]> arthur.barton.de Git - netdata.git/blobdiff - src/apps_plugin.c
apps.plugin: major new features and optimizations: now it reports system usage (all...
[netdata.git] / src / apps_plugin.c
old mode 100755 (executable)
new mode 100644 (file)
index e81014a..e023236
@@ -1,7 +1,6 @@
 // TODO
 //
-// 1. support -ch option to set global /proc and /sys prefix
-// 2. disable RESET_OR_OVERFLOW check in charts
+// 1. disable RESET_OR_OVERFLOW check in charts
 
 #ifdef HAVE_CONFIG_H
 #include <config.h>
@@ -14,6 +13,7 @@
 #include <sys/types.h>
 #include <sys/time.h>
 #include <sys/wait.h>
+#include <sys/stat.h>
 
 #include <sys/resource.h>
 #include <sys/stat.h>
 #include <dirent.h>
 #include <arpa/inet.h>
 
+#include <sys/types.h>
+#include <pwd.h>
+#include <grp.h>
+
+#include "avl.h"
+
 #include "common.h"
 #include "log.h"
-#include "avl.h"
 #include "procfile.h"
 
 #define MAX_COMPARE_NAME 15
@@ -45,10 +50,13 @@ int debug = 0;
 int update_every = 1;
 unsigned long long file_counter = 0;
 
-#define PROC_BUFFER 4096
+char *host_prefix = "";
+char *config_dir = CONFIG_DIR;
 
+#ifdef NETDATA_INTERNAL_CHECKS
 // ----------------------------------------------------------------------------
 // memory debugger
+// do not use in production systems - it mis-aligns allocated memory
 
 struct allocations {
        size_t allocations;
@@ -64,14 +72,14 @@ struct allocations {
 void *mark_allocation(void *allocated_ptr, size_t size_without_overheads) {
        uint32_t *real_ptr = (uint32_t *)allocated_ptr;
        real_ptr[0] = MALLOC_MARK;
-       real_ptr[1] = size_without_overheads;
+       real_ptr[1] = (uint32_t) size_without_overheads;
 
        uint32_t *end_ptr = (uint32_t *)(allocated_ptr + MALLOC_PREFIX + size_without_overheads);
        end_ptr[0] = MALLOC_MARK;
 
        // fprintf(stderr, "MEMORY_POINTER: Allocated at %p, returning %p.\n", allocated_ptr, (void *)(allocated_ptr + MALLOC_PREFIX));
 
-       return (void *)(allocated_ptr + MALLOC_PREFIX);
+       return allocated_ptr + MALLOC_PREFIX;
 }
 
 void *check_allocation(const char *file, int line, const char *function, void *marked_ptr, size_t *size_without_overheads_ptr) {
@@ -198,15 +206,22 @@ char *strdup_debug(const char *file, int line, const char *function, const char
 #endif
 #define strdup(ptr) strdup_debug(__FILE__, __LINE__, __FUNCTION__, (ptr))
 
+#endif /* NETDATA_INTERNAL_CHECKS */
+
+
 // ----------------------------------------------------------------------------
-// helper functions
+// system functions
+// to retrieve settings of the system
 
 procfile *ff = NULL;
 
-long get_processors(void) {
+long get_system_cpus(void) {
        int processors = 0;
 
-       ff = procfile_reopen(ff, "/proc/stat", "", PROCFILE_FLAG_DEFAULT);
+       char filename[FILENAME_MAX + 1];
+       snprintf(filename, FILENAME_MAX, "%s/proc/stat", host_prefix);
+
+       ff = procfile_reopen(ff, filename, "", PROCFILE_FLAG_DEFAULT);
        if(!ff) return 1;
 
        ff = procfile_readall(ff);
@@ -228,10 +243,12 @@ long get_processors(void) {
        return processors;
 }
 
-long get_pid_max(void) {
+long get_system_pid_max(void) {
        long mpid = 32768;
 
-       ff = procfile_reopen(ff, "/proc/sys/kernel/pid_max", "", PROCFILE_FLAG_DEFAULT);
+       char filename[FILENAME_MAX + 1];
+       snprintf(filename, FILENAME_MAX, "%s/proc/sys/kernel/pid_max", host_prefix);
+       ff = procfile_reopen(ff, filename, "", PROCFILE_FLAG_DEFAULT);
        if(!ff) return mpid;
 
        ff = procfile_readall(ff);
@@ -247,37 +264,42 @@ long get_pid_max(void) {
        return mpid;
 }
 
-unsigned long long get_hertz(void)
+unsigned long long get_system_hertz(void)
 {
-       unsigned long long hz = 1;
+       unsigned long long myhz = 1;
 
 #ifdef _SC_CLK_TCK
-       if((hz = sysconf(_SC_CLK_TCK)) > 0) {
-               return hz;
+       if((myhz = (unsigned long long int) sysconf(_SC_CLK_TCK)) > 0) {
+               return myhz;
        }
 #endif
 
 #ifdef HZ
-       hz = (unsigned long long)HZ;    /* <asm/param.h> */
-#else
+       myhz = HZ;    /* <asm/param.h> */
+#else /* HZ */
        /* If 32-bit or big-endian (not Alpha or ia64), assume HZ is 100. */
        hz = (sizeof(long)==sizeof(int) || htons(999)==999) ? 100UL : 1024UL;
-#endif
+#endif /* HZ */
 
-       error("Unknown HZ value. Assuming %llu.", hz);
-       return hz;
+       error("Unknown HZ value. Assuming %llu.", myhz);
+       return myhz;
 }
 
 
 // ----------------------------------------------------------------------------
 // target
-// target is the point to aggregate a process tree values
+// target is the structure that process data are aggregated
 
 struct target {
        char compare[MAX_COMPARE_NAME + 1];
+       uint32_t hash;
+
        char id[MAX_NAME + 1];
        char name[MAX_NAME + 1];
 
+       uid_t uid;
+       gid_t gid;
+
        unsigned long long minflt;
        unsigned long long cminflt;
        unsigned long long majflt;
@@ -338,25 +360,103 @@ struct target {
        int hidden;                                     // if set, we set the hidden flag on the dimension
        int debug;
 
-       struct target *target;  // the one that will be reported to netdata
+       struct target *target;          // the one that will be reported to netdata
        struct target *next;
-} *target_root = NULL, *default_target = NULL;
+};
+
+
+// ----------------------------------------------------------------------------
+// apps_groups.conf
+// aggregate all processes in groups, to have a limited number of dimensions
 
-long targets = 0;
+struct target *apps_groups_root_target = NULL;
+struct target *apps_groups_default_target = NULL;
+long apps_groups_targets = 0;
 
-// find or create a target
-// there are targets that are just agregated to other target (the second argument)
-struct target *get_target(const char *id, struct target *target)
+struct target *users_root_target = NULL;
+struct target *groups_root_target = NULL;
+
+struct target *get_users_target(uid_t uid)
+{
+       struct target *w;
+       for(w = users_root_target ; w ; w = w->next)
+               if(w->uid == uid) return w;
+
+       w = calloc(sizeof(struct target), 1);
+       if(unlikely(!w)) {
+               error("Cannot allocate %lu bytes of memory", (unsigned long)sizeof(struct target));
+               return NULL;
+       }
+
+       snprintf(w->compare, MAX_COMPARE_NAME, "%d", uid);
+       w->hash = simple_hash(w->compare);
+
+       snprintf(w->id, MAX_NAME, "%d", uid);
+
+       struct passwd *pw = getpwuid(uid);
+       if(!pw)
+               snprintf(w->name, MAX_NAME, "%d", uid);
+       else
+               snprintf(w->name, MAX_NAME, "%s", pw->pw_name);
+
+       w->uid = uid;
+
+       w->next = users_root_target;
+       users_root_target = w;
+
+       if(unlikely(debug))
+               fprintf(stderr, "apps.plugin: added uid %d ('%s') target\n", w->uid, w->name);
+
+       return w;
+}
+
+struct target *get_groups_target(gid_t gid)
+{
+       struct target *w;
+       for(w = groups_root_target ; w ; w = w->next)
+               if(w->gid == gid) return w;
+
+       w = calloc(sizeof(struct target), 1);
+       if(unlikely(!w)) {
+               error("Cannot allocate %lu bytes of memory", (unsigned long)sizeof(struct target));
+               return NULL;
+       }
+
+       snprintf(w->compare, MAX_COMPARE_NAME, "%d", gid);
+       w->hash = simple_hash(w->compare);
+
+       snprintf(w->id, MAX_NAME, "%d", gid);
+
+       struct group *gr = getgrgid(gid);
+       if(!gr)
+               snprintf(w->name, MAX_NAME, "%d", gid);
+       else
+               snprintf(w->name, MAX_NAME, "%s", gr->gr_name);
+
+       w->gid = gid;
+
+       w->next = groups_root_target;
+       groups_root_target = w;
+
+       if(unlikely(debug))
+               fprintf(stderr, "apps.plugin: added gid %d ('%s') target\n", w->gid, w->name);
+
+       return w;
+}
+
+// find or create a new target
+// there are targets that are just aggregated to other target (the second argument)
+struct target *get_apps_groups_target(const char *id, struct target *target)
 {
        const char *nid = id;
        if(nid[0] == '-') nid++;
 
        struct target *w;
-       for(w = target_root ; w ; w = w->next)
+       for(w = apps_groups_root_target ; w ; w = w->next)
                if(strncmp(nid, w->id, MAX_NAME) == 0) return w;
 
        w = calloc(sizeof(struct target), 1);
-       if(!w) {
+       if(unlikely(!w)) {
                error("Cannot allocate %lu bytes of memory", (unsigned long)sizeof(struct target));
                return NULL;
        }
@@ -364,29 +464,34 @@ struct target *get_target(const char *id, struct target *target)
        strncpy(w->id, nid, MAX_NAME);
        strncpy(w->name, nid, MAX_NAME);
        strncpy(w->compare, nid, MAX_COMPARE_NAME);
+       w->hash = simple_hash(w->compare);
+
        if(id[0] == '-') w->hidden = 1;
 
        w->target = target;
 
-       w->next = target_root;
-       target_root = w;
+       w->next = apps_groups_root_target;
+       apps_groups_root_target = w;
 
-       if(debug) fprintf(stderr, "apps.plugin: adding hook for process '%s', compare '%s' on target '%s'\n", w->id, w->compare, w->target?w->target->id:"");
+       if(unlikely(debug))
+               fprintf(stderr, "apps.plugin: adding hook for process '%s', compare '%s' on target '%s'\n", w->id, w->compare, w->target?w->target->id:"");
 
        return w;
 }
 
-// read the process groups file
-int read_process_groups(const char *name)
+// read the apps_groups.conf file
+int read_apps_groups_conf(const char *name)
 {
        char buffer[4096+1];
        char filename[FILENAME_MAX + 1];
 
-       snprintf(filename, FILENAME_MAX, "%s/apps_%s.conf", CONFIG_DIR, name);
+       snprintf(filename, FILENAME_MAX, "%s/apps_%s.conf", config_dir, name);
+
+       if(unlikely(debug))
+               fprintf(stderr, "apps.plugin: process groups file: '%s'\n", filename);
 
-       if(debug) fprintf(stderr, "apps.plugin: process groups file: '%s'\n", filename);
        FILE *fp = fopen(filename, "r");
-       if(!fp) {
+       if(unlikely(!fp)) {
                error("Cannot open file '%s'", filename);
                return 1;
        }
@@ -433,17 +538,37 @@ int read_process_groups(const char *name)
 
                struct target *w = NULL;
                long count = 0;
+               int blen = 0;
+               char buffer[4097] = "";
+               buffer[4096] = '\0';
 
                // the process names
                while((p = strsep(&s, " "))) {
                        p = trim(p);
                        if(!p || !*p) continue;
 
-                       struct target *n = get_target(p, w);
+                       strncpy(&buffer[blen], p, 4096 - blen);
+                       blen = strlen(buffer);
+
+                       while(buffer[blen - 1] == '\\') {
+                               buffer[blen - 1] = ' ';
+
+                               if((p = strsep(&s, " ")))
+                                       p = trim(p);
+
+                               if(!p || !*p) p = " ";
+                               strncpy(&buffer[blen], p, 4096 - blen);
+                               blen = strlen(buffer);
+                       }
+
+                       struct target *n = get_apps_groups_target(buffer, w);
                        n->hidden = whidden;
                        n->debug = wdebug;
                        if(!w) w = n;
 
+                       buffer[0] = '\0';
+                       blen = 0;
+
                        count++;
                }
 
@@ -452,8 +577,8 @@ int read_process_groups(const char *name)
        }
        fclose(fp);
 
