[netperf-talk] need input on a separator decision

[Rick Jones]

Folks -

I'm making the "omni" output more friendly.  To that end, I've done some 
clean-up of the code and now am looking to implement some additional 
functionality.

The first bit I want to do is allow the optional parameter to the -o, -O or -k 
option to specify either a file as it does already, or be an immediate list of 
desired output.  For -o (csv) or -k (keyval) output options that is easy - just 
a comma-separated list.  But the -O option allows up to four blocks (uber lines) 
of output - this is "signaled" in the parsed file by being a separate line. 
However, that is not possible for a list on the command-line.

So, I need to pick a separator that means "new block" when the list is given to 
the -O option.  Semi-colon seems out because it will have to be escaped from the 
shell.  I could use the separator I use for selecting the width of the IP 
address randomization, but '/' (or '\') could be used in a filename.

Thus, the current thought is to use ",," - for example:

netperf -t omni -- -r 1 -O THROUGHPUT,THROUGHPUT_UNITS,,RT_LATENCY

would trigger this output:

raj at tardy:~/netperf2_trunk$ src/netperf -t omni -l 1 -- -r 1 -O foo
OMNI TEST from 0.0.0.0 (0.0.0.0) port 0 AF_INET to localhost (127.0.0.1) port 0 
AF_INET : histogram
Throughput Throughput
            Units


52600.95   Trans/s

Round
Trip
Latency
usec/tran
19.011

The -o and -k options would in effect treat ",," just like ',' and so:

netperf -t omni -- -r 1 -o THROUGHPUT,THROUGHPUT_UNITS,,RT_LATENCY  would yield:

OMNI TEST from 0.0.0.0 (0.0.0.0) port 0 AF_INET to localhost (127.0.0.1) port 0 
AF_INET : histogram
Throughput,Throughput Units,Round Trip Latency usec/tran
49625.48,Trans/s,20.151

and netperf -t omni -- -r 1 -k THROUGHPUT,THROUGHPUT_UNITS,,RT_LATENCY  would yield:

OMNI TEST from 0.0.0.0 (0.0.0.0) port 0 AF_INET to localhost (127.0.0.1) port 0 
AF_INET : histogram
THROUGHPUT=54595.14
THROUGHPUT_UNITS=Trans/s
RT_LATENCY=18.317

This message is to give you a chance to object to the use of ",," and suggest 
something better :)  Ideally it would be a single character.

If folks don't mind having to escape the ';' (one has to use it with -exec in 
find for example) then I would rather use that.  Or perhaps '+' - again I need 
your input.

The other improvement I hope to make is a more "classic-like" default output to 
an omni test based on direction and perhaps protocol, so one does not have to 
use -o, -O, or -k if one does not want to.

I also hope to have a "special" filename of "all" that will give one everything 
and the kitchen sink.

happy benchmarking,

rick jones