Shared Memory Debugging tools (shm-debugger)

This set of tools provides a comprehensive solution for debugging apps that rely on reading data from shared memory. It allows recording and replaying data, making it easier to analyze and troubleshoot issues. Primarily aimed for racing simulators, but can be expanded to use with any app with similar usage pattern (read data updated by app in shared memory).

TODO:

• Embed version info
• Create GitHub release
• AC support
• R3E support?
• Docs

Apps

Dumper

This tool reads shared memory with the specified frequency and saves raw data to file. It uses compression to make files smaller. Usually 40 minutes iRacing file written with 5 Hz frequency is about 100MB.

Allowed options:
--help              Produce help message
--fps arg           Frames per second (default =5)

Usage:

Start an application by double-clicking on it or by opening a console and typing shmd-dumper.exe. Go into the sim and drive. After you're finished go to the console window that runs dumper and press Ctrl+C. The message Ctrl+C detected. Stopping the job. Please wait patiently... should appear. Wait patiently as it says, in a couple of seconds it should say You can now close this window. Don't close the console window with the dumper running or the output file can be corrupted. The output file will be saved in the same folder with the dumper binary with the name started with shmd_dump_, current date and time in the name and .bin extension.

Emulator

This tool reads the specified file (generated by dumper) and outputs data to shared memory as if it was generated by the simulator allowing third-party apps to connect to shared memory.

Allowed options:
  --help                Produce help message
  --input-file arg      Input file name (required)

Usage:

Open a console, type shmd-dumper.exe --input-file=path/to/shmd_dump.bin. Emulator will start streaming data into shared memory. When finished stop emulator with Ctrl+C. Wait for the message saying You can now close this window.

Start

Supported simulators

• iRacing
• Assetto Corsa Competizione

Vanilla AC is coming later

Dependencies

• boost
• zlib
• GTest

Build

Install dependencies

Using make (recommended)

• Install GNU Make for Windows (https://gnuwin32.sourceforge.net/packages/make.htm)
• Make sure python is in PATH
• Run make debug (make release for release build)

Using conan 1.x

Install Conan dependencies

conan install . -if cmake-build/dependencies/conan --build missing -s compiler="Visual Studio" -s compiler.version=16 -s cppstd=20 -s build_type=Debug

Or -s build_type=Release for release build

Configure cmake

cmake -S . -B cmake-build -D "CMAKE_MODULE_PATH=C:/absolute/path/to/cmake-build/dependencies/conan" -G "Visual Studio 16 2019"

Run build

cmake --build cmake-build --config Debug

Or --config Release for release

IDE setup

Set CMAKE_MODULE_PATH to point to C:/absolute/path/to/cmake-build/dependencies/conan

Repo content

• shmd-lib - main application library
• shmd-tests - GTest-based unit tests for shmd-lib
• shmd-dumper - a commandline tool for dumping simulator-generated data to disk
• shmd-emulator - a commandline tool for reading dumps and streaming data to shared memory as if it was generated by the simulator

License

This project is distributed under MIT license

Copyright (c) Dmitriy Linev 2023-2024