Blocks Explorer

Database Blocks Explorer for InterSystems IRIS/Caché

Key features

Tree explorer

• Shows tree of database blocks;
• Export tree as SVG or PNG image;
• Shows every node in the block;
• Open any block just by clicking on node in parent block;
• Reload block info by clicking at the same node second time;
• Zoom in and out, fit and navigator;
• Easy way to switch between view modes (tree/map);

Fragmentation map

• Shows every block with the same colour for every globals;
• Legend for globals;

Run with Docker

You need license key for Caché or IRIS on RedHat systems.

Caché

docker run -d --name blocksexplorer --rm \
       -p 57772:57772 \
       -v /opt/some/database/for/test:/opt/blocks/db/test \
       -v ~/cache.key:/usr/cachesys/mgr/cache.key \
       daimor/blocksexplorer:cache

Generate blocks map as image file in out directory

docker run -it --rm \
       -v /opt/some/database/for/test:/opt/blocks/db/test \
       -v `pwd`/out:/opt/blocks/out \
       daimor/blocksexplorer:cache generate

IRIS

docker run -d --name blocksexplorer --rm \
       -p 52773:52773 \
       -v /opt/some/database/for/test:/opt/blocks/db/test \
       daimor/blocksexplorer:iris

Generate blocks map as image file in out directory

docker run -it --rm \
       -v /opt/some/database/for/test:/opt/blocks/db/test \
       -v `pwd`/out:/opt/blocks/out \
       daimor/blocksexplorer:iris generate

Development mode

Run with docker-compose, will start web part with hot reloading.

docker-compose up -d --build

It will start server base on IRIS
To start on Caché use this command

MODE=cache docker-compose up -d --build

By default running on 80 port. To start using it, just open http://localhost/

Screenshots

CLI mode

Using prebuild docker image gives a way to generate a picture for any IRIS or Caché database.
Use docker image daimor/blocksexplorer:iris for IRIS or daimor/blocksexplorer:cache for Caché Databases.
Those images accepts command generate with arguments

• path to the tested databases inside a container, by default /db, can be omited
• cellSize - size of the cell in pixels, where each cell represents particular database’s block, by default 1
• cellSpace - sorrounding space between cell, by default 0
• showFill - sign to show how much block fill by data, by default 0

This tool generates a square picture in folder /out inside a container in formats BMP and PNG.

So, with command like this

docker run -v `pwd`/out:/out daimor/blocksexplorer:iris generate 20 1 1

It will generate this picture for an empty database.

With a lighter color visible that most of the blocks just empty.

The same test empty database, but with showFill=0

docker run -v `pwd`/out:/out daimor/blocksexplorer:iris generate 20 1 0

Blocks have different colors but just for globals, and does not show how much it fill.

More examples
ENSLIB

docker run -v `pwd`/out:/out daimor/blocksexplorer:iris generate /usr/irissys/mgr/enslib 5 1

IRISSYS

docker run -v `pwd`/out:/out daimor/blocksexplorer:iris generate /usr/irissys/mgr/ 5 1 1

For large databases, would not recommend to use have too big cellSize.

Useful Links

There you can find more about database internals, and how to use this tool.

• Internal Structure of Caché Database Blocks, Part 1
• Internal Structure of Caché Database Blocks, Part 2
• Internal Structure of Caché Database Blocks, Part 3