Finalization

Finalization is the process by which Intel® VTune™ Amplifier converts the collected data to a database, resolving symbol information, and pre-computes data to make further analysis more efficient and responsive. VTune Amplifier finalizes data automatically when data collection completes.

You may want to re-finalize a result to:

• update symbol information after changes in the search directories settings

• resolve the number of [Unknown]-s in the results

Beware that re-finalization can lead to wrong results if you do not have the original binaries for your target on the machine performing the re-finalization; for example, if you recompiled the target. The re-finalization deletes the old database and then picks up the newer versions of the binaries. Since the collector raw data does not contain a binary checksum, the VTune Amplifier does not know when a binary has changed and attempts to resolve the symbols matching the old addresses against the new binary. As a result, the VTune Amplifier may unwind stacks incorrectly and resolve samples to the wrong functions. To avoid this, make sure you configured the search directories to use the correct files.

By default, the VTune Amplifier saves the raw collector data after finalization. You may choose to remove these data to reduce the size of the result file if you do not plan to re-finalize this result in the future. To remove the raw collector data, from the Microsoft Visual Studio* menu go to Tools > Options > Intel VTune Amplifier <version> > General pane and select the Remove raw collector data after result finalization option. To remove the raw collector data in the standalone interface, click the menu button and select Options... > General.