Trace Files Not Being Generated

Trace files have stopped being generated on my database server. (bdump, cdump, udump, etc...). The parameters are set in init.ora:

background_dump_dest = /u08/OraHome1/admin/ORCL/bdump
core_dump_dest = /u08/OraHome1/admin/ORCL/cdump
user_dump_dest = /u08/OraHome1/admin/ORCL/udump

Parameters are recognized in v$parameter:

SVRMGR> select name, value from v$parameter where name like '%dump%';
NAME VALUE
-------------------------- ---------------
shadow_core_dump partial
background_core_dump partial
background_dump_dest /u08/OraHome1/admin/ORCL/bdump
user_dump_dest /u08/OraHome1/admin/ORCL/udump
core_dump_dest /u08/OraHome1/admin/ORCL/cdump

OS: Solaris 8
DB: Oracle 8.1.5

Oracle has proper permissions to /u08/... and everything below it. ANY IDEAS?

Thanks,
R

Did they used to get posted?

Check the space you have left on that disk.

Yes, they used to get generated... I wish I knew what happened immediately before it stopped, but I do not.

There is plenty of space left on the device:
/dev/dsk/c5t2d0s0 17404618 950730 16279842 6% /u08

Has Anybody stopped generation of trace files by changing SQL_TRACE parameter?

Is SQL_TRACE still TRUE

check

SQL> show parameter sql_trace

Sameer

Thanks.

It had been set to false:

SQL> show parameter sql_trace;

NAME TYPE VALUE
------------------------------------ ------- --------------------
sql_trace boolean FALSE

I appreciate your help.

I changed init.ora to include:

sql_trace = true

However, this has not enabled trace files (or at least they are not being generated). Is there anything else I can look for/check?

Bounce the DB.

Did that when I changed init.ora. Did not seem to help.

What about

SQL>show parameter oracle_trace_enable

Sameer

That parameter is already enabled. Is there somewhere I can get a list of parameters relating to trace?

Trace files can be generated at the user's request.

Sorry, but what trace files are we talking about, actually?

By Default, Oracle generates the following trace files:

background dumps in $ORACLE_HOME/admin//bdmp/
core dumps in $ORACLE_HOME/admin//cdump/
user dumps in $ORACLE_HOME/admin//udump/

The files in these directories have stopped being generated. I have verified (or updated) the system parameters previously suggested, but to no avail.

Those are the trace files in question:)

Ok, in normal operation, you only have alert.log in your bdump.
In case of failures of background processes you can also get trace files with error information in bdump.

If you have SQL_TRACE=true on system level, you get trace file for every single session in your udump directory. Or one trace, if you have turned it on on session level.

In cdump Oracle dumps core (memory image of process) if strange, invalid situation occurs.

So, do you have your alert.log?

Yes, i have my alert.log file. SQL_TRACE = TRUE, so I should be getting other files in there, but I'm not.

Don't worry if you don't get trace files. Its normal. Whenever there is a trace file your alert log makes an entry saying there is trace file.

You have to worry only when your alert log says there is trace file and you can't see that trace file.

So, bdump is ok.

If you connect to database and issue some queries, you should get session's trace file in udump destination, provided that udump parameter is well set.

I udump dest is ok, but no trace file, try 'alter session set sql_trace = true'.

??? Any success ???

I have those parameters set, and I log into the database, issue queries, etc... but no files get generated.

I have set:

shadow_core_dump = FULL
background_core_dump = FULL

in init.ora, but that didn't help either.

When I perform actions that would normally generate trace files, they don't.

I neglected to mention the reason that I want these files: I need them to do application performance tuning.

Quote:

---

Originally posted by Sameer
Has Anybody stopped generation of trace files by changing SQL_TRACE parameter?

Is SQL_TRACE still TRUE

check

SQL> show parameter sql_trace

Sameer

---

no way you are gonna set that to true in a normal database

It will only be set to TRUE while we need it. After, it will be set back to FALSE, and the application will provide logging, etc. But even though it is TRUE, I am not getting trace files.

Hmm...

And your user_dump_dest directory exists and have owner/group to oracle/dba or something like that?

And you tried to turn on tracing also on session level?

And your v$parameter now says sql_trace=true?

All of the directories in question exist and are owned by oracle/dba. And yes, it is still set to TRUE.