-       default_target = get_target("+p!o@w#e$i^r&7*5(-i)l-o_", NULL); // match nothing
-       strncpy(default_target->name, "other", MAX_NAME);
+       apps_groups_default_target = get_apps_groups_target("+p!o@w#e$i^r&7*5(-i)l-o_", NULL); // match nothing
+       strncpy(apps_groups_default_target->name, "other", MAX_NAME);
 
        return 0;
 }
@@ -509,6 +634,9 @@ struct pid_stat {
        // uint64_t guest_time;
        // int64_t cguest_time;
 
+       uid_t uid;
+       gid_t gid;
+
        unsigned long long statm_size;
        unsigned long long statm_resident;
        unsigned long long statm_share;
@@ -525,7 +653,29 @@ struct pid_stat {
        unsigned long long io_storage_bytes_written;
        unsigned long long io_cancelled_write_bytes;
 
-#ifdef INCLUDE_CHILDS
+       // we need the last values
+       // for all incremental counters
+       // so that when a process switches users/groups
+       // we will subtract these values from the old
+       // target
+       unsigned long long last_minflt;
+       unsigned long long last_cminflt;
+       unsigned long long last_majflt;
+       unsigned long long last_cmajflt;
+       unsigned long long last_utime;
+       unsigned long long last_stime;
+       unsigned long long last_cutime;
+       unsigned long long last_cstime;
+
+       unsigned long long last_io_logical_bytes_read;
+       unsigned long long last_io_logical_bytes_written;
+       unsigned long long last_io_read_calls;
+       unsigned long long last_io_write_calls;
+       unsigned long long last_io_storage_bytes_read;
+       unsigned long long last_io_storage_bytes_written;
+       unsigned long long last_io_cancelled_write_bytes;
+
+#ifdef AGGREGATE_CHILDREN_TO_PARENTS
        unsigned long long old_utime;
        unsigned long long old_stime;
        unsigned long long old_minflt;
@@ -545,19 +695,24 @@ struct pid_stat {
        unsigned long long diff_cstime;
        unsigned long long diff_cminflt;
        unsigned long long diff_cmajflt;
-#endif
+#endif /* AGGREGATE_CHILDREN_TO_PARENTS */
 
-       int *fds;                                       // array of fds it uses
-       int fds_size;                           // the size of the fds array
+       int *fds;                                               // array of fds it uses
+       int fds_size;                                   // the size of the fds array
 
-       int childs;                                     // number of processes directly referencing this
-       int updated;                            // 1 when update
-       int merged;                                     // 1 when it has been merged to its parent
+       int children_count;                             // number of processes directly referencing this
+       int updated;                                    // 1 when update
+       int merged;                                             // 1 when it has been merged to its parent
        int new_entry;
-       struct target *target;
+
+       struct target *target;                  // app_groups.conf targets
+       struct target *user_target;             // uid based targets
+       struct target *group_target;    // gid based targets
+
        struct pid_stat *parent;
        struct pid_stat *prev;
        struct pid_stat *next;
+
 } *root_of_pids = NULL, **all_pids;
 
 long all_pids_count = 0;
@@ -609,10 +764,30 @@ void del_pid_entry(pid_t pid)
 // ----------------------------------------------------------------------------
 // update pids from proc
 
+int read_proc_pid_ownership(struct pid_stat *p) {
+       char filename[FILENAME_MAX + 1];
+
+       snprintf(filename, FILENAME_MAX, "%s/proc/%d", host_prefix, p->pid);
+
+       // ----------------------------------------
+       // read uid and gid
+
+       struct stat st;
+       if(stat(filename, &st) != 0)
+               return 1;
+
+       p->uid = st.st_uid;
+       p->gid = st.st_gid;
+
+       return 0;
+}
+
 int read_proc_pid_stat(struct pid_stat *p) {
        char filename[FILENAME_MAX + 1];
 
-       snprintf(filename, FILENAME_MAX, "/proc/%d/stat", p->pid);
+       snprintf(filename, FILENAME_MAX, "%s/proc/%d/stat", host_prefix, p->pid);
+
+       // ----------------------------------------
 
        ff = procfile_reopen(ff, filename, NULL, PROCFILE_FLAG_NO_ERROR_ON_FILE_IO);
        if(!ff) return 1;
@@ -650,7 +825,7 @@ int read_proc_pid_stat(struct pid_stat *p) {
        // p->pid                       = atol(procfile_lineword(ff, 0, 0+i));
        // comm is at 1
        // p->state                     = *(procfile_lineword(ff, 0, 2+i));
-       p->ppid                         = atol(procfile_lineword(ff, 0, 3+i));
+       p->ppid                         = (int32_t) atol(procfile_lineword(ff, 0, 3 + i));
        // p->pgrp                      = atol(procfile_lineword(ff, 0, 4+i));
        // p->session           = atol(procfile_lineword(ff, 0, 5+i));
        // p->tty_nr            = atol(procfile_lineword(ff, 0, 6+i));
@@ -666,7 +841,7 @@ int read_proc_pid_stat(struct pid_stat *p) {
        p->cstime                       = strtoull(procfile_lineword(ff, 0, 16+i), NULL, 10);
        // p->priority          = strtoull(procfile_lineword(ff, 0, 17+i), NULL, 10);
        // p->nice                      = strtoull(procfile_lineword(ff, 0, 18+i), NULL, 10);
-       p->num_threads          = atol(procfile_lineword(ff, 0, 19+i));
+       p->num_threads          = (int32_t) atol(procfile_lineword(ff, 0, 19 + i));
        // p->itrealvalue       = strtoull(procfile_lineword(ff, 0, 20+i), NULL, 10);
        // p->starttime         = strtoull(procfile_lineword(ff, 0, 21+i), NULL, 10);
        // p->vsize                     = strtoull(procfile_lineword(ff, 0, 22+i), NULL, 10);
@@ -701,7 +876,7 @@ int read_proc_pid_stat(struct pid_stat *p) {
 int read_proc_pid_statm(struct pid_stat *p) {
        char filename[FILENAME_MAX + 1];
 
-       snprintf(filename, FILENAME_MAX, "/proc/%d/statm", p->pid);
+       snprintf(filename, FILENAME_MAX, "%s/proc/%d/statm", host_prefix, p->pid);
 
        ff = procfile_reopen(ff, filename, NULL, PROCFILE_FLAG_NO_ERROR_ON_FILE_IO);
        if(!ff) return 1;
@@ -729,7 +904,7 @@ int read_proc_pid_statm(struct pid_stat *p) {
 int read_proc_pid_io(struct pid_stat *p) {
        char filename[FILENAME_MAX + 1];
 
-       snprintf(filename, FILENAME_MAX, "/proc/%d/io", p->pid);
+       snprintf(filename, FILENAME_MAX, "%s/proc/%d/io", host_prefix, p->pid);
 
        ff = procfile_reopen(ff, filename, NULL, PROCFILE_FLAG_NO_ERROR_ON_FILE_IO);
        if(!ff) return 1;
@@ -755,83 +930,56 @@ int read_proc_pid_io(struct pid_stat *p) {
 }
 
 
-// ----------------------------------------------------------------------------
-
-#ifdef INCLUDE_CHILDS
-// print a tree view of all processes
-int walk_down(pid_t pid, int level) {
-       struct pid_stat *p = NULL;
-       char b[level+3];
-       int i, ret = 0;
-
-       for(i = 0; i < level; i++) b[i] = '\t';
-       b[level] = '|';
-       b[level+1] = '-';
-       b[level+2] = '\0';
-
-       for(p = root_of_pids; p ; p = p->next) {
-               if(p->ppid == pid) {
-                       ret += walk_down(p->pid, level+1);
-               }
-       }
-
-       p = all_pids[pid];
-       if(p) {
-               if(!p->updated) ret += 1;
-               if(ret) fprintf(stderr, "%s %s %d [%s, %s] c=%d u=%llu+%llu, s=%llu+%llu, cu=%llu+%llu, cs=%llu+%llu, n=%llu+%llu, j=%llu+%llu, cn=%llu+%llu, cj=%llu+%llu\n"
-                       , b, p->comm, p->pid, p->updated?"OK":"KILLED", p->target->name, p->childs
-                       , p->utime, p->utime - p->old_utime
-                       , p->stime, p->stime - p->old_stime
-                       , p->cutime, p->cutime - p->old_cutime
-                       , p->cstime, p->cstime - p->old_cstime
-                       , p->minflt, p->minflt - p->old_minflt
-                       , p->majflt, p->majflt - p->old_majflt
-                       , p->cminflt, p->cminflt - p->old_cminflt
-                       , p->cmajflt, p->cmajflt - p->old_cmajflt
-                       );
-       }
-
-       return ret;
-}
-#endif
-
-
 // ----------------------------------------------------------------------------
 // file descriptor
 // this is used to keep a global list of all open files of the system
-// it is needed in order to figure out the unique files a process tree has open
+// it is needed in order to calculate the unique files processes have open
 
 #define FILE_DESCRIPTORS_INCREASE_STEP 100
 
 struct file_descriptor {
        avl avl;
+#ifdef NETDATA_INTERNAL_CHECKS
        uint32_t magic;
+#endif /* NETDATA_INTERNAL_CHECKS */
        uint32_t hash;
        const char *name;
        int type;
-       long count;
-       long pos;
+       int count;
+       int pos;
 } *all_files = NULL;
 
 int all_files_len = 0;
 int all_files_size = 0;
 
 int file_descriptor_compare(void* a, void* b) {
+#ifdef NETDATA_INTERNAL_CHECKS
        if(((struct file_descriptor *)a)->magic != 0x0BADCAFE || ((struct file_descriptor *)b)->magic != 0x0BADCAFE)
                error("Corrupted index data detected. Please report this.");
+#endif /* NETDATA_INTERNAL_CHECKS */
 
        if(((struct file_descriptor *)a)->hash < ((struct file_descriptor *)b)->hash)
                return -1;
+
        else if(((struct file_descriptor *)a)->hash > ((struct file_descriptor *)b)->hash)
                return 1;
-       else return strcmp(((struct file_descriptor *)a)->name, ((struct file_descriptor *)b)->name);
+
+       else
+               return strcmp(((struct file_descriptor *)a)->name, ((struct file_descriptor *)b)->name);
 }
+
 int file_descriptor_iterator(avl *a) { if(a) {}; return 0; }
 
 avl_tree all_files_index = {
                NULL,
                file_descriptor_compare,
+#ifndef AVL_WITHOUT_PTHREADS
+#ifdef AVL_LOCK_WITH_MUTEX
+               PTHREAD_MUTEX_INITIALIZER
+#else
                PTHREAD_RWLOCK_INITIALIZER
+#endif
+#endif /* AVL_WITHOUT_PTHREADS */
 };
 
 static struct file_descriptor *file_descriptor_find(const char *name, uint32_t hash) {
@@ -840,7 +988,9 @@ static struct file_descriptor *file_descriptor_find(const char *name, uint32_t h
        tmp.name = name;
        tmp.count = 0;
        tmp.pos = 0;
+#ifdef NETDATA_INTERNAL_CHECKS
        tmp.magic = 0x0BADCAFE;
+#endif /* NETDATA_INTERNAL_CHECKS */
 
        avl_search(&all_files_index, (avl *)&tmp, file_descriptor_iterator, (avl **)&result);
        return result;
@@ -862,12 +1012,15 @@ static struct file_descriptor *file_descriptor_find(const char *name, uint32_t h
 void file_descriptor_not_used(int id)
 {
        if(id > 0 && id < all_files_size) {
+
+#ifdef NETDATA_INTERNAL_CHECKS
                if(all_files[id].magic != 0x0BADCAFE) {
                        error("Ignoring request to remove empty file id %d.", id);
                        return;
                }
+#endif /* NETDATA_INTERNAL_CHECKS */
 
-               if(debug) fprintf(stderr, "apps.plugin: decreasing slot %d (count = %ld).\n", id, all_files[id].count);
+               if(debug) fprintf(stderr, "apps.plugin: decreasing slot %d (count = %d).\n", id, all_files[id].count);
 
                if(all_files[id].count > 0) {
                        all_files[id].count--;
@@ -875,7 +1028,9 @@ void file_descriptor_not_used(int id)
                        if(!all_files[id].count) {
                                if(debug) fprintf(stderr, "apps.plugin:   >> slot %d is empty.\n", id);
                                file_descriptor_remove(&all_files[id]);
+#ifdef NETDATA_INTERNAL_CHECKS
                                all_files[id].magic = 0x00000000;
+#endif /* NETDATA_INTERNAL_CHECKS */
                                all_files_len--;
                        }
                }
@@ -885,7 +1040,7 @@ void file_descriptor_not_used(int id)
        else    error("Request to decrease counter of fd %d, which is outside the array size (1 to %d)", id, all_files_size);
 }
 
