Example 3: Specifying a TMF File

This example demonstrates the methods of specifying the TMF file used to format the trace messages:

• Use the -tmf parameter.

  The following command uses the -tmf parameter to specify the path and file name of a TMF file. The path overrides any other TMF path specification.

  tracefmt mytrace.etl -tmf c:\tracing\37753236-c81f-505e-d40a-128d3bb2b5ff.tmf
  

  Tracefmt uses the specified TMF file to format the trace messages in the mytrace.etl file.

• Use the -p parameter.

  The following command uses the -p parameter to specify the directory in which the TMF file is located. Tracefmt matches the control GUID of the trace provider with the TMF file name to find the correct TMF file. This saves the user from having to copy or type the cumbersome GUID file name.

  tracefmt mytrace.etl -p c:\tracing
  

  Tracefmt uses the specified TMF file to format the trace messages in the mytrace.etl file.

• Use %TRACE_FORMAT_SEARCH_PATH%.

  The first command in this series sets the value of the %TRACE_FORMAT_SEARCH_PATH% environment variable to a directory location, in this case, c:\tracing.

  In the Tracefmt command that follows it, the -tmf and -p parameters are omitted.

  set TRACE_FORMAT_SEARCH_PATH=c:\tracing
  tracefmt mytrace.etl
  

  Although neither a path nor a directory are specified in the Tracefmt command, Tracefmt searches the c:\tracing directory for a TMF file, and then uses the content to format the trace messages in the mytrace.etl file.

If the TMF files specified by any of these methods do not include formatting instructions for the trace messages, TraceView writes the message to the output file with the "No Format Information found" error message. For example:

Unknown( 10): GUID=37753236-c81f-505e-d40a-128d3bb2b5ff (No Format Information found).
Unknown( 11): GUID=37753236-c81f-505e-d40a-128d3bb2b5ff (No Format Information found).
Unknown( 11): GUID=37753236-c81f-505e-d40a-128d3bb2b5ff (No Format Information found).
...