trace method calls in java

Question

I am trying to trace method calls in java, currently I am using javassist library and my code is:

for (CtMethod meth : methods) {
String method = meth.getName();
try {
                    meth.instrument(new ExprEditor() {
                        public void edit(MethodCall m) throws CannotCompileException { 
                            StringBuffer buffer = new StringBuffer();
                            StringBuffer bufferEnd = new StringBuffer();
                            String formatMessage = "String instMessage=new java.text.MessageFormat(\"{0},{1},{2}, has started execution,{3},{4}\").format(new String[]{\""
                                    + "returnType" + " " + meth.getLongName()
                                    + "\",\"" + cc.getSimpleName() + "\",\"" + method
                                    + "\", new java.util.Date().toString()"
                                    + ",java.lang.Thread.currentThread().getId()+\"\"});";
                            buffer.append(formatMessage);
                            buffer.append("org.springframework.samples.jpetstore.domain.logic.Log.trace( instMessage);");
                            String formatMessageEnd = "String instMessageEnd=new java.text.MessageFormat(\"{0},{1},{2}, has finished execution,{3},{4}\").format(new String[]{\""
                                    +"returnType" + " " + meth.getLongName()
                                    + "\",\"" + cc.getSimpleName() + "\",\"" + method
                                    + "\", new java.util.Date().toString()"
                                    + ",java.lang.Thread.currentThread().getId()+\"\"});";
                            bufferEnd.append(formatMessageEnd);
                            bufferEnd.append("org.springframework.samples.jpetstore.domain.logic.Log.trace(instMessageEnd);");
                            String start = buffer.toString();
                            String stop = bufferEnd.toString();

                            m.replace("{ try {" + start + " $_ = $proceed($$); } finally { " + stop + " } }");
                        }
                    });
                } catch (CannotCompileException e) {
                    System.out.println("******error:" + cc.getSimpleName() + "  -  " + method);
                    System.out.println(e.getMessage());
                    e.printStackTrace();
                }
}

that's worked for me except for getter methods, for example if I have class called A with getB() method It still like the original without instrument, any idea how can I fix this. note I will appreciate if you have another method to get method calls (without using AOP) to get for example:

ClassA.method() **called** ClassB.method() at date()
ClassB.method() **return to** ClassA.method() at date()

Answer 1

Over the years, I have found this is one of the most challenging Java problems, to get a framework or library to do. We have to use AOP or reflection, please also try AspectJ