System.Diagnost ics.StackTrace is wrong sometims

[Zytan]

I use System.Diagnost ics.StackTrace to get the stack trace of the
current function, to print out the function's name to the log, and
sometimes it shows that a function that doesn't even write to the log
is what is writing to the log. This just can't be, so
System.Diagnost ics.StackTrace must be returning the wrong information
(from another thread, i suppose).

Is this normal, or expected? Can it be reliable?

Zytan

[Nicholas Paldino [.NET/C# MVP]]

I doubt it. What's more than likely is you are not synchronizing access
to the log, so you are writing stack traces that are intermingled with each
other.

What you need to do is synchronize access to the log file, writing out
the stack traces, or, have some sort of correlation id associated with each
stack trace that you write, which will allow you to group all the
information later.
--
- Nicholas Paldino [.NET/C# MVP]
- mv*@spam.guard. caspershouse.co m

"Zytan" <zy**********@g mail.comwrote in message
news:11******** **************@ b40g2000prd.goo glegroups.com.. .

>I use System.Diagnost ics.StackTrace to get the stack trace of the
current function, to print out the function's name to the log, and
sometimes it shows that a function that doesn't even write to the log
is what is writing to the log. This just can't be, so
System.Diagnost ics.StackTrace must be returning the wrong information
(from another thread, i suppose).

Is this normal, or expected? Can it be reliable?

Zytan

[Peter Duniho]

"Nicholas Paldino [.NET/C# MVP]" <mv*@spam.guard .caspershouse.c omwrote in
message news:%2******** ********@TK2MSF TNGP04.phx.gbl. ..

I doubt it. What's more than likely is you are not synchronizing
access to the log, so you are writing stack traces that are intermingled
with each other.

I doubt that the StackTrace is wrong too. However, Zytan's point is that
function names wind up in the log that should *never* be in the log. It's
not that they're in the wrong order. It's that they should just never
appear at all.

For that, I have no explanation.

Zytan, if you can provide a concise example of code that reliably reproduces
the problem, that would be helpful.

Pete

[Zytan]

I doubt it. What's more than likely is you are not synchronizing access

to the log, so you are writing stack traces that are intermingled with each
other.

That is likely. I am using TextWriter, which is synchronized, but if
I make two calls to my LogWrite function, then they could get mixed
up. The problem is that I can see when such a thing happens, and my
issues occur so often, it must be something else. Although, your
point is taken, and I'll solve this issue ANYWAY, even though it
hardly happens, to remove that as a possibility.

I'll reply to Peter's post with what I think is the real issue...

thanks,
Zytan

[Zytan]

I doubt that the StackTrace is wrong too.

I know, how can it be wrong, when so many people use it?

However, Zytan's point is that
function names wind up in the log that should *never* be in the log. It's
not that they're in the wrong order. It's that they should just never
appear at all.

For that, I have no explanation.

I have narrowed the issue down:

It works perfectly, always, in debug mode.
It doesn't work, in release mode.

I MAY have deleted the .pdb files from the release mode directory for
EACH time this issue occurred. Would that cause this to happen?
Would it be left to guess (incorrectly) without the PDB?

Zytan

[Zytan]

Since I cannot see my own post yet, due to Google Groups being REALLY
slow the past 2 days, I will append here:

I have the PDB file in the release directory of my program, and the
bug still occurs. So, the presence or lack of the PDB file is not
what is causing this.

I'll try and make a small program that shows the error, and maybe I'll
solve this myself in the process.

Zytan

[Zytan]

System.Diagnost ics.StackTrace callStack = new
System.Diagnost ics.StackTrace( );

returns different information whether you're in debug or release mode.

Zytan

[Zytan]

(I still cannot see any additional posts to this thread, including my
own so I'll post my results here)

I have a GetCallStack() function that just calls:
x = new System.Diagnost ics.StackTrace( );
and extracts the stack from x, and returns it as a string.

When I call this from Main(), I get:

// DEBUG: ThreadHelper.Th readStart() --ExecutionContex t.Run() -->
ThreadHelper.Th readStart_Conte xt() --HostProc.RunUse rsAssembly() -->
AppDomain.Execu teAssembly() --AppDomain.nExec uteAssembly() -->
Program.Main() --Program.GetCall Stack()
// RELEASE: Program.Main() --Program.GetCall Stack()

Note the last two in the stack are similar.
But, when I call this function from inside a class function, that
Main() calls:

// DEBUG: ThreadHelper.Th readStart() --ExecutionContex t.Run() -->
ThreadHelper.Th readStart_Conte xt() --HostProc.RunUse rsAssembly() -->
AppDomain.Execu teAssembly() --AppDomain.nExec uteAssembly() -->
Program.Main() --MyClass.MyFunc( ) --Program.GetCall Stack()
// RELEASE: Program.Main() --Program.GetCall Stack()

Note the last 2/3 of each one is different. MyClass.MyFunc( ) is no
where to be found in the release build!!!

Zytan

[Peter Duniho]

"Zytan" <zy**********@g mail.comwrote in message
news:11******** *************@n 35g2000prd.goog legroups.com...

[...]
It works perfectly, always, in debug mode.
It doesn't work, in release mode.

I MAY have deleted the .pdb files from the release mode directory for
EACH time this issue occurred. Would that cause this to happen?
Would it be left to guess (incorrectly) without the PDB?

Can you post a short sample of code that displays a correct stack trace when
compiled as Debug and an incorrect stack trace when compiled as Release?

Pete

[Peter Duniho]

"Zytan" <zy**********@g mail.comwrote in message
news:11******** **************@ r35g2000prh.goo glegroups.com.. .

[...]
Note the last two in the stack are similar.
But, when I call this function from inside a class function, that
Main() calls:

// DEBUG: ThreadHelper.Th readStart() --ExecutionContex t.Run() -->
ThreadHelper.Th readStart_Conte xt() --HostProc.RunUse rsAssembly() -->
AppDomain.Execu teAssembly() --AppDomain.nExec uteAssembly() -->
Program.Main() --MyClass.MyFunc( ) --Program.GetCall Stack()
// RELEASE: Program.Main() --Program.GetCall Stack()

Note the last 2/3 of each one is different. MyClass.MyFunc( ) is no
where to be found in the release build!!!

Ah. Is it possible that the automatic function inlining built into C# is
causing your function to just "disappear" ? It won't show up in a stack
trace if it no longer exists.

Pete