How to use ADPlus.vbs to capture dumps in case of Spotfire Web Player crash/hang

How to use ADPlus.vbs to capture dumps in case of Spotfire Web Player crash/hang

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Article ID: KB0080001

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Updated On:

Products Versions
Spotfire Web Player All versions

Description

ADPlus.vbs (ADPlus) is a tool from Microsoft Product Support Services (PSS) that can troubleshoot any process or application that stops responding (hangs) or fails (crashes).
You can automatically trigger the creation of a dump file of the Web Player using ADPlus.vbs (ADPlus). This tool can be used to capture a dump file at the exact moment when an intermittent or infrequent hang or crash occurs. Example scenarios where this is useful are when you try investigating a Web Player crash or hang and a dump file is required for the investigation to determine the cause.

NOTE:
This method can create a large number of dump files in the destination folder. Ensure there is sufficient disk space on the disk defined for the "Userdump location" folder, as the resulting dump files can be large. These files should be deleted frequently if a crash has not been properly captured, to avoid filling up the disk.

Due to the large number of dump files that can be created with this method, it is often suggested to try the following alternative methods of automatic dump capture first:
•Version 7.0 and lower: How to set up an automatic dump capture from an unresponsive Web Player with IIS Process Orphaning..
https://support.tibco.com/s/article/Tibco-KnowledgeArticle-Article-43565

•Version 7.8 and higher: Doc: Enabling automatic dump capture from non-responsive Web Players
https://docs.tibco.com/pub/spotfire_server/7.8.1/doc/html/TIB_sfire_server_tsas_admin_help/GUID-8D5082B5-3178-4ABE-A438-F5E108B0CDFA.html

Note: If the above methods are unable to capture exact crash/hung dump when issue occurs, you may consider using ADPlus. 

When should you use ADPlus?
ADPlus is intended to provide Microsoft PSS support professionals with debugging information that they must have to isolate the cause of problems that occur in complex environments.
Use ADPlus to capture debugging information if you are experiencing the following problems:
- Processes that stop responding.
- Processes that consume 100 percent CPU on a single processor computer, 50 percent CPU on a dual processor computer, 25 percent CPU on a quad processor computer, and so on.
- Processes that crash or shut down unexpectedly.

Issue/Introduction

This knowledge base article describes the steps to install and configure ADPLUS.VBS to capture application crash/hangs

Environment

All supported operating systems

Resolution

- Download and install debugging tools for Windows on the machine/server running the Node Manager.
https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/windows-hardware/drivers/debugger/debugger-download-tools
https://developer.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/downloads/windows-10-sdk

- Create a folder in which the dumps will be captured. e.g: C:\dumps
- Launch the Windows command line with Admin privileges.
- Browse to the Debugging tools installation folder.
e.g: C:\Program Files (x86)\Windows Kits\10\Debuggers\x64>adplus -crash -p 5096 -o C:\dumps

adplus command

-p process ID
The -p switch is used to specify the process ID (PID) of a process that you want ADPlus to analyze.

-o output directory
This switch instructs ADPlus where to put the debug output files.

Additional Information

https://support.microsoft.com/en-in/help/286350/how-to-use-adplus-vbs-to-troubleshoot-hangs-and-crashes
https://blogs.msdn.microsoft.com/webdav_101/2012/01/26/taking-dumps-with-the-adplus-executable/