-unsigned long file_descriptor_find_or_add(const char *name)
+int file_descriptor_find_or_add(const char *name)
 {
        static int last_pos = 0;
        uint32_t hash = simple_hash(name);
@@ -895,7 +1050,7 @@ unsigned long file_descriptor_find_or_add(const char *name)
        struct file_descriptor *fd = file_descriptor_find(name, hash);
        if(fd) {
                // found
-               if(debug) fprintf(stderr, "apps.plugin:   >> found on slot %ld\n", fd->pos);
+               if(debug) fprintf(stderr, "apps.plugin:   >> found on slot %d\n", fd->pos);
                fd->count++;
                return fd->pos;
        }
@@ -925,7 +1080,9 @@ unsigned long file_descriptor_find_or_add(const char *name)
                for(i = all_files_size; i < (all_files_size + FILE_DESCRIPTORS_INCREASE_STEP); i++) {
                        all_files[i].count = 0;
                        all_files[i].name = NULL;
+#ifdef NETDATA_INTERNAL_CHECKS
                        all_files[i].magic = 0x00000000;
+#endif /* NETDATA_INTERNAL_CHECKS */
                        all_files[i].pos = i;
                }
 
@@ -944,8 +1101,10 @@ unsigned long file_descriptor_find_or_add(const char *name)
                if(!all_files[c].count) {
                        if(debug) fprintf(stderr, "apps.plugin:   >> Examining slot %d.\n", c);
 
+#ifdef NETDATA_INTERNAL_CHECKS
                        if(all_files[c].magic == 0x0BADCAFE && all_files[c].name && file_descriptor_find(all_files[c].name, all_files[c].hash))
                                error("fd on position %d is not cleared properly. It still has %s in it.\n", c, all_files[c].name);
+#endif /* NETDATA_INTERNAL_CHECKS */
 
                        if(debug) fprintf(stderr, "apps.plugin:   >> %s fd position %d for %s (last name: %s)\n", all_files[c].name?"re-using":"using", c, name, all_files[c].name);
                        if(all_files[c].name) free((void *)all_files[c].name);
@@ -964,7 +1123,7 @@ unsigned long file_descriptor_find_or_add(const char *name)
 
        // else we have an empty slot in 'c'
 
-       int type = FILETYPE_OTHER;
+       int type;
        if(name[0] == '/') type = FILETYPE_FILE;
        else if(strncmp(name, "pipe:", 5) == 0) type = FILETYPE_PIPE;
        else if(strncmp(name, "socket:", 7) == 0) type = FILETYPE_SOCKET;
@@ -987,8 +1146,9 @@ unsigned long file_descriptor_find_or_add(const char *name)
        all_files[c].type = type;
        all_files[c].pos  = c;
        all_files[c].count = 1;
+#ifdef NETDATA_INTERNAL_CHECKS
        all_files[c].magic = 0x0BADCAFE;
-
+#endif /* NETDATA_INTERNAL_CHECKS */
        file_descriptor_add(&all_files[c]);
 
        if(debug) fprintf(stderr, "apps.plugin: using fd position %d (name: %s)\n", c, all_files[c].name);
@@ -996,6 +1156,81 @@ unsigned long file_descriptor_find_or_add(const char *name)
        return c;
 }
 
+int read_pid_file_descriptors(struct pid_stat *p) {
+       char dirname[FILENAME_MAX+1];
+
+       snprintf(dirname, FILENAME_MAX, "%s/proc/%d/fd", host_prefix, p->pid);
+       DIR *fds = opendir(dirname);
+       if(fds) {
+               int c;
+               struct dirent *de;
+               char fdname[FILENAME_MAX + 1];
+               char linkname[FILENAME_MAX + 1];
+
+               // make the array negative
+               for(c = 0 ; c < p->fds_size ; c++)
+                       p->fds[c] = -p->fds[c];
+
+               while((de = readdir(fds))) {
+                       if(strcmp(de->d_name, ".") == 0 || strcmp(de->d_name, "..") == 0)
+                               continue;
+
+                       // check if the fds array is small
+                       int fdid = atoi(de->d_name);
+                       if(fdid < 0) continue;
+                       if(fdid >= p->fds_size) {
+                               // it is small, extend it
+                               if(debug) fprintf(stderr, "apps.plugin: extending fd memory slots for %s from %d to %d\n", p->comm, p->fds_size, fdid + 100);
+                               p->fds = realloc(p->fds, (fdid + 100) * sizeof(int));
+                               if(!p->fds) {
+                                       error("Cannot re-allocate fds for %s", p->comm);
+                                       break;
+                               }
+
+                               // and initialize it
+                               for(c = p->fds_size ; c < (fdid + 100) ; c++) p->fds[c] = 0;
+                               p->fds_size = fdid + 100;
+                       }
+
+                       if(p->fds[fdid] == 0) {
+                               // we don't know this fd, get it
+
+                               sprintf(fdname, "%s/proc/%d/fd/%s", host_prefix, p->pid, de->d_name);
+                               ssize_t l = readlink(fdname, linkname, FILENAME_MAX);
+                               if(l == -1) {
+                                       if(debug || (p->target && p->target->debug)) {
+                                               if(debug || (p->target && p->target->debug))
+                                                       error("Cannot read link %s", fdname);
+                                       }
+                                       continue;
+                               }
+                               linkname[l] = '\0';
+                               file_counter++;
+
+                               // if another process already has this, we will get
+                               // the same id
+                               p->fds[fdid] = file_descriptor_find_or_add(linkname);
+                       }
+
+                       // else make it positive again, we need it
+                       // of course, the actual file may have changed, but we don't care so much
+                       // FIXME: we could compare the inode as returned by readdir direct structure
+                       else p->fds[fdid] = -p->fds[fdid];
+               }
+               closedir(fds);
+
+               // remove all the negative file descriptors
+               for(c = 0 ; c < p->fds_size ; c++) if(p->fds[c] < 0) {
+                       file_descriptor_not_used(-p->fds[c]);
+                       p->fds[c] = 0;
+               }
+       }
+       else return 1;
+
+       return 0;
+}
+
+// ----------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
 // 1. read all files in /proc
 // 2. for each numeric directory:
@@ -1013,12 +1248,14 @@ unsigned long file_descriptor_find_or_add(const char *name)
 // to avoid filling up all disk space
 // if debug is enabled, all errors are printed
 
-int update_from_proc(void)
+int collect_data_for_all_processes_from_proc(void)
 {
        static long count_errors = 0;
 
-       char filename[FILENAME_MAX+1];
-       DIR *dir = opendir("/proc");
+       char dirname[FILENAME_MAX + 1];
+
+       snprintf(dirname, FILENAME_MAX, "%s/proc", host_prefix);
+       DIR *dir = opendir(dirname);
        if(!dir) return 0;
 
        struct dirent *file = NULL;
@@ -1030,38 +1267,68 @@ int update_from_proc(void)
                all_pids_count++;
                p->parent = NULL;
                p->updated = 0;
-               p->childs = 0;
+               p->children_count = 0;
                p->merged = 0;
                p->new_entry = 0;
+
+        p->last_minflt  = p->minflt;
+        p->last_cminflt  = p->cminflt;
+        p->last_majflt  = p->majflt;
+        p->last_cmajflt  = p->cmajflt;
+        p->last_utime  = p->utime;
+        p->last_stime  = p->stime;
+        p->last_cutime  = p->cutime;
+        p->last_cstime  = p->cstime;
+
+        p->last_io_logical_bytes_read  = p->io_logical_bytes_read;
+        p->last_io_logical_bytes_written  = p->io_logical_bytes_written;
+        p->last_io_read_calls  = p->io_read_calls;
+        p->last_io_write_calls  = p->io_write_calls;
+        p->last_io_storage_bytes_read  = p->io_storage_bytes_read;
+        p->last_io_storage_bytes_written  = p->io_storage_bytes_written;
+        p->last_io_cancelled_write_bytes  = p->io_cancelled_write_bytes;
        }
 
        while((file = readdir(dir))) {
                char *endptr = file->d_name;
-               pid_t pid = strtoul(file->d_name, &endptr, 10);
-               if(pid <= 0 || pid > pid_max || endptr == file->d_name || *endptr != '\0') continue;
+               pid_t pid = (pid_t) strtoul(file->d_name, &endptr, 10);
+
+               // make sure we read a valid number
+               if(unlikely(pid <= 0 || pid > pid_max || endptr == file->d_name || *endptr != '\0'))
+                       continue;
 
                p = get_pid_entry(pid);
-               if(!p) continue;
+               if(unlikely(!p)) continue;
+
 
                // --------------------------------------------------------------------
                // /proc/<pid>/stat
 
-               if(read_proc_pid_stat(p)) {
+               if(unlikely(read_proc_pid_stat(p))) {
                        if(!count_errors++ || debug || (p->target && p->target->debug))
-                               error("Cannot process /proc/%d/stat", pid);
+                               error("Cannot process %s/proc/%d/stat", host_prefix, pid);
 
+                       // there is no reason to proceed if we cannot get its status
                        continue;
                }
-               if(p->ppid < 0 || p->ppid > pid_max) p->ppid = 0;
+
+               // check its parent pid
+               if(unlikely(p->ppid < 0 || p->ppid > pid_max)) {
+                       if(unlikely(!count_errors++ || debug || (p->target && p->target->debug)))
+                               error("Pid %d states invalid parent pid %d. Using 0.", pid, p->ppid);
+
+                       p->ppid = 0;
+               }
 
 
                // --------------------------------------------------------------------
                // /proc/<pid>/statm
 
-               if(read_proc_pid_statm(p)) {
-                       if(!count_errors++ || debug || (p->target && p->target->debug))
-                               error("Cannot process /proc/%d/statm", pid);
+               if(unlikely(read_proc_pid_statm(p))) {
+                       if(unlikely(!count_errors++ || debug || (p->target && p->target->debug)))
+                               error("Cannot process %s/proc/%d/statm", host_prefix, pid);
 
+                       // there is no reason to proceed if we cannot get its memory status
                        continue;
                }
 
@@ -1069,11 +1336,21 @@ int update_from_proc(void)
                // --------------------------------------------------------------------
                // /proc/<pid>/io
 
-               if(read_proc_pid_io(p)) {
-                       if(!count_errors++ || debug || (p->target && p->target->debug))
-                               error("Cannot process /proc/%d/io", pid);
+               if(unlikely(read_proc_pid_io(p))) {
+                       if(unlikely(!count_errors++ || debug || (p->target && p->target->debug)))
+                               error("Cannot process %s/proc/%d/io", host_prefix, pid);
 
-                       continue;
+                       // on systems without /proc/X/io
+                       // allow proceeding without I/O information
+                       // continue;
+               }
+
+               // --------------------------------------------------------------------
+               // <pid> ownership
+
+               if(unlikely(read_proc_pid_ownership(p))) {
+                       if(unlikely(!count_errors++ || debug || (p->target && p->target->debug)))
+                               error("Cannot stat %s/proc/%d", host_prefix, pid);
                }
 
                // --------------------------------------------------------------------
@@ -1081,18 +1358,20 @@ int update_from_proc(void)
 
                // check if it is target
                // we do this only once, the first time this pid is loaded
-               if(p->new_entry) {
+               if(unlikely(p->new_entry)) {
                        if(debug) fprintf(stderr, "apps.plugin: \tJust added %s\n", p->comm);
+                       uint32_t hash = simple_hash(p->comm);
 
                        struct target *w;
-                       for(w = target_root; w ; w = w->next) {
+                       for(w = apps_groups_root_target; w ; w = w->next) {
                                // if(debug || (p->target && p->target->debug)) fprintf(stderr, "apps.plugin: \t\tcomparing '%s' with '%s'\n", w->compare, p->comm);
 
-                               if(strcmp(w->compare, p->comm) == 0) {
+                               if(w->hash == hash && strcmp(w->compare, p->comm) == 0) {
                                        if(w->target) p->target = w->target;
                                        else p->target = w;
 
-                                       if(debug || (p->target && p->target->debug)) fprintf(stderr, "apps.plugin: \t\t%s linked to target %s\n", p->comm, p->target->name);
+                                       if(debug || (p->target && p->target->debug))
+                                               fprintf(stderr, "apps.plugin: \t\t%s linked to target %s\n", p->comm, p->target->name);
                                }
                        }
                }
@@ -1100,69 +1379,9 @@ int update_from_proc(void)
                // --------------------------------------------------------------------
                // /proc/<pid>/fd
 
