Event Tracing for Windows

Event tracing in its simplest form uses the system Event Log. (Computer Management, Event Viewer).

A more complex use is WPA/WPR Windows Performance Recorder and Analyser, available on the Windows Performance Toolkit

https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/windows-hardware/test/wpt/

Architecture

A driver which produces such logs is registered with the system with an xml file, which identifies the source of the logs, and the form they take (data types), names, and other details.

The xml file is added to the project and will end up in the Resource Files folder.

The xml is processed by the Message Compiler by adding this to the project file in each ItemDeffinitionGroup (ie, Debug|ARM64 and Release|ARM64)

<MessageCompile>
  <HeaderFilePath>.\\</HeaderFilePath>
  <RCFilePath>.\\</RCFilePath>
  <GenerateKernelModeLoggingMacros>true</GenerateKernelModeLoggingMacros>
  <UseBaseNameOfInput>true</UseBaseNameOfInput>
</MessageCompile>	

The generated header file is then included in the source code, and the generated binary file is added to the end of the resources file like this:

LANGUAGE 0x9,0x1
1 11 "Wperf_DriverETW_schema_MSG00001.bin"
1 WEVT_TEMPLATE "Wperf_driverETW_schemaTEMP.BIN"

Registering

This xml file is copied with the driver to the system32\drivers directory, and needs to be registered with the system on install with wevtutil.exe im Wperf_DriverETW_schema.xml from the drivers directory.

To unregister call wevtutil.exe um Wperf_DriverETW_schema.xml.

Viewing logs

Open Event Viewer. Right click Custom View and select Create Custom View.

Click OK, give it a useful name, and OK again.

You will be presented with logs like this

WPR / WPA