# dispGetTracePointer

Retrieves the address of the global trace mask.

#### Prototype

DWORD dispGetTracePointer ( volatile DWORD **trace_pointer)

Argument | Description
trace_pointer | Pointer to the returned address of the global trace mask.

#### Return values

Return value | Description
SUCCESS |
CTAERR_BAD_ARGUMENT | trace_pointer is NULL.
CTAERR_NOT_IMPLEMENTED | Function was called from the service interface.
CTAERR_NOT_INITIALIZED | Natural Access is not initialized.
CTAERR_SVR_COMM | Natural Access Server is not running.

#### Details

dispGetTracePointer is typically called at service or service manager initialization time (on the call to xxxInitializeManager or xxxDefineService) to retrieve the address of the 32 bit global trace mask. This global trace mask is held in shared memory when the ctdaemon is running. Otherwise, it is held in a process global. It should be checked, along with the context specific trace mask (refer to xxxSetTraceLevel), whenever a service or service manager must make a decision whether to call dispLogTrace.

Natural Access defines standard trace mask bits in ctadef.h, as well as service specific bits that can be used freely by each service.