-               snprintf(filename, FILENAME_MAX, "/proc/%s/fd", file->d_name);
-               DIR *fds = opendir(filename);
-               if(fds) {
-                       int c;
-                       struct dirent *de;
-                       char fdname[FILENAME_MAX + 1];
-                       char linkname[FILENAME_MAX + 1];
-
-                       // make the array negative
-                       for(c = 0 ; c < p->fds_size ; c++) p->fds[c] = -p->fds[c];
-
-                       while((de = readdir(fds))) {
-                               if(strcmp(de->d_name, ".") == 0 || strcmp(de->d_name, "..") == 0) continue;
-
-                               // check if the fds array is small
-                               int fdid = atol(de->d_name);
-                               if(fdid < 0) continue;
-                               if(fdid >= p->fds_size) {
-                                       // it is small, extend it
-                                       if(debug) fprintf(stderr, "apps.plugin: extending fd memory slots for %s from %d to %d\n", p->comm, p->fds_size, fdid + 100);
-                                       p->fds = realloc(p->fds, (fdid + 100) * sizeof(int));
-                                       if(!p->fds) {
-                                               error("Cannot re-allocate fds for %s", p->comm);
-                                               break;
-                                       }
-
-                                       // and initialize it
-                                       for(c = p->fds_size ; c < (fdid + 100) ; c++) p->fds[c] = 0;
-                                       p->fds_size = fdid + 100;
-                               }
-
-                               if(p->fds[fdid] == 0) {
-                                       // we don't know this fd, get it
-
-                                       sprintf(fdname, "/proc/%s/fd/%s", file->d_name, de->d_name);
-                                       int l = readlink(fdname, linkname, FILENAME_MAX);
-                                       if(l == -1) {
-                                               if(debug || (p->target && p->target->debug)) {
-                                                       if(!count_errors++ || debug || (p->target && p->target->debug))
-                                                               error("Cannot read link %s", fdname);
-                                               }
-                                               continue;
-                                       }
-                                       linkname[l] = '\0';
-                                       file_counter++;
-
-                                       // if another process already has this, we will get
-                                       // the same id
-                                       p->fds[fdid] = file_descriptor_find_or_add(linkname);
-                               }
-
-                               // else make it positive again, we need it
-                               // of course, the actual file may have changed, but we don't care so much
-                               // FIXME: we could compare the inode as returned by readdir direct structure
-                               else p->fds[fdid] = -p->fds[fdid];
-                       }
-                       closedir(fds);
-
-                       // remove all the negative file descriptors
-                       for(c = 0 ; c < p->fds_size ; c++) if(p->fds[c] < 0) {
-                               file_descriptor_not_used(-p->fds[c]);
-                               p->fds[c] = 0;
-                       }
+               if(unlikely(read_pid_file_descriptors(p))) {
+                       if(unlikely(!count_errors++ || debug || (p->target && p->target->debug)))
+                               error("Cannot process entries in %s/proc/%d/fd", host_prefix, pid);
                }
 
                // --------------------------------------------------------------------
@@ -1171,7 +1390,8 @@ int update_from_proc(void)
                // mark it as updated
                p->updated = 1;
        }
-       if(count_errors > 1000) {
+
+       if(unlikely(count_errors > 1000)) {
                error("%ld more errors encountered\n", count_errors - 1);
                count_errors = 0;
        }
@@ -1182,6 +1402,48 @@ int update_from_proc(void)
 }
 
 
+// ----------------------------------------------------------------------------
+
+#ifdef AGGREGATE_CHILDREN_TO_PARENTS
+// print a tree view of all processes
+int debug_childrens_aggregations(pid_t pid, int level) {
+       struct pid_stat *p = NULL;
+       char b[level+3];
+       int i, ret = 0;
+
+       for(i = 0; i < level; i++) b[i] = '\t';
+       b[level] = '|';
+       b[level+1] = '-';
+       b[level+2] = '\0';
+
+       for(p = root_of_pids; p ; p = p->next) {
+               if(p->ppid == pid) {
+                       ret += debug_childrens_aggregations(p->pid, level+1);
+               }
+       }
+
+       p = all_pids[pid];
+       if(p) {
+               if(!p->updated) ret += 1;
+               if(ret) fprintf(stderr, "%s %s %d [%s, %s] c=%d u=%llu+%llu, s=%llu+%llu, cu=%llu+%llu, cs=%llu+%llu, n=%llu+%llu, j=%llu+%llu, cn=%llu+%llu, cj=%llu+%llu\n"
+                       , b, p->comm, p->pid, p->updated?"OK":"KILLED", p->target->name, p->children_count
+                       , p->utime, p->utime - p->old_utime
+                       , p->stime, p->stime - p->old_stime
+                       , p->cutime, p->cutime - p->old_cutime
+                       , p->cstime, p->cstime - p->old_cstime
+                       , p->minflt, p->minflt - p->old_minflt
+                       , p->majflt, p->majflt - p->old_majflt
+                       , p->cminflt, p->cminflt - p->old_cminflt
+                       , p->cmajflt, p->cmajflt - p->old_cmajflt
+                       );
+       }
+
+       return ret;
+}
+#endif /* AGGREGATE_CHILDREN_TO_PARENTS */
+
+
+
 // ----------------------------------------------------------------------------
 // update statistics on the targets
 
@@ -1192,87 +1454,41 @@ int update_from_proc(void)
 // 4. go from top to bottom, linking all childs without a target, to their parent target
 //    after this step, all processes have a target
 // [5. for each killed pid (updated = 0), remove its usage from its target]
-// 6. zero all targets
-// 7. concentrate all values on the targets
+// 6. zero all apps_groups_targets
+// 7. concentrate all values on the apps_groups_targets
 // 8. remove all killed processes
 // 9. find the unique file count for each target
+// check: update_apps_groups_statistics()
 
-void update_statistics(void)
-{
-       int c;
+void link_all_processes_to_their_parents(void) {
        struct pid_stat *p = NULL;
 
-       // link all parents and update childs count
+       // link all children to their parents
+       // and update children count on parents
        for(p = root_of_pids; p ; p = p->next) {
-               if(p->ppid > 0 && p->ppid <= pid_max && all_pids[p->ppid]) {
-                       if(debug || (p->target && p->target->debug)) fprintf(stderr, "apps.plugin: \tparent of %d %s is %d %s\n", p->pid, p->comm, p->ppid, all_pids[p->ppid]->comm);
+               // for each process found running
 
-                       p->parent = all_pids[p->ppid];
-                       p->parent->childs++;
-               }
-               else if(p->ppid != 0) error("pid %d %s states parent %d, but the later does not exist.", p->pid, p->comm, p->ppid);
-       }
-
-       // find all the procs with 0 childs and merge them to their parents
-       // repeat, until nothing more can be done.
-       int found = 1;
-       while(found) {
-               found = 0;
-               for(p = root_of_pids; p ; p = p->next) {
-                       // if this process does not have any childs, and
-                       // is not already merged, and
-                       // its parent has childs waiting to be merged, and
-                       // the target of this process and its parent is the same, or the parent does not have a target, or this process does not have a parent
-                       // and its parent is not init
-                       // then... merge them!
-                       if(!p->childs && !p->merged && p->parent && p->parent->childs && (p->target == p->parent->target || !p->parent->target || !p->target) && p->ppid != 1) {
-                               p->parent->childs--;
-                               p->merged = 1;
+               if(p->ppid > 0
+                               && p->ppid <= pid_max
+                               && all_pids[p->ppid]
+                       ) {
+                       // for valid processes
 
-                               // the parent inherits the child's target, if it does not have a target itself
-                               if(p->target && !p->parent->target) {
-                                       p->parent->target = p->target;
-                                       if(debug || (p->target && p->target->debug)) fprintf(stderr, "apps.plugin: \t\ttarget %s is inherited by %d %s from its child %d %s.\n", p->target->name, p->parent->pid, p->parent->comm, p->pid, p->comm);
-                               }
+                       if(debug || (p->target && p->target->debug))
+                               fprintf(stderr, "apps.plugin: \tparent of %d (%s) is %d (%s)\n", p->pid, p->comm, p->ppid, all_pids[p->ppid]->comm);
 
-                               found++;
-                       }
+                       p->parent = all_pids[p->ppid];
+                       p->parent->children_count++;
                }
-               if(debug) fprintf(stderr, "apps.plugin: merged %d processes\n", found);
-       }
-
-       // give a default target on all top level processes
-       // init goes always to default target
-       if(all_pids[1]) all_pids[1]->target = default_target;
-
-       for(p = root_of_pids; p ; p = p->next) {
-               // if the process is not merged itself
-               // then is is a top level process
-               if(!p->merged && !p->target) p->target = default_target;
-
-#ifdef INCLUDE_CHILDS
-               // by the way, update the diffs
-               // will be used later for substracting killed process times
-               p->diff_cutime = p->utime - p->cutime;
-               p->diff_cstime = p->stime - p->cstime;
-               p->diff_cminflt = p->minflt - p->cminflt;
-               p->diff_cmajflt = p->majflt - p->cmajflt;
-#endif
+               else if(p->ppid != 0)
+                       error("pid %d %s states parent %d, but the later does not exist.", p->pid, p->comm, p->ppid);
        }
+}
 
-       // give a target to all merged child processes
-       found = 1;
-       while(found) {
-               found = 0;
-               for(p = root_of_pids; p ; p = p->next) {
-                       if(!p->target && p->merged && p->parent && p->parent->target) {
-                               p->target = p->parent->target;
-                               found++;
-                       }
-               }
-       }
+#ifdef AGGREGATE_CHILDREN_TO_PARENTS
+void aggregate_children_to_parents(void) {
+       struct pid_stat *p = NULL;
 
-#ifdef INCLUDE_CHILDS
        // for each killed process, remove its values from the parents
        // sums (we had already added them in a previous loop)
        for(p = root_of_pids; p ; p = p->next) {
@@ -1325,17 +1541,140 @@ void update_statistics(void)
                if(diff_minflt) error("Cannot fix up minflt %llu", diff_minflt);
                if(diff_majflt) error("Cannot fix up majflt %llu", diff_majflt);
        }
-#endif
+}
+#endif /* AGGREGATE_CHILDREN_TO_PARENTS */
+
+void cleanup_non_existing_pids(void) {
+       int c;
+       struct pid_stat *p = NULL;
+
+       for(p = root_of_pids; p ;) {
+               if(!p->updated) {
+//                     fprintf(stderr, "\tEXITED %d %s [parent %d %s, target %s] utime=%llu, stime=%llu, cutime=%llu, cstime=%llu, minflt=%llu, majflt=%llu, cminflt=%llu, cmajflt=%llu\n", p->pid, p->comm, p->parent->pid, p->parent->comm, p->target->name,  p->utime, p->stime, p->cutime, p->cstime, p->minflt, p->majflt, p->cminflt, p->cmajflt);
+
+                       for(c = 0 ; c < p->fds_size ; c++) if(p->fds[c] > 0) {
+                               file_descriptor_not_used(p->fds[c]);
+                               p->fds[c] = 0;
+                       }
+
+                       pid_t r = p->pid;
+                       p = p->next;
+                       del_pid_entry(r);
+               }
+               else p = p->next;
+       }
+}
+
+void apply_apps_groups_targets_inheritance(void) {
+       struct pid_stat *p = NULL;
+
+       // children that do not have a target
+       // inherit their target from their parent
+       int found = 1;
+       while(found) {
+               found = 0;
+               for(p = root_of_pids; p ; p = p->next) {
+                       // if this process does not have a target
+                       // and it has a parent
+                       // and its parent has a target
+                       // then, set the parent's target to this process
+                       if(unlikely(!p->target && p->parent && p->parent->target)) {
+                               p->target = p->parent->target;
+                               found++;
+
+                               if(debug || (p->target && p->target->debug))
+                                       fprintf(stderr, "apps.plugin: \t\tTARGET INHERITANCE: %s is inherited by %d (%s) from its parent %d (%s).\n", p->target->name, p->pid, p->comm, p->parent->pid, p->parent->comm);
+                       }
+               }
+       }
+
+
+       // find all the procs with 0 childs and merge them to their parents
+       // repeat, until nothing more can be done.
+       found = 1;
+       while(found) {
+               found = 0;
+               for(p = root_of_pids; p ; p = p->next) {
+                       // if this process does not have any children
+                       // and is not already merged
+                       // and has a parent
+                       // and its parent has children
+                       // and the target of this process and its parent is the same, or the parent does not have a target
+                       // and its parent is not init
+                       // then, mark them as merged.
+                       if(unlikely(
+                                       !p->children_count
+                                       && !p->merged
+                                       && p->parent
+                                       && p->parent->children_count
+                                       && (p->target == p->parent->target || !p->parent->target)
+                                       && p->ppid != 1
+                               )) {
+                               p->parent->children_count--;
+                               p->merged = 1;
+
+                               // the parent inherits the child's target, if it does not have a target itself
+                               if(unlikely(p->target && !p->parent->target)) {
+                                       p->parent->target = p->target;
+
+                                       if(debug || (p->target && p->target->debug))
+                                               fprintf(stderr, "apps.plugin: \t\tTARGET INHERITANCE: %s is inherited by %d (%s) from its child %d (%s).\n", p->target->name, p->parent->pid, p->parent->comm, p->pid, p->comm);
+                               }
+
+                               found++;
+                       }
+               }
+
+               if(debug)
+                       fprintf(stderr, "apps.plugin: merged %d processes\n", found);
+       }
+
+       // init goes always to default target
+       if(all_pids[1])
+               all_pids[1]->target = apps_groups_default_target;
+
+       // give a default target on all top level processes
+       for(p = root_of_pids; p ; p = p->next) {
+               // if the process is not merged itself
+               // then is is a top level process
+               if(!p->merged && !p->target)
+                       p->target = apps_groups_default_target;
+
+#ifdef AGGREGATE_CHILDREN_TO_PARENTS
+               // by the way, update the diffs
+               // will be used later for subtracting killed process times
+               p->diff_cutime = p->utime - p->cutime;
+               p->diff_cstime = p->stime - p->cstime;
+               p->diff_cminflt = p->minflt - p->cminflt;
+               p->diff_cmajflt = p->majflt - p->cmajflt;
+#endif /* AGGREGATE_CHILDREN_TO_PARENTS */
+       }
+
+       // give a target to all merged child processes
+       found = 1;
+       while(found) {
+               found = 0;
+               for(p = root_of_pids; p ; p = p->next) {
+                       if(unlikely(!p->target && p->merged && p->parent && p->parent->target)) {
+                               p->target = p->parent->target;
+                               found++;
+
+                               if(debug || (p->target && p->target->debug))
+                                       fprintf(stderr, "apps.plugin: \t\tTARGET INHERITANCE: %s is inherited by %d (%s) from its parent %d (%s) at phase 2.\n", p->target->name, p->pid, p->comm, p->parent->pid, p->parent->comm);
+                       }
+               }
+       }
+}
 
