provided that the above copyright notice appear in all copies
and that both that copyright notice and this permission notice appear in
supporting documentation, and that the name of MCC not be used in advertising
or publicity pertaining to distribution of the software without specific,
written prior permission. MCC makes no representations about the suitability
of this software for any purpose. It is provided "as is" without express
or implied warranty.
MCC DISCLAIMS ALL WARRANTIES WITH REGARD TO THIS SOFTWARE,
INCLUDING ALL IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS, IN NO
EVENT SHALL MCC BE LIABLE FOR ANY SPECIAL, INDIRECT OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES
OR ANY DAMAGES WHATSOEVER RESULTING FROM LOSS OF USE, DATA OR PROFITS,
WHETHER IN AN ACTION OF CONTRACT, NEGLIGENCE OR OTHER TORTIOUS ACTION,
ARISING OUT OF OR IN CONNECTION WITH THE USE OR PERFORMANCE OF THIS SOFTWARE.
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