error::inode-uprobes.7stap - Man Page

The uprobes kernel facility introduced in Linux 3.5 aims to supplant the earlier out-of-tree utrace patch to enable user-space probing.  There have been some functional limitations in inode-uprobes that preclude some systemtap constructs.  Over time, we hope these regressions will be corrected.

function.return probes

process.function().return probes require "return-probes" or "uretprobes" functionality, which was not implemented in the builtin inode-uprobes until kernel 3.10.  If you cannot upgrade your kernel, consider using process.statement() probes placed on source line numbers at the function's return statements.

function.statement.absolute probes

In utrace-equipped kernels, systemtap made it possible to address probes by literal addresses in the process virtual memory address space.  The  new inode-uprobes does not have this capability.

stap(1),
http://kernelnewbies.org/Linux_3.5,
http://sourceware.org/systemtap/wiki/utrace,
error::reporting(7stap)