-       // zero all the targets
-       targets = 0;
+long zero_all_targets(struct target *root) {
        struct target *w;
-       for (w = target_root; w ; w = w->next) {
-               targets++;
+       long count = 0;
 
-               w->fds = calloc(sizeof(int), all_files_size);
-               if(!w->fds)
-                       error("Cannot allocate memory for fds in %s", w->name);
+       for (w = root; w ; w = w->next) {
+               count++;
+
+               if(w->fds) free(w->fds);
+               w->fds = NULL;
 
                w->minflt = 0;
                w->majflt = 0;
@@ -1366,131 +1705,175 @@ void update_statistics(void)
                w->io_cancelled_write_bytes = 0;
        }
 
-#ifdef INCLUDE_CHILDS
-       if(debug) walk_down(0, 1);
-#endif
+       return count;
+}
 
-       // concentrate everything on the targets
-       for(p = root_of_pids; p ; p = p->next) {
-               if(!p->target) {
-                       error("pid %d %s was left without a target!", p->pid, p->comm);
-                       continue;
-               }
+void aggregate_pid_on_target(struct target *w, struct pid_stat *p, struct target *o) {
+       if(unlikely(!w->fds)) {
+               w->fds = calloc(sizeof(int), (size_t) all_files_size);
+               if(unlikely(!w->fds))
+                       error("Cannot allocate memory for fds in %s", w->name);
+       }
 
-               if(p->updated) {
-                       p->target->cutime += p->cutime; // - p->fix_cutime;
-                       p->target->cstime += p->cstime; // - p->fix_cstime;
-                       p->target->cminflt += p->cminflt; // - p->fix_cminflt;
-                       p->target->cmajflt += p->cmajflt; // - p->fix_cmajflt;
+       if(likely(p->updated)) {
+               w->cutime += p->cutime; // - p->fix_cutime;
+               w->cstime += p->cstime; // - p->fix_cstime;
+               w->cminflt += p->cminflt; // - p->fix_cminflt;
+               w->cmajflt += p->cmajflt; // - p->fix_cmajflt;
 
-                       p->target->utime += p->utime; //+ (p->pid != 1)?(p->cutime - p->fix_cutime):0;
-                       p->target->stime += p->stime; //+ (p->pid != 1)?(p->cstime - p->fix_cstime):0;
-                       p->target->minflt += p->minflt; //+ (p->pid != 1)?(p->cminflt - p->fix_cminflt):0;
-                       p->target->majflt += p->majflt; //+ (p->pid != 1)?(p->cmajflt - p->fix_cmajflt):0;
+               w->utime += p->utime; //+ (p->pid != 1)?(p->cutime - p->fix_cutime):0;
+               w->stime += p->stime; //+ (p->pid != 1)?(p->cstime - p->fix_cstime):0;
+               w->minflt += p->minflt; //+ (p->pid != 1)?(p->cminflt - p->fix_cminflt):0;
+               w->majflt += p->majflt; //+ (p->pid != 1)?(p->cmajflt - p->fix_cmajflt):0;
 
-                       //if(p->num_threads < 0)
-                       //      error("Negative threads number for pid '%s' (%d): %d", p->comm, p->pid, p->num_threads);
+               //if(p->num_threads < 0)
+               //      error("Negative threads number for pid '%s' (%d): %d", p->comm, p->pid, p->num_threads);
 
-                       //if(p->num_threads > 10000)
-                       //      error("Excessive threads number for pid '%s' (%d): %d", p->comm, p->pid, p->num_threads);
+               //if(p->num_threads > 10000)
+               //      error("Excessive threads number for pid '%s' (%d): %d", p->comm, p->pid, p->num_threads);
 
-                       p->target->num_threads += p->num_threads;
-                       p->target->rss += p->rss;
+               w->num_threads += p->num_threads;
+               w->rss += p->rss;
 
-                       p->target->statm_size += p->statm_size;
-                       p->target->statm_resident += p->statm_resident;
-                       p->target->statm_share += p->statm_share;
-                       p->target->statm_text += p->statm_text;
-                       p->target->statm_lib += p->statm_lib;
-                       p->target->statm_data += p->statm_data;
-                       p->target->statm_dirty += p->statm_dirty;
+               w->statm_size += p->statm_size;
+               w->statm_resident += p->statm_resident;
+               w->statm_share += p->statm_share;
+               w->statm_text += p->statm_text;
+               w->statm_lib += p->statm_lib;
+               w->statm_data += p->statm_data;
+               w->statm_dirty += p->statm_dirty;
 
-                       p->target->io_logical_bytes_read += p->io_logical_bytes_read;
-                       p->target->io_logical_bytes_written += p->io_logical_bytes_written;
-                       p->target->io_read_calls += p->io_read_calls;
-                       p->target->io_write_calls += p->io_write_calls;
-                       p->target->io_storage_bytes_read += p->io_storage_bytes_read;
-                       p->target->io_storage_bytes_written += p->io_storage_bytes_written;
-                       p->target->io_cancelled_write_bytes += p->io_cancelled_write_bytes;
+               w->io_logical_bytes_read += p->io_logical_bytes_read;
+               w->io_logical_bytes_written += p->io_logical_bytes_written;
+               w->io_read_calls += p->io_read_calls;
+               w->io_write_calls += p->io_write_calls;
+               w->io_storage_bytes_read += p->io_storage_bytes_read;
+               w->io_storage_bytes_written += p->io_storage_bytes_written;
+               w->io_cancelled_write_bytes += p->io_cancelled_write_bytes;
 
-                       p->target->processes++;
+               w->processes++;
 
+               if(likely(w->fds)) {
+                       int c;
                        for(c = 0; c < p->fds_size ;c++) {
                                if(p->fds[c] == 0) continue;
-                               if(p->fds[c] < all_files_size) {
-                                       if(p->target->fds) p->target->fds[p->fds[c]]++;
+
+                               if(likely(p->fds[c] < all_files_size)) {
+                                       if(w->fds) w->fds[p->fds[c]]++;
                                }
                                else
                                        error("Invalid fd number %d", p->fds[c]);
                        }
+               }
 
