dotTrace Profiler Hangs Sporadically During PerformanceProfiler.Stop()

Environment

• dotTrace Command-Line Profiler version 2020.*

Problem

When using the dotTrace API for automated performance measurements, the profiler sporadically fails to generate a snapshot file after a PerformanceProfiler.Stop() call. This behavior is characterized by the following symptoms:

• No exceptions are thrown during the initial failure, even after waiting several minutes for the data to save.
• The failure occurs randomly (e.g., once every few hundred measurements).
• Once the failure occurs, all subsequent attempts to start or stop the profiler result in an "Unrecoverable error" exception.
• The application must be restarted to clear the error state and resume profiling.

Resolution

To resolve this problem, upgrade the dotTrace Command Line Tools to the latest stable release.

Generally, you do not need to update the JetBrains.Profiler.Api package in your source code unless you require new API features. JetBrains maintains backward compatibility between the API and the Command Line Tools to ensure stability across versions.

If the problem persists after the upgrade, ensure that no other profiling tools or security software are interfering with the process being profiled.