First run configuration

 

For new users of Performance Validator, a configuration wizard appears the first time you run the application.

 

The wizard collects a few details about environment, tools, timings, update requirements (for non-evaluation users) and ends with a short video tutorial.

 

 

 

User interface mode

 

After the introductory page, the wizard presents options for configuring the how the launch, inject and wait dialogs present information to you.

 

 

 

 

•Wizard mode guides you through the tasks in a linear fashion
 

•Dialog mode all options are contained in a single dialog
 
       Experienced users will find this mode quicker to use

 

These settings can be changed at any time via the User Interface Mode option on the Settings menu.

 

 

Symbol search path environment variables

 

After the introductory page, the wizard presents options for using environment variables for symbol search paths when finding PDB symbols.

 

You don't have to choose any of these options as Performance Validator will try to automatically determine symbol path information.

 

 

These environment settings can be changed at any time via the Configure Symbol Handling Environment Variables on the Symbol Server page of the Settings Dialog.

 

 

Symbol lookup

 

The next page of the wizard allows you to specify which IDE, Compiler or Linker you're using.

 

This is important as it affects how symbol lookup is performed. Visual Studio has various quirks in its history of symbol handling and we have to work around that.

 

The default settings are shown below, although the Visual Studio version may vary.

 

 

These lookup settings can be changed at any time on the Symbol Lookup page of the Settings Dialog.

 

 

Performance timing and line timing

 

The next page of the wizard covers methods for collecting performance data, with some of them being system dependent.

 

All these settings can be changed at any time on the Performance settings page of the Settings Dialog, where the options are described in more detail.

 

 

The typical default options are below. For more details of these and the other options in each section see the Performance settings.

 

Performance timing method:

 

Performance Validator uses the most appropriate timing method automatically, but you may wish to change the defaults.

 

The default is to be a little slower but more accurate:

 

•CPU cycles per thread counts function visits and times them using the processor's instruction cycle counter on per-thread basis

 

Only CPU cycles used by the owning thread will be counted.

 

Recommended choice for Windows Vista and onwards, although we have found that some games cannot be profiled with this setting as it interferes with the screen update.

 

Timing format:

 

The format of timing information in Performance Validator is controlled by the Format checkboxes.

 

•Milliseconds use the format mmm.uu e.g. 5,728,133.42

 

Performance sampling:

 

Not enabled unless the Sampling performance timing method is chosen above, in which case see the Performance settings for details.

 

Line timing:

 

In a similar way to Performance Timing above, the Line Timing options control how the line times are determined.

 

However, here there are just two relevant options of which the default is:

 

•CPU cycles per thread Counts line visits and times them using the processor's instruction cycle counter on per-thread basis

 

Only CPU cycles used by the owning thread will be counted.

 

Recommended choice for Windows Vista and onwards.

 

Line timing warning:

 

•Enable line timing warning controls an optional warning displayed when you enable line timing on the launch wizard/dialog

 

If enabled, a warning dialog reminds you of the possible performance slowdown when using line timing

 

 

Software update credentials

 

The software updates page of the wizard is only shown to non-evaluation users.

 

You can configure your software update credentials within the application and where updates are downloaded to.

 

 

You can test the login details to ensure they are valid:

 

•Test login details click to check your entered details are valid (requires an internet connection)

 

Valid details will be confirmed:

 

 

Invalid details may mean you entered credentials for another application in the Validator suite, or they could have been entered incorrectly.

 

 
You should have received the correct credentials when you purchased Performance Validator.

 

If you experience problems, check with your system administrator or contact Software Verify.

 

These update credentials can be changed at any time from the Software Updates menu.

 

 

Software update download location

 

It’s important to be able to specify where software updates are downloaded to because of potential security risks that may arise from allowing the TMP directory to be executable.

 

We use the TMP directory as a default, but if you're not comfortable with that you can specify your preferred download directory. This allows you to set permissions for TMP to deny execute privileges if you wish.

 

An invalid directory, e.g. one that does not exist, will show text in red and will not be accepted until a valid folder is entered.

 

•Reset reverts the download location to the user's TMP directory

 

The default location is c:\users\[username]\AppData\Local\Temp

 

The download location can be changed at any time from the Software Updates menu.

 

 

Build example projects

 

The next page of the wizard allows you to build the example projects that ship with Performance Validator.

 

The example projects demonstrate various application types containing bug you may wish to investigate with Performance Validator.

 

 

 

•Visual Studio... opens the example projects solution with the version of Visual Studio selected

 

•Download... downloads a prebuilt version of the example projects, unzips them and installs them in the examples folder in the Performance Validator installation directory

 

If you choose this option and you have not installed Performance Validator in the default location (assuming a 64 bit OS) the source file paths in the debug information will be incorrect - you will need to use the File Locations settings to inform Performance Validator of the correct location(s).

 

•Open example projects folder... opens the folder that contains all example projects

 

 

Video overview of application

 

The final page of the wizard presents a short video overview of Performance Validator.

 

The video has audio

 

 

More help is available via the Tutorials tab and the Help menu.

 

The video is also available on the product website. Visit https://www.softwareverify.com/products.php and find the product link for Performance Validator.

 

•Finish closes the First Run Configuration dialog leaving the application ready to use