Frequently Asked Questions

1. Do the extensions work for debugging applications running on both the IBM and HotSpot (Oracle and HP) Java SDKs?

Yes, the extensions work regardless of the vendor that supplied the Java runtime. However a number of the extensions require the use of an IBM system dump rather than a Portable Heap Dump (PHD) when an IBM runtime is being used. You can learn how to create system dumps by reading either Debugging WebSphere Application Server from dumps or Debugging from Dumps on developerWorks.

2. What dump formats do the extensions work with?

Whilst the extensions work for debugging applications running on Java runtimes from all runtime vendors, the extensions require the additional data that is present in the HPROF format dumps, or the IBM system dump.

3. Will there be extensions for other IBM software products?

We are continuing to expand the coverage of the extensions. If there are particular software products, or aspects of products you would like the extensions to cover, please feed back via the forum.

5. The IBM dump formats (PHD, System Dump) are not available in the Open dialog or when I open a PHD or ZIP I get the error, "Not a HPROF heap dump." How do I open IBM heap dumps?

The Eclipse Memory Analyzer Tool from eclipse.org does not include parsers for IBM heap dumps. Please use the IBM Memory Analyzer Tool in IBM Support Assistant or install the parsers into your Eclipse Memory Analyzer Tool installation from: http://www.ibm.com/developerworks/java/jdk/tools/dtfj.html.