##### 3.2.3.1 How to install the tracing functionality

— Function: void mtrace (void)

> When the `mtrace` function is called it looks for an environment variable named `MALLOC_TRACE`. This variable is supposed to contain a valid file name. The user must have write access. If the file already exists it is truncated. If the environment variable is not set or it does not name a valid file which can be opened for writing nothing is done. The behavior of `malloc` etc. is not changed. For obvious reasons this also happens if the application is installed with the SUID or SGID bit set.

> If the named file is successfully opened, `mtrace` installs special handlers for the functions `malloc`, `realloc`, and `free` (see Hooks for Malloc). From then on, all uses of these functions are traced and protocolled into the file. There is now of course a speed penalty for all calls to the traced functions so tracing should not be enabled during normal use.

> This function is a GNU extension and generally not available on other systems. The prototype can be found in `mcheck.h`.

— Function: void muntrace (void)

> The `muntrace` function can be called after `mtrace` was used to enable tracing the `malloc` calls. If no (successful) call of `mtrace` was made `muntrace` does nothing.

> Otherwise it deinstalls the handlers for `malloc`, `realloc`, and `free` and then closes the protocol file. No calls are protocolled anymore and the program runs again at full speed.

> This function is a GNU extension and generally not available on other systems. The prototype can be found in `mcheck.h`.