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https://github.com/koudelka/visualixir

A process/message visualizer for BEAM nodes.💪👁
https://github.com/koudelka/visualixir

beam elixir erlang visualizer

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A process/message visualizer for BEAM nodes.💪👁

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# Visualixir



Visualixir is a toy visualizer for BEAM nodes, written in Elixir + Phoenix + d3, with live message sequence charts.



It's largely intended as a teaching tool, to give newer BEAM programmers a look into the process ecosystem living inside their nodes. However, it may prove of some amusement/use to more experienced folks (it's kinda neat to trace `iex` and the io system).



Huge gifs are worth a thousand words:



![Cluster Select](https://raw.githubusercontent.com/koudelka/visualixir/master/doc/cluster_select.gif)

![Cluster Tour](https://raw.githubusercontent.com/koudelka/visualixir/master/doc/cluster_tour.gif)



![Msg Seq](https://raw.githubusercontent.com/koudelka/visualixir/master/doc/msg_seq.gif)

![Msg Seq 2](https://raw.githubusercontent.com/koudelka/visualixir/master/doc/msg_seq_2.gif)



## Getting Going



1. Clone this repository.

2. Compile: `mix deps.get && mix compile && cd assets && npm install && cd -`

3. Start 'er up: `elixir --sname visualixir -S mix phx.server`

4. Navigate to [the GUI](http://0.0.0.0:4000)



If you want to visualize other BEAM nodes, you'll need to start them up with the `--sname ` option.



I suggest you use Chrome for Visualixir, Safari and Firefox's SVG performance seems to be lacking. :(



There are a couple example modules included, [SingleNodePingPong](https://github.com/koudelka/visualixir/blob/master/lib/visualixir/examples/single_node_ping_pong.ex) and [MultiNodePingPong](https://github.com/koudelka/visualixir/blob/master/lib/visualixir/examples/multi_node_ping_pong.ex). Additionally, there's a [Cluster](https://github.com/koudelka/visualixir/blob/master/test/support/cluster.ex) module to start up additional `:slave` nodes.



## Usage



#### Selecting Nodes

On the upper left of the terrible GUI is a list of nodes that Visualixir curently knows about, including itself. You can click on a node's name to visualize it, or you can add a new node by entering it in the text box.



#### Moving Around

Drag the background to pan around.



Move processes around and pin them down by dragging and dropping. To un-pin, double click.



Zoom by scrolling (mousewheel or two-finger swipe).



#### Message Tracing

Option-dragging (alt-dragging), will open a new "conversation", you can drop a set of pids into the upper left box to start tracing, you should see messages they send/receive in the adjoining box. Its outline will change to red to remind you that you're tracing it. You can click the `Stop Msg Tracing` button to halt all message tracing.



The live message sequence charts have a configurable fade time, but there's no GUI for it yet, see [web/static/js/message_sequence.js](https://github.com/koudelka/visualixir/blob/master/web/static/js/message_sequence.js)



The charting library is [here](https://github.com/koudelka/d3-message-sequence), and it'd love some pull requests. <3



## Warning

Do not run Visualixir on production nodes, seriously. I've tried to make it somewhat safe, but I suspect you can get into some bad message-tracing scenarios that'll compromise your node.



## Caveats

This a prototype, obviously, the code is a steaming pile of garbage. Visualixir is largely intended to be a playground for screwing around with visualization ideas. I'd love to see what folks come up with, PR's are gladly accepted! 💕 (the GUI needs a lot of help)