How to create performance counter that can be measured by process/instance?

Question

Hi,

This is an x-post and I will update both in case of replies.

I can't quite see how I can create a counter that measures a number - by process. I'm creating the counters in code usingPerformanceCounterCategory and CounterCreationData. This works and I'm adding a single "NumberOfItems64" counter.

But I can't measure this counter by process/instance. I'm only able to measure that number as a whole on my PC. How can I create the counter to give my per process counter?

 

Edit: No-one running terminal server with mulitple instances of your software? I have tried to set the "PerformanceCounterCategoryType.MultiInstance" type when creating the category but with the same results. I can't choose specific process/instance when adding the counter in Perfmon.

--
Werner

Answer 1

Hi,

This is an x-post and I will update both in case of replies.

I can't quite see how I can create a counter that measures a number - by process. I'm creating the counters in code using PerformanceCounterCategory and CounterCreationData. This works and I'm adding a single "NumberOfItems64" counter.

But I can't measure this counter by process/instance. I'm only able to measure that number as a whole on my PC. How can I create the counter to give my per process counter?

 

 Edit: No-one running terminal server with mulitple instances of your software? I have tried to set the "PerformanceCounterCategoryType.MultiInstance" type when creating the category but with the same results. I can't choose specific process/instance when adding the counter in Perfmon.

--
Werner

Answer 2

Hi Werner,
Welcome to the MSDN forum!

There is a project demonstrating how to use PerformanceCounter to get the CPU Usage of the following features:

1. The Total Processor Time.
2. The Processor time of a specific process.
3. Draw the CPU Usage History like Task Manager.

Please go to the following link to get more details about it:
Track the system CPU usage (CSCpuUsage)
http://code.msdn.microsoft.com/CSCpuUsage-f009d9c1

 

Meanwhile, there is another link for you to check out:
PerformanceCounters: single instance, multi-instance and WMI [David Gutierrez]
http://blogs.msdn.com/b/bclteam/archive/2004/10/29/249799.aspx

 

Have a nice day!
Yoyo.

---

Yoyo Jiang[MSFT]
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Answer 3

Hi Werner,
I am merging the threads to keep into the same topic for good discussion.

Thank you for your understanding and have a nice day!
Yoyo. 

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Yoyo Jiang[MSFT]
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Answer 4

Hi Yoyo,

Thanks for your reply. But I know all about consuming the system counters. My trouble is that I can't make my own counters apply for a specific process. Take the "CPU usage" counter for example. As you say, it is possible to specify what process the counter applies for. I need my own counter to give the same possibilities. But no matter how I create my counter is is not possible to select a specific process to monitor.

Hope it is clear what i'm trying to achieve :)

--
Werner

Answer 5

Got it:

1. The Category must be created with "PerformanceCounterCategoryType = MultiInstance".
2. The Counter must be created with "InstanceLifetime = PerformanceCounterInstanceLifetime.Process"

Then I'm able to select the process in Perfmon. I could have sworn that I have tried this combination, but today it works :)

--
Werner

Answer 6

Congratulations!

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Yoyo Jiang[MSFT]
MSDN Community Support | Feedback to us
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Please remember to mark the replies as answers if they help and unmark them if they provide no help.