-                       if(debug || p->target->debug) fprintf(stderr, "apps.plugin: \tAgregating %s pid %d on %s utime=%llu, stime=%llu, cutime=%llu, cstime=%llu, minflt=%llu, majflt=%llu, cminflt=%llu, cmajflt=%llu\n", p->comm, p->pid, p->target->name, p->utime, p->stime, p->cutime, p->cstime, p->minflt, p->majflt, p->cminflt, p->cmajflt);
-
-/*                     if(p->utime - p->old_utime > 100) fprintf(stderr, "BIG CHANGE: %d %s utime increased by %llu from %llu to %llu\n", p->pid, p->comm, p->utime - p->old_utime, p->old_utime, p->utime);
-                       if(p->cutime - p->old_cutime > 100) fprintf(stderr, "BIG CHANGE: %d %s cutime increased by %llu from %llu to %llu\n", p->pid, p->comm, p->cutime - p->old_cutime, p->old_cutime, p->cutime);
-                       if(p->stime - p->old_stime > 100) fprintf(stderr, "BIG CHANGE: %d %s stime increased by %llu from %llu to %llu\n", p->pid, p->comm, p->stime - p->old_stime, p->old_stime, p->stime);
-                       if(p->cstime - p->old_cstime > 100) fprintf(stderr, "BIG CHANGE: %d %s cstime increased by %llu from %llu to %llu\n", p->pid, p->comm, p->cstime - p->old_cstime, p->old_cstime, p->cstime);
-                       if(p->minflt - p->old_minflt > 5000) fprintf(stderr, "BIG CHANGE: %d %s minflt increased by %llu from %llu to %llu\n", p->pid, p->comm, p->minflt - p->old_minflt, p->old_minflt, p->minflt);
-                       if(p->majflt - p->old_majflt > 5000) fprintf(stderr, "BIG CHANGE: %d %s majflt increased by %llu from %llu to %llu\n", p->pid, p->comm, p->majflt - p->old_majflt, p->old_majflt, p->majflt);
-                       if(p->cminflt - p->old_cminflt > 15000) fprintf(stderr, "BIG CHANGE: %d %s cminflt increased by %llu from %llu to %llu\n", p->pid, p->comm, p->cminflt - p->old_cminflt, p->old_cminflt, p->cminflt);
-                       if(p->cmajflt - p->old_cmajflt > 15000) fprintf(stderr, "BIG CHANGE: %d %s cmajflt increased by %llu from %llu to %llu\n", p->pid, p->comm, p->cmajflt - p->old_cmajflt, p->old_cmajflt, p->cmajflt);
+               if(unlikely(debug || w->debug))
+                       fprintf(stderr, "apps.plugin: \tAgregating %s pid %d on %s utime=%llu, stime=%llu, cutime=%llu, cstime=%llu, minflt=%llu, majflt=%llu, cminflt=%llu, cmajflt=%llu\n", p->comm, p->pid, w->name, p->utime, p->stime, p->cutime, p->cstime, p->minflt, p->majflt, p->cminflt, p->cmajflt);
+
+/*             if(p->utime - p->old_utime > 100) fprintf(stderr, "BIG CHANGE: %d %s utime increased by %llu from %llu to %llu\n", p->pid, p->comm, p->utime - p->old_utime, p->old_utime, p->utime);
+               if(p->cutime - p->old_cutime > 100) fprintf(stderr, "BIG CHANGE: %d %s cutime increased by %llu from %llu to %llu\n", p->pid, p->comm, p->cutime - p->old_cutime, p->old_cutime, p->cutime);
+               if(p->stime - p->old_stime > 100) fprintf(stderr, "BIG CHANGE: %d %s stime increased by %llu from %llu to %llu\n", p->pid, p->comm, p->stime - p->old_stime, p->old_stime, p->stime);
+               if(p->cstime - p->old_cstime > 100) fprintf(stderr, "BIG CHANGE: %d %s cstime increased by %llu from %llu to %llu\n", p->pid, p->comm, p->cstime - p->old_cstime, p->old_cstime, p->cstime);
+               if(p->minflt - p->old_minflt > 5000) fprintf(stderr, "BIG CHANGE: %d %s minflt increased by %llu from %llu to %llu\n", p->pid, p->comm, p->minflt - p->old_minflt, p->old_minflt, p->minflt);
+               if(p->majflt - p->old_majflt > 5000) fprintf(stderr, "BIG CHANGE: %d %s majflt increased by %llu from %llu to %llu\n", p->pid, p->comm, p->majflt - p->old_majflt, p->old_majflt, p->majflt);
+               if(p->cminflt - p->old_cminflt > 15000) fprintf(stderr, "BIG CHANGE: %d %s cminflt increased by %llu from %llu to %llu\n", p->pid, p->comm, p->cminflt - p->old_cminflt, p->old_cminflt, p->cminflt);
+               if(p->cmajflt - p->old_cmajflt > 15000) fprintf(stderr, "BIG CHANGE: %d %s cmajflt increased by %llu from %llu to %llu\n", p->pid, p->comm, p->cmajflt - p->old_cmajflt, p->old_cmajflt, p->cmajflt);
 */
-#ifdef INCLUDE_CHILDS
-                       p->old_utime = p->utime;
-                       p->old_cutime = p->cutime;
-                       p->old_stime = p->stime;
-                       p->old_cstime = p->cstime;
-                       p->old_minflt = p->minflt;
-                       p->old_majflt = p->majflt;
-                       p->old_cminflt = p->cminflt;
-                       p->old_cmajflt = p->cmajflt;
-#endif
-               }
-               else {
-                       // since the process has exited, the user
-                       // will see a drop in our charts, because the incremental
-                       // values of this process will not be there
-
-                       // add them to the fix_* values and they will be added to
-                       // the reported values, so that the report goes steady
-                       p->target->fix_minflt += p->minflt;
-                       p->target->fix_majflt += p->majflt;
-                       p->target->fix_utime += p->utime;
-                       p->target->fix_stime += p->stime;
-                       p->target->fix_cminflt += p->cminflt;
-                       p->target->fix_cmajflt += p->cmajflt;
-                       p->target->fix_cutime += p->cutime;
-                       p->target->fix_cstime += p->cstime;
-
-                       p->target->fix_io_logical_bytes_read += p->io_logical_bytes_read;
-                       p->target->fix_io_logical_bytes_written += p->io_logical_bytes_written;
-                       p->target->fix_io_read_calls += p->io_read_calls;
-                       p->target->fix_io_write_calls += p->io_write_calls;
-                       p->target->fix_io_storage_bytes_read += p->io_storage_bytes_read;
-                       p->target->fix_io_storage_bytes_written += p->io_storage_bytes_written;
-                       p->target->fix_io_cancelled_write_bytes += p->io_cancelled_write_bytes;
+#ifdef AGGREGATE_CHILDREN_TO_PARENTS
+               p->old_utime = p->utime;
+               p->old_cutime = p->cutime;
+               p->old_stime = p->stime;
+               p->old_cstime = p->cstime;
+               p->old_minflt = p->minflt;
+               p->old_majflt = p->majflt;
+               p->old_cminflt = p->cminflt;
+               p->old_cmajflt = p->cmajflt;
+#endif /* AGGREGATE_CHILDREN_TO_PARENTS */
+
+               if(o) {
+                       // since the process switched target
+                       // for all incremental values
+                       // we have to subtract its OLD values from the new target
+                       // and add its OLD values to the old target
+
+                       // IMPORTANT
+                       // We add/subtract the last/OLD values we added to the target
+
+                       w->fix_cutime -= p->last_cutime;
+                       w->fix_cstime -= p->last_cstime;
+                       w->fix_cminflt -= p->last_cminflt;
+                       w->fix_cmajflt -= p->last_cmajflt;
+
+                       w->fix_utime -= p->last_utime;
+                       w->fix_stime -= p->last_stime;
+                       w->fix_minflt -= p->last_minflt;
+                       w->fix_majflt -= p->last_majflt;
+
+
+                       w->fix_io_logical_bytes_read -= p->last_io_logical_bytes_read;
+                       w->fix_io_logical_bytes_written -= p->last_io_logical_bytes_written;
+                       w->fix_io_read_calls -= p->last_io_read_calls;
+                       w->fix_io_write_calls -= p->last_io_write_calls;
+                       w->fix_io_storage_bytes_read -= p->last_io_storage_bytes_read;
+                       w->fix_io_storage_bytes_written -= p->last_io_storage_bytes_written;
+                       w->fix_io_cancelled_write_bytes -= p->last_io_cancelled_write_bytes;
+
+                       // ---
+
+                       o->fix_cutime += p->last_cutime;
+                       o->fix_cstime += p->last_cstime;
+                       o->fix_cminflt += p->last_cminflt;
+                       o->fix_cmajflt += p->last_cmajflt;
+
+                       o->fix_utime += p->last_utime;
+                       o->fix_stime += p->last_stime;
+                       o->fix_minflt += p->last_minflt;
+                       o->fix_majflt += p->last_majflt;
+
+                       o->fix_io_logical_bytes_read += p->last_io_logical_bytes_read;
+                       o->fix_io_logical_bytes_written += p->last_io_logical_bytes_written;
+                       o->fix_io_read_calls += p->last_io_read_calls;
+                       o->fix_io_write_calls += p->last_io_write_calls;
+                       o->fix_io_storage_bytes_read += p->last_io_storage_bytes_read;
+                       o->fix_io_storage_bytes_written += p->last_io_storage_bytes_written;
+                       o->fix_io_cancelled_write_bytes += p->last_io_cancelled_write_bytes;
                }
        }
+       else {
+               // if(o) fprintf(stderr, "apps.plugin: \t\tpid %d (%s) is not updated by OLD target %s (%s) is present.\n", p->pid, p->comm, o->id, o->name);
+
+               // since the process has exited, the user
+               // will see a drop in our charts, because the incremental
+               // values of this process will not be there
+
+               // add them to the fix_* values and they will be added to
+               // the reported values, so that the report goes steady
+               w->fix_minflt += p->minflt;
+               w->fix_majflt += p->majflt;
+               w->fix_utime += p->utime;
+               w->fix_stime += p->stime;
+               w->fix_cminflt += p->cminflt;
+               w->fix_cmajflt += p->cmajflt;
+               w->fix_cutime += p->cutime;
+               w->fix_cstime += p->cstime;
+
+               w->fix_io_logical_bytes_read += p->io_logical_bytes_read;
+               w->fix_io_logical_bytes_written += p->io_logical_bytes_written;
+               w->fix_io_read_calls += p->io_read_calls;
+               w->fix_io_write_calls += p->io_write_calls;
+               w->fix_io_storage_bytes_read += p->io_storage_bytes_read;
+               w->fix_io_storage_bytes_written += p->io_storage_bytes_written;
+               w->fix_io_cancelled_write_bytes += p->io_cancelled_write_bytes;
+       }
 
-//     fprintf(stderr, "\n");
-       // cleanup all un-updated processed (exited, killed, etc)
-       for(p = root_of_pids; p ;) {
-               if(!p->updated) {
-//                     fprintf(stderr, "\tEXITED %d %s [parent %d %s, target %s] utime=%llu, stime=%llu, cutime=%llu, cstime=%llu, minflt=%llu, majflt=%llu, cminflt=%llu, cmajflt=%llu\n", p->pid, p->comm, p->parent->pid, p->parent->comm, p->target->name,  p->utime, p->stime, p->cutime, p->cstime, p->minflt, p->majflt, p->cminflt, p->cmajflt);
+}
 
-                       for(c = 0 ; c < p->fds_size ; c++) if(p->fds[c] > 0) {
-                               file_descriptor_not_used(p->fds[c]);
-                               p->fds[c] = 0;
-                       }
+void count_targets_fds(struct target *root) {
+       int c;
+       struct target *w;
 
-                       pid_t r = p->pid;
-                       p = p->next;
-                       del_pid_entry(r);
-               }
-               else p = p->next;
-       }
+       for (w = root; w ; w = w->next) {
+               if(!w->fds) continue;
 
-       for (w = target_root; w ; w = w->next) {
                w->openfiles = 0;
                w->openpipes = 0;
                w->opensockets = 0;
@@ -1502,7 +1885,8 @@ void update_statistics(void)
                w->openother = 0;
 
                for(c = 1; c < all_files_size ;c++) {
-                       if(w->fds && w->fds[c] > 0) switch(all_files[c].type) {
+                       if(w->fds[c] > 0)
+                               switch(all_files[c].type) {
                                case FILETYPE_FILE:
                                        w->openfiles++;
                                        break;
@@ -1545,15 +1929,90 @@ void update_statistics(void)
        }
 }
 
+void calculate_netdata_statistics(void)
+{
+       link_all_processes_to_their_parents();
+       apply_apps_groups_targets_inheritance();
+
+#ifdef AGGREGATE_CHILDREN_TO_PARENTS
+       aggregate_children_to_parents();
+#endif /* AGGREGATE_CHILDREN_TO_PARENTS */
+
+       zero_all_targets(users_root_target);
+       zero_all_targets(groups_root_target);
+       apps_groups_targets = zero_all_targets(apps_groups_root_target);
+
+#ifdef AGGREGATE_CHILDREN_TO_PARENTS
+       if(debug)
+               debug_childrens_aggregations(0, 1);
+#endif /* AGGREGATE_CHILDREN_TO_PARENTS */
+
+       // this has to be done, before the cleanup
+       struct pid_stat *p = NULL;
+       struct target *w = NULL, *o = NULL;
+
+       // concentrate everything on the apps_groups_targets
+       for(p = root_of_pids; p ; p = p->next) {
+
+               // --------------------------------------------------------------------
+               // apps_groups targets
+               if(likely(p->target))
+                       aggregate_pid_on_target(p->target, p, NULL);
+               else
+                       error("pid %d %s was left without a target!", p->pid, p->comm);
+
+
+               // --------------------------------------------------------------------
+               // user targets
+               o = p->user_target;
+               if(likely(p->user_target && p->user_target->uid == p->uid))
+                       w = p->user_target;
+               else {
+                       if(unlikely(debug && p->user_target))
+                                       fprintf(stderr, "apps.plugin: \t\tpid %d (%s) switched user from %d (%s) to %d.\n", p->pid, p->comm, p->user_target->uid, p->user_target->name, p->uid);
+
+                       w = p->user_target = get_users_target(p->uid);
+               }
+
+               if(likely(w))
+                       aggregate_pid_on_target(w, p, o);
+               else
+                       error("pid %d %s was left without a user target!", p->pid, p->comm);
+
+
+               // --------------------------------------------------------------------
+               // group targets
+               o = p->group_target;
+               if(likely(p->group_target && p->group_target->gid == p->gid))
+                       w = p->group_target;
+               else {
+                       if(unlikely(debug && p->group_target))
+                                       fprintf(stderr, "apps.plugin: \t\tpid %d (%s) switched group from %d (%s) to %d.\n", p->pid, p->comm, p->group_target->gid, p->group_target->name, p->gid);
+
+                       w = p->group_target = get_groups_target(p->gid);
+               }
+
+               if(likely(w))
+                       aggregate_pid_on_target(w, p, o);
+               else
+                       error("pid %d %s was left without a group target!", p->pid, p->comm);
+
+       }
+
+       count_targets_fds(apps_groups_root_target);
+       count_targets_fds(users_root_target);
+       count_targets_fds(groups_root_target);
+
+       cleanup_non_existing_pids();
+}
+
 // ----------------------------------------------------------------------------
 // update chart dimensions
 
-void show_dimensions(void)
-{
+unsigned long long send_resource_usage_to_netdata() {
        static struct timeval last = { 0, 0 };
        static struct rusage me_last;
 
-       struct target *w;
        struct timeval now;
        struct rusage me;
 
@@ -1584,138 +2043,145 @@ void show_dimensions(void)
                bcopy(&me, &me_last, sizeof(struct rusage));
        }
 
-       fprintf(stdout, "BEGIN apps.cpu %llu\n", usec);
-       for (w = target_root; w ; w = w->next) {
+       fprintf(stdout, "BEGIN netdata.apps_cpu %llu\n", usec);
+       fprintf(stdout, "SET user = %llu\n", cpuuser);
+       fprintf(stdout, "SET system = %llu\n", cpusyst);
+       fprintf(stdout, "END\n");
+
+       fprintf(stdout, "BEGIN netdata.apps_files %llu\n", usec);
+       fprintf(stdout, "SET files = %llu\n", file_counter);
+       fprintf(stdout, "SET pids = %ld\n", all_pids_count);
+       fprintf(stdout, "SET fds = %d\n", all_files_len);
+       fprintf(stdout, "SET targets = %ld\n", apps_groups_targets);
+       fprintf(stdout, "END\n");
+
+       return usec;
+}
+
+void send_collected_data_to_netdata(struct target *root, const char *type, unsigned long long usec)
+{
+       struct target *w;
+
+       fprintf(stdout, "BEGIN %s.cpu %llu\n", type, usec);
+       for (w = root; w ; w = w->next) {
                if(w->target || (!w->processes && !w->exposed)) continue;
 
                fprintf(stdout, "SET %s = %llu\n", w->name, w->utime + w->stime + w->fix_utime + w->fix_stime);
        }
        fprintf(stdout, "END\n");
 
-       fprintf(stdout, "BEGIN apps.cpu_user %llu\n", usec);
-       for (w = target_root; w ; w = w->next) {
+       fprintf(stdout, "BEGIN %s.cpu_user %llu\n", type, usec);
+       for (w = root; w ; w = w->next) {
                if(w->target || (!w->processes && !w->exposed)) continue;
 
                fprintf(stdout, "SET %s = %llu\n", w->name, w->utime + w->fix_utime);
        }
        fprintf(stdout, "END\n");
 
