[Patch v2] perf tests: Add auto counter reload (ACR) sampling test

Dapeng Mi
2026-04-20T02:59:40Z

Add auto counter reload sampling test to verify that the intended event
records can be captured and the self-reloaded events won't generate any
records.

Signed-off-by: Dapeng Mi <dapeng1.mi@linux.intel.com>
---

V2: 1) add ratio_to_prev option test. 2) Adjust sampling period to
better match the "perf test -w thloop" workload
v1: https://lore.kernel.org/all/20260413010920.546501-1-dapeng1.mi@linux.intel.com/

tools/perf/tests/shell/record.sh | 89 ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
1 file changed, 89 insertions(+)

diff --git a/tools/perf/tests/shell/record.sh b/tools/perf/tests/shell/record.sh
index 7cb81cf3444a..a05b0c8b6d6b 100755
--- a/tools/perf/tests/shell/record.sh
+++ b/tools/perf/tests/shell/record.sh
@@ -402,6 +402,94 @@ test_callgraph() {
echo "Callgraph test [Success]"
}

+test_acr_sampling() {
+ events="{instructions/period=40000,acr_mask=0x2/u,cycles/period=20000,acr_mask=0x3/u}"
+ pebs_events="{instructions/period=40000,acr_mask=0x2/pu,cycles/period=20000,acr_mask=0x3/u}"
+ ratio_events="{instructions:u,cycles/period=20000,ratio-to-prev=0.5/u}"
+ p_core_ratio_events="{cpu_core/instructions/u,cpu_core/cycles,period=20000,ratio-to-prev=0.5/u}"
+ e_core_ratio_events="{cpu_atom/instructions/u,cpu_atom/cycles,period=20000,ratio-to-prev=0.5/u}"
+ echo "Auto counter reload (ACR) sampling test"
+ if ! perf record -o "${perfdata}" -e "${events}" ${testprog} 2> /dev/null
+ then
+ echo "Auto counter reload sampling [Skipped not supported]"
+ return
+ fi
+ if ! perf script -i "${perfdata}" -F event | grep -q "instructions"
+ then
+ echo "Auto counter reload sampling [Failed missing instructions event]"
+ err=1
+ return
+ fi
+ if perf script -i "${perfdata}" -F event | grep -q "cycles"
+ then
+ echo "Auto counter reload sampling [Failed cycles event shouldn't be sampled]"
+ err=1
+ return
+ fi
+ if ! perf record -o "${perfdata}" -e "${pebs_events}" ${testprog} 2> /dev/null
+ then
+ echo "Auto counter reload PEBS sampling [Skipped not supported]"
+ return
+ fi
+ if ! perf script -i "${perfdata}" -F event | grep -q "instructions"
+ then
+ echo "Auto counter reload PEBS sampling [Failed missing instructions event]"
+ err=1
+ return
+ fi
+ if perf script -i "${perfdata}" -F event | grep -q "cycles"
+ then
+ echo "Auto counter reload PEBS sampling [Failed cycles event shouldn't be sampled]"
+ err=1
+ return
+ fi
+
+ ratio_err=0
+ do_ratio_to_prev_test() {
+ local events=$1
+ local cpu=$2
+ if ! perf record -o "${perfdata}" -e "${events}" ${testprog} 2> /dev/null
+ then
+ echo "Auto counter reload ${cpu} ratio-to-prev sampling [Failed not supported]"
+ ratio_err=1
+ return
+ fi
+ if ! perf script -i "${perfdata}" -F event | grep -q "instructions"
+ then
+ echo "Auto counter reload ${cpu} ratio-to-prev sampling [Failed missing instructions event]"
+ ratio_err=1
+ return
+ fi
+ if perf script -i "${perfdata}" -F event | grep -q "cycles"
+ then
+ echo "Auto counter reload ${cpu} ratio-to-prev sampling [Failed cycles event shouldn't be sampled]"
+ ratio_err=1
+ return
+ fi
+ }
+
+ # ratio-to-prev sampling would fallback to normal sampling if ACR sampling
+ # is not supported, so acr_mask must be checked before testing ratio-to-prev sampling.
+ if [ -e /sys/bus/event_source/devices/cpu/format/acr_mask ]
+ then
+ do_ratio_to_prev_test "${ratio_events}" ""
+ fi
+ if [ -e /sys/bus/event_source/devices/cpu_core/format/acr_mask ]
+ then
+ do_ratio_to_prev_test "${p_core_ratio_events}" "P-core"
+ fi
+ if [ -e /sys/bus/event_source/devices/cpu_atom/format/acr_mask ]
+ then
+ do_ratio_to_prev_test "${e_core_ratio_events}" "E-core"
+ fi
+ if test "$ratio_err" -eq 0
+ then
+ echo "Auto counter reload sampling [Success]"
+ else
+ err="${ratio_err}"
+ fi
+}
+
test_ratio_to_prev() {
echo "ratio-to-prev test"
if ! perf record -o /dev/null -e "{instructions, cycles/period=100000,ratio-to-prev=0.5/}" \
@@ -458,6 +546,7 @@ test_topdown_leader_sampling
test_precise_max
test_callgraph
test_ratio_to_prev
+test_acr_sampling

# restore the default value
ulimit -Sn $default_fd_limit
--
2.34.1