View Trace Data

  • Article

Applies To: Windows Server 2008

In the Microsoft Distributed Transaction Coordinator (MS DTC), you run the Msdtcvtr.bat file to view the data that a trace log file contains. Msdtcvtr.bat converts the binary trace file to a text file that you can read. You can use these procedures to view trace data that results from background tracing or from tracing an individual transaction.

Note

You must include Tracefmt.exe in the path when you run Msdtcvtr.bat. Tracefmt.exe is located in the \Bin folder in the directory in which you installed the Platform SDK. Msdtcvtr.bat is located in the WINDOWS\system32\MsDtc\Trace folder.

Before you view trace data, we recommend that you flush the data from its memory buffers to the file on disk. Otherwise, the data in your view might be incomplete.

Membership in Administrators, or equivalent, is the minimum required to complete this procedure. Review details about using the appropriate accounts and group memberships at Local and Domain Default Groups (https://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=83477).

To view trace data that results from background tracing

  • At a command prompt, type the following command:

    msdtcvtr {-MODE 1 | -tracelog tracelogfilename } [options]

    The following tables show the possible parameter and option values.

    Parameter Description

    -MODE 1

    Displays background trace data.

    -tracelog <file>

    Specifies the name of the binary trace file that you want to view.
    Option Description

    -H or ?

    Displays Help at the command prompt.

    -o <filename>

    Specifies the name of the ASCII output file, without a file name extension.

    -MOF <filename>

    Displays the Microsoft Operations Framework (MOF) file.

To view trace data that results from tracing an individual transaction

  • At the command prompt, type the following command:

    msdtcvtr {-MODE 2 | -tracelog tracelogfilename } [options]

    The following tables show the possible parameter and option values.

    Parameter Description

    -MODE 2

    Displays trace data that is generated from the user interface (UI).

    -tracelog <file>

    Specifies the name of the binary trace file that you want to view.
    Option Description

    -H or ?

    Displays Help at the command prompt.

    -o <filename>

    Specifies the name of the ASCII output file, without a file name extension.

    -MOF <filename>

    Displays the MOF file.