sc_wartsfix

Save all records (in a separate file) up to the last intact one

$ sc_wartsfix [path/to/file1.warts path/to/file2.warts ...]

sc_wartsfix <input_file.warts> <output_file.warts>

input_file.warts
    The path to the input .warts file that needs to be fixed. This argument is mandatory and must specify an existing file.

output_file.warts
    The path where the fixed .warts file will be written. This argument is mandatory and will create or overwrite the specified file.

sc_wartsfix is a utility program primarily used in conjunction with CAIDA's scamper network measurement tool. Its main purpose is to rectify common issues and inconsistencies found within .warts files, which are binary data files used by scamper to store raw network measurement results (e.g., traceroutes, pings). These issues can include malformed headers, corrupt data segments, or other integrity problems that prevent proper parsing or analysis of the measurement data. By "fixing" these files, sc_wartsfix helps ensure the reliability and usability of collected network measurement data, making it suitable for subsequent processing with other scamper utilities or analysis tools. It is not a standard Linux command but rather a specialized tool distributed as part of the scamper software package.

sc_wartsfix is not a standard Linux command; it is distributed as part of CAIDA's scamper suite. It strictly requires two file paths (input and output) as arguments and does not support standard input/output (stdin/stdout). It is specifically designed for the .warts file format and may not be able to fix all types of file corruption, only known structural or header issues.

sc_wartsfix is typically used as a post-processing step for scamper measurement data. If a .warts file generated by scamper is found to be unreadable or malformed by other .warts utilities (like sc_warts2json or sc_warts2text), sc_wartsfix is employed to attempt to repair the file before further analysis. This ensures that valuable measurement data is not lost due to minor corruption.

sc_wartsfix emerged as part of the scamper software distribution, developed by the Center for Applied Internet Data Analysis (CAIDA). Its necessity arose from the challenges of collecting vast amounts of network measurement data, which can occasionally result in .warts files with structural inconsistencies or minor corruptions due to network conditions, system issues, or unexpected program termination. As scamper became a widely used tool for large-scale active probing, sc_wartsfix was developed to provide a straightforward method for ensuring the integrity and usability of these critical measurement datasets, facilitating their subsequent analysis and archival.

scamper(1), sc_warts2json(1), sc_warts2pcap(1), sc_warts2text(1)