-       fprintf(stdout, "BEGIN apps.cpu_system %llu\n", usec);
-       for (w = target_root; w ; w = w->next) {
+       fprintf(stdout, "BEGIN %s.cpu_system %llu\n", type, usec);
+       for (w = root; w ; w = w->next) {
                if(w->target || (!w->processes && !w->exposed)) continue;
 
                fprintf(stdout, "SET %s = %llu\n", w->name, w->stime + w->fix_stime);
        }
        fprintf(stdout, "END\n");
 
-       fprintf(stdout, "BEGIN apps.threads %llu\n", usec);
-       for (w = target_root; w ; w = w->next) {
+       fprintf(stdout, "BEGIN %s.threads %llu\n", type, usec);
+       for (w = root; w ; w = w->next) {
                if(w->target || (!w->processes && !w->exposed)) continue;
 
                fprintf(stdout, "SET %s = %llu\n", w->name, w->num_threads);
        }
        fprintf(stdout, "END\n");
 
-       fprintf(stdout, "BEGIN apps.processes %llu\n", usec);
-       for (w = target_root; w ; w = w->next) {
+       fprintf(stdout, "BEGIN %s.processes %llu\n", type, usec);
+       for (w = root; w ; w = w->next) {
                if(w->target || (!w->processes && !w->exposed)) continue;
 
                fprintf(stdout, "SET %s = %lu\n", w->name, w->processes);
        }
        fprintf(stdout, "END\n");
 
-       fprintf(stdout, "BEGIN apps.mem %llu\n", usec);
-       for (w = target_root; w ; w = w->next) {
+       fprintf(stdout, "BEGIN %s.mem %llu\n", type, usec);
+       for (w = root; w ; w = w->next) {
                if(w->target || (!w->processes && !w->exposed)) continue;
 
                fprintf(stdout, "SET %s = %lld\n", w->name, (long long)w->statm_resident - (long long)w->statm_share);
        }
        fprintf(stdout, "END\n");
 
-       fprintf(stdout, "BEGIN apps.minor_faults %llu\n", usec);
-       for (w = target_root; w ; w = w->next) {
+       fprintf(stdout, "BEGIN %s.minor_faults %llu\n", type, usec);
+       for (w = root; w ; w = w->next) {
                if(w->target || (!w->processes && !w->exposed)) continue;
 
                fprintf(stdout, "SET %s = %llu\n", w->name, w->minflt + w->fix_minflt);
        }
        fprintf(stdout, "END\n");
 
-       fprintf(stdout, "BEGIN apps.major_faults %llu\n", usec);
-       for (w = target_root; w ; w = w->next) {
+       fprintf(stdout, "BEGIN %s.major_faults %llu\n", type, usec);
+       for (w = root; w ; w = w->next) {
                if(w->target || (!w->processes && !w->exposed)) continue;
 
                fprintf(stdout, "SET %s = %llu\n", w->name, w->majflt + w->fix_majflt);
        }
        fprintf(stdout, "END\n");
 
-       fprintf(stdout, "BEGIN apps.lreads %llu\n", usec);
-       for (w = target_root; w ; w = w->next) {
+       fprintf(stdout, "BEGIN %s.lreads %llu\n", type, usec);
+       for (w = root; w ; w = w->next) {
                if(w->target || (!w->processes && !w->exposed)) continue;
 
-               fprintf(stdout, "SET %s = %llu\n", w->name, w->io_logical_bytes_read);
+               fprintf(stdout, "SET %s = %llu\n", w->name, w->io_logical_bytes_read + w->fix_io_logical_bytes_read);
        }
        fprintf(stdout, "END\n");
 
-       fprintf(stdout, "BEGIN apps.lwrites %llu\n", usec);
-       for (w = target_root; w ; w = w->next) {
+       fprintf(stdout, "BEGIN %s.lwrites %llu\n", type, usec);
+       for (w = root; w ; w = w->next) {
                if(w->target || (!w->processes && !w->exposed)) continue;
 
-               fprintf(stdout, "SET %s = %llu\n", w->name, w->io_logical_bytes_written);
+               fprintf(stdout, "SET %s = %llu\n", w->name, w->io_logical_bytes_written + w->fix_io_logical_bytes_written);
        }
        fprintf(stdout, "END\n");
 
-       fprintf(stdout, "BEGIN apps.preads %llu\n", usec);
-       for (w = target_root; w ; w = w->next) {
+       fprintf(stdout, "BEGIN %s.preads %llu\n", type, usec);
+       for (w = root; w ; w = w->next) {
                if(w->target || (!w->processes && !w->exposed)) continue;
 
-               fprintf(stdout, "SET %s = %llu\n", w->name, w->io_storage_bytes_read);
+               fprintf(stdout, "SET %s = %llu\n", w->name, w->io_storage_bytes_read + w->fix_io_storage_bytes_read);
        }
        fprintf(stdout, "END\n");
 
-       fprintf(stdout, "BEGIN apps.pwrites %llu\n", usec);
-       for (w = target_root; w ; w = w->next) {
+       fprintf(stdout, "BEGIN %s.pwrites %llu\n", type, usec);
+       for (w = root; w ; w = w->next) {
                if(w->target || (!w->processes && !w->exposed)) continue;
 
-               fprintf(stdout, "SET %s = %llu\n", w->name, w->io_storage_bytes_written);
+               fprintf(stdout, "SET %s = %llu\n", w->name, w->io_storage_bytes_written + w->fix_io_storage_bytes_written);
        }
        fprintf(stdout, "END\n");
 
-       fprintf(stdout, "BEGIN apps.files %llu\n", usec);
-       for (w = target_root; w ; w = w->next) {
+       fprintf(stdout, "BEGIN %s.files %llu\n", type, usec);
+       for (w = root; w ; w = w->next) {
                if(w->target || (!w->processes && !w->exposed)) continue;
 
                fprintf(stdout, "SET %s = %llu\n", w->name, w->openfiles);
        }
        fprintf(stdout, "END\n");
 
-       fprintf(stdout, "BEGIN apps.sockets %llu\n", usec);
-       for (w = target_root; w ; w = w->next) {
+       fprintf(stdout, "BEGIN %s.sockets %llu\n", type, usec);
+       for (w = root; w ; w = w->next) {
                if(w->target || (!w->processes && !w->exposed)) continue;
 
                fprintf(stdout, "SET %s = %llu\n", w->name, w->opensockets);
        }
        fprintf(stdout, "END\n");
 
-       fprintf(stdout, "BEGIN apps.pipes %llu\n", usec);
-       for (w = target_root; w ; w = w->next) {
+       fprintf(stdout, "BEGIN %s.pipes %llu\n", type, usec);
+       for (w = root; w ; w = w->next) {
                if(w->target || (!w->processes && !w->exposed)) continue;
 
                fprintf(stdout, "SET %s = %llu\n", w->name, w->openpipes);
        }
        fprintf(stdout, "END\n");
 
-       fprintf(stdout, "BEGIN netdata.apps_cpu %llu\n", usec);
-       fprintf(stdout, "SET user = %llu\n", cpuuser);
-       fprintf(stdout, "SET system = %llu\n", cpusyst);
-       fprintf(stdout, "END\n");
-
-       fprintf(stdout, "BEGIN netdata.apps_files %llu\n", usec);
-       fprintf(stdout, "SET files = %llu\n", file_counter);
-       fprintf(stdout, "SET pids = %ld\n", all_pids_count);
-       fprintf(stdout, "SET fds = %d\n", all_files_len);
-       fprintf(stdout, "SET targets = %ld\n", targets);
-       fprintf(stdout, "END\n");
-
        fflush(stdout);
 }
 
@@ -1723,12 +2189,12 @@ void show_dimensions(void)
 // ----------------------------------------------------------------------------
 // generate the charts
 
-void show_charts(void)
+void send_charts_updates_to_netdata(struct target *root, const char *type, const char *title)
 {
        struct target *w;
        int newly_added = 0;
 
-       for(w = target_root ; w ; w = w->next)
+       for(w = root ; w ; w = w->next)
                if(!w->exposed && w->processes) {
                        newly_added++;
                        w->exposed = 1;
@@ -1740,122 +2206,110 @@ void show_charts(void)
 
        // we have something new to show
        // update the charts
-       fprintf(stdout, "CHART apps.cpu '' 'Apps CPU Time (%ld%% = %ld core%s)' 'cpu time %%' apps apps stacked 20001 %d\n", (processors * 100), processors, (processors>1)?"s":"", update_every);
-       for (w = target_root; w ; w = w->next) {
+       fprintf(stdout, "CHART %s.cpu '' '%s CPU Time (%ld%% = %ld core%s)' 'cpu time %%' cpu %s.cpu stacked 20001 %d\n", type, title, (processors * 100), processors, (processors>1)?"s":"", type, update_every);
+       for (w = root; w ; w = w->next) {
                if(w->target || (!w->processes && !w->exposed)) continue;
 
-               fprintf(stdout, "DIMENSION %s '' incremental 100 %llu %s\n", w->name, (unsigned long long)(Hertz), w->hidden?"hidden,noreset":"noreset");
+               fprintf(stdout, "DIMENSION %s '' incremental 100 %llu %s\n", w->name, Hertz, w->hidden ? "hidden,noreset" : "noreset");
        }
 
-       fprintf(stdout, "CHART apps.mem '' 'Apps Dedicated Memory (w/o shared)' 'MB' apps apps stacked 20003 %d\n", update_every);
-       for (w = target_root; w ; w = w->next) {
+       fprintf(stdout, "CHART %s.mem '' '%s Dedicated Memory (w/o shared)' 'MB' mem %s.mem stacked 20003 %d\n", type, title, type, update_every);
+       for (w = root; w ; w = w->next) {
                if(w->target || (!w->processes && !w->exposed)) continue;
 
                fprintf(stdout, "DIMENSION %s '' absolute %ld %ld noreset\n", w->name, sysconf(_SC_PAGESIZE), 1024L*1024L);
        }
 
-       fprintf(stdout, "CHART apps.threads '' 'Apps Threads' 'threads' apps apps stacked 20005 %d\n", update_every);
-       for (w = target_root; w ; w = w->next) {
+       fprintf(stdout, "CHART %s.threads '' '%s Threads' 'threads' processes %s.threads stacked 20005 %d\n", type, title, type, update_every);
+       for (w = root; w ; w = w->next) {
                if(w->target || (!w->processes && !w->exposed)) continue;
 
                fprintf(stdout, "DIMENSION %s '' absolute 1 1 noreset\n", w->name);
        }
 
-       fprintf(stdout, "CHART apps.processes '' 'Apps Processes' 'processes' apps apps stacked 20004 %d\n", update_every);
-       for (w = target_root; w ; w = w->next) {
+       fprintf(stdout, "CHART %s.processes '' '%s Processes' 'processes' processes %s.processes stacked 20004 %d\n", type, title, type, update_every);
+       for (w = root; w ; w = w->next) {
                if(w->target || (!w->processes && !w->exposed)) continue;
 
                fprintf(stdout, "DIMENSION %s '' absolute 1 1 noreset\n", w->name);
        }
 
-       fprintf(stdout, "CHART apps.cpu_user '' 'Apps CPU User Time (%ld%% = %ld core%s)' 'cpu time %%' apps none stacked 20020 %d\n", (processors * 100), processors, (processors>1)?"s":"", update_every);
-       for (w = target_root; w ; w = w->next) {
+       fprintf(stdout, "CHART %s.cpu_user '' '%s CPU User Time (%ld%% = %ld core%s)' 'cpu time %%' cpu %s.cpu_user stacked 20020 %d\n", type, title, (processors * 100), processors, (processors>1)?"s":"", type, update_every);
+       for (w = root; w ; w = w->next) {
                if(w->target || (!w->processes && !w->exposed)) continue;
 
                fprintf(stdout, "DIMENSION %s '' incremental 100 %llu noreset\n", w->name, Hertz * processors);
        }
 
-       fprintf(stdout, "CHART apps.cpu_system '' 'Apps CPU System Time (%ld%% = %ld core%s)' 'cpu time %%' apps none stacked 20021 %d\n", (processors * 100), processors, (processors>1)?"s":"", update_every);
-       for (w = target_root; w ; w = w->next) {
+       fprintf(stdout, "CHART %s.cpu_system '' '%s CPU System Time (%ld%% = %ld core%s)' 'cpu time %%' cpu %s.cpu_system stacked 20021 %d\n", type, title, (processors * 100), processors, (processors>1)?"s":"", type, update_every);
+       for (w = root; w ; w = w->next) {
                if(w->target || (!w->processes && !w->exposed)) continue;
 
                fprintf(stdout, "DIMENSION %s '' incremental 100 %llu noreset\n", w->name, Hertz * processors);
        }
 
-       fprintf(stdout, "CHART apps.major_faults '' 'Apps Major Page Faults (swaps in)' 'page faults/s' apps apps stacked 20010 %d\n", update_every);
-       for (w = target_root; w ; w = w->next) {
+       fprintf(stdout, "CHART %s.major_faults '' '%s Major Page Faults (swap read)' 'page faults/s' swap %s.major_faults stacked 20010 %d\n", type, title, type, update_every);
+       for (w = root; w ; w = w->next) {
                if(w->target || (!w->processes && !w->exposed)) continue;
 
                fprintf(stdout, "DIMENSION %s '' incremental 1 1 noreset\n", w->name);
        }
 
-       fprintf(stdout, "CHART apps.minor_faults '' 'Apps Minor Page Faults' 'page faults/s' apps none stacked 20011 %d\n", update_every);
-       for (w = target_root; w ; w = w->next) {
+       fprintf(stdout, "CHART %s.minor_faults '' '%s Minor Page Faults' 'page faults/s' mem %s.minor_faults stacked 20011 %d\n", type, title, type, update_every);
+       for (w = root; w ; w = w->next) {
                if(w->target || (!w->processes && !w->exposed)) continue;
 
                fprintf(stdout, "DIMENSION %s '' incremental 1 1 noreset\n", w->name);
        }
 
-       fprintf(stdout, "CHART apps.lreads '' 'Apps Disk Logical Reads' 'kilobytes/s' apps none stacked 20042 %d\n", update_every);
-       for (w = target_root; w ; w = w->next) {
+       fprintf(stdout, "CHART %s.lreads '' '%s Disk Logical Reads' 'kilobytes/s' disk %s.lreads stacked 20042 %d\n", type, title, type, update_every);
+       for (w = root; w ; w = w->next) {
                if(w->target || (!w->processes && !w->exposed)) continue;
 
                fprintf(stdout, "DIMENSION %s '' incremental 1 %d noreset\n", w->name, 1024);
        }
 
-       fprintf(stdout, "CHART apps.lwrites '' 'Apps I/O Logical Writes' 'kilobytes/s' apps none stacked 20042 %d\n", update_every);
-       for (w = target_root; w ; w = w->next) {
+       fprintf(stdout, "CHART %s.lwrites '' '%s I/O Logical Writes' 'kilobytes/s' disk %s.lwrites stacked 20042 %d\n", type, title, type, update_every);
+       for (w = root; w ; w = w->next) {
                if(w->target || (!w->processes && !w->exposed)) continue;
 
                fprintf(stdout, "DIMENSION %s '' incremental 1 %d noreset\n", w->name, 1024);
        }
 
-       fprintf(stdout, "CHART apps.preads '' 'Apps Disk Reads' 'kilobytes/s' apps apps stacked 20002 %d\n", update_every);
-       for (w = target_root; w ; w = w->next) {
+       fprintf(stdout, "CHART %s.preads '' '%s Disk Reads' 'kilobytes/s' disk %s.preads stacked 20002 %d\n", type, title, type, update_every);
+       for (w = root; w ; w = w->next) {
                if(w->target || (!w->processes && !w->exposed)) continue;
 
                fprintf(stdout, "DIMENSION %s '' incremental 1 %d noreset\n", w->name, 1024);
        }
 
-       fprintf(stdout, "CHART apps.pwrites '' 'Apps Disk Writes' 'kilobytes/s' apps apps stacked 20002 %d\n", update_every);
-       for (w = target_root; w ; w = w->next) {
+       fprintf(stdout, "CHART %s.pwrites '' '%s Disk Writes' 'kilobytes/s' disk %s.pwrites stacked 20002 %d\n", type, title, type, update_every);
+       for (w = root; w ; w = w->next) {
                if(w->target || (!w->processes && !w->exposed)) continue;
 
                fprintf(stdout, "DIMENSION %s '' incremental 1 %d noreset\n", w->name, 1024);
        }
 
-       fprintf(stdout, "CHART apps.files '' 'Apps Open Files' 'open files' apps apps stacked 20050 %d\n", update_every);
-       for (w = target_root; w ; w = w->next) {
+       fprintf(stdout, "CHART %s.files '' '%s Open Files' 'open files' disk %s.files stacked 20050 %d\n", type, title, type, update_every);
+       for (w = root; w ; w = w->next) {
                if(w->target || (!w->processes && !w->exposed)) continue;
 
                fprintf(stdout, "DIMENSION %s '' absolute 1 1 noreset\n", w->name);
        }
 
-       fprintf(stdout, "CHART apps.sockets '' 'Apps Open Sockets' 'open sockets' apps apps stacked 20051 %d\n", update_every);
-       for (w = target_root; w ; w = w->next) {
+       fprintf(stdout, "CHART %s.sockets '' '%s Open Sockets' 'open sockets' net %s.sockets stacked 20051 %d\n", type, title, type, update_every);
+       for (w = root; w ; w = w->next) {
                if(w->target || (!w->processes && !w->exposed)) continue;
 
                fprintf(stdout, "DIMENSION %s '' absolute 1 1 noreset\n", w->name);
        }
 
-       fprintf(stdout, "CHART apps.pipes '' 'Apps Pipes' 'open pipes' apps none stacked 20053 %d\n", update_every);
-       for (w = target_root; w ; w = w->next) {
+       fprintf(stdout, "CHART %s.pipes '' '%s Pipes' 'open pipes' processes %s.pipes stacked 20053 %d\n", type, title, type, update_every);
+       for (w = root; w ; w = w->next) {
                if(w->target || (!w->processes && !w->exposed)) continue;
 
                fprintf(stdout, "DIMENSION %s '' absolute 1 1 noreset\n", w->name);
        }
-
-       fprintf(stdout, "CHART netdata.apps_cpu '' 'Apps Plugin CPU' 'milliseconds/s' netdata netdata stacked 10000 %d\n", update_every);
-       fprintf(stdout, "DIMENSION user '' incremental 1 %d\n", 1000);
-       fprintf(stdout, "DIMENSION system '' incremental 1 %d\n", 1000);
-
-       fprintf(stdout, "CHART netdata.apps_files '' 'Apps Plugin Files' 'files/s' netdata netdata line 10001 %d\n", update_every);
-       fprintf(stdout, "DIMENSION files '' incremental 1 1\n");
-       fprintf(stdout, "DIMENSION pids '' absolute 1 1\n");
-       fprintf(stdout, "DIMENSION fds '' absolute 1 1\n");
-       fprintf(stdout, "DIMENSION targets '' absolute 1 1\n");
-
-       fflush(stdout);
 }
 
 
@@ -1894,12 +2348,18 @@ void parse_args(int argc, char **argv)
        if(freq > 0) update_every = freq;
        if(!name) name = "groups";
 
-       if(read_process_groups(name)) {
+       if(read_apps_groups_conf(name)) {
                error("Cannot read process groups %s", name);
                exit(1);
        }
 }
 
+unsigned long long sutime() {
+       struct timeval now;
+       gettimeofday(&now, NULL);
+       return now.tv_sec * 1000000ULL + now.tv_usec;
+}
+
 int main(int argc, char **argv)
 {
        // debug_flags = D_PROCFILE;
@@ -1907,56 +2367,96 @@ int main(int argc, char **argv)
        // set the name for logging
        program_name = "apps.plugin";
 
+       host_prefix = getenv("NETDATA_HOST_PREFIX");
+       if(host_prefix == NULL) {
+               info("NETDATA_HOST_PREFIX is not passed from netdata");
+               host_prefix = "";
+       }
+       else info("Found NETDATA_HOST_PREFIX='%s'", host_prefix);
+
+       config_dir = getenv("NETDATA_CONFIG_DIR");
+       if(config_dir == NULL) {
+               info("NETDATA_CONFIG_DIR is not passed from netdata");
+               config_dir = CONFIG_DIR;
+       }
+       else info("Found NETDATA_CONFIG_DIR='%s'", config_dir);
+
        info("starting...");
 
        procfile_adaptive_initial_allocation = 1;
 
-       unsigned long started_t = time(NULL), current_t;
-       Hertz = get_hertz();
-       pid_max = get_pid_max();
-       processors = get_processors();
+       time_t started_t = time(NULL);
+       time_t current_t;
+       Hertz = get_system_hertz();
+       pid_max = get_system_pid_max();
+       processors = get_system_cpus();
 
        parse_args(argc, argv);
 
-       all_pids = calloc(sizeof(struct pid_stat *), pid_max);
+       all_pids = calloc(sizeof(struct pid_stat *), (size_t) pid_max);
        if(!all_pids) {
                error("Cannot allocate %lu bytes of memory.", sizeof(struct pid_stat *) * pid_max);
                printf("DISABLE\n");
                exit(1);
        }
 
-       unsigned long long counter = 1;
-       unsigned long long usec = 0, susec = 0;
-       struct timeval last, now;
-       gettimeofday(&last, NULL);
+       fprintf(stdout, "CHART netdata.apps_cpu '' 'Apps Plugin CPU' 'milliseconds/s' apps.plugin netdata.apps_cpu stacked 140000 %d\n", update_every);
+       fprintf(stdout, "DIMENSION user '' incremental 1 %d\n", 1000);
+       fprintf(stdout, "DIMENSION system '' incremental 1 %d\n", 1000);
+
+       fprintf(stdout, "CHART netdata.apps_files '' 'Apps Plugin Files' 'files/s' apps.plugin netdata.apps_files line 140001 %d\n", update_every);
+       fprintf(stdout, "DIMENSION files '' incremental 1 1\n");
+       fprintf(stdout, "DIMENSION pids '' absolute 1 1\n");
+       fprintf(stdout, "DIMENSION fds '' absolute 1 1\n");
+       fprintf(stdout, "DIMENSION targets '' absolute 1 1\n");
 
+
+#ifndef PROFILING_MODE
+       unsigned long long sunext = (time(NULL) - (time(NULL) % update_every) + update_every) * 1000000ULL;
+       unsigned long long sunow;
+#endif /* PROFILING_MODE */
+
+       unsigned long long counter = 1;
        for(;1; counter++) {
-               if(!update_from_proc()) {
-                       error("Cannot allocate %lu bytes of memory.", sizeof(struct pid_stat *) * pid_max);
+#ifndef PROFILING_MODE
+               // delay until it is our time to run
+               while((sunow = sutime()) < sunext)
+                       usleep((useconds_t)(sunext - sunow));
+
+               // find the next time we need to run
+               while(sutime() > sunext)
+                       sunext += update_every * 1000000ULL;
+#endif /* PROFILING_MODE */
+
+               if(!collect_data_for_all_processes_from_proc()) {
+                       error("Cannot collect /proc data for running processes. Disabling apps.plugin...");
                        printf("DISABLE\n");
                        exit(1);
                }
 
-               update_statistics();
-               show_charts();          // this is smart enough to show only newly added apps, when needed
-               show_dimensions();
+               calculate_netdata_statistics();
 
-               if(debug) fprintf(stderr, "apps.plugin: done Loop No %llu\n", counter);
-               fflush(NULL);
+               unsigned long long dt = send_resource_usage_to_netdata();
 
-               gettimeofday(&now, NULL);
-               usec = usecdiff(&now, &last) - susec;
-               if(debug) fprintf(stderr, "apps.plugin: last loop took %llu usec (worked for %llu, sleeped for %llu).\n", usec + susec, usec, susec);
+               // this is smart enough to show only newly added apps, when needed
+               send_charts_updates_to_netdata(apps_groups_root_target, "apps", "Apps");
+               send_charts_updates_to_netdata(users_root_target, "users", "Users");
+               send_charts_updates_to_netdata(groups_root_target, "groups", "User Groups");
 
-               // if the last loop took less than half the time
-               // wait the rest of the time
-               if(usec < (update_every * 1000000ULL / 2)) susec = (update_every * 1000000ULL) - usec;
-               else susec = update_every * 1000000ULL / 2;
+               send_collected_data_to_netdata(apps_groups_root_target, "apps", dt);
+               send_collected_data_to_netdata(users_root_target, "users", dt);
+               send_collected_data_to_netdata(groups_root_target, "groups", dt);
 
-               usleep(susec);
-               bcopy(&now, &last, sizeof(struct timeval));
+               if(debug) fprintf(stderr, "apps.plugin: done Loop No %llu\n", counter);
+               fflush(NULL);
 
                current_t = time(NULL);
-               if(current_t - started_t > 3600) exit(0);
+
+#ifndef PROFILING_MODE
+               // restart check (14400 seconds)
+               if(current_t - started_t > 14400) exit(0);
+#else
+               if(current_t - started_t > 10) exit(0);
+#endif /* PROFILING_MODE */
        }
 }