While running with splunk-otel-agent 1.2, can API 1.4.1 create custom spans via Tracer?

[woldie]

I am auto-instrumenting with the splunk-otel-agent 1.2, and I'd like to create custom spans using the same Tracer as the one the agent uses. I am currently attempting to acquire the Tracer with API 1.4.1:

GlobalOpenTelemetry.getTracer(Objects.requireNonNull(applicationContext.getId()))

And I am trying to create custom spans with

tracer.spanBuilder("mySpan")
        .setSpanKind(SpanKind.SERVER)
        .startSpan();

Unfortunately, my custom spans are not traced, and only the auto-instrumented spans the agent creates show up in my traces in SignalFX. I am calling Span#end on all my custom spans.

This link referenced in another similar answer is no longer relevant: https://github.com/open-telemetry/opentelemetry-java/blob/main/QUICKSTART.md#tracing

I would like to know the following:

1. Is it possible to access/connect to the same Tracer that splunk-otel-agent must have internally?
2. If yes, is it possible (without using @WithSpan) to add custom spans to my service via that Tracer?

Thanks!

[anuraaga]

Unfortunately, this is not supported. Using a newer version of the agent with older API is, the other way around often won't work. This is because the agent is the one in control - it knows about older versions and can act accordingly but there is no way for it to be ready for a new version it doesn't know about. It may still work but no guarantees.

The solution is to update the agent which hopefully isn't too hard since the app doesn't need to be rebuilt.

[jkwatson]

According to the release notes, this should be the correct combination : https://github.com/signalfx/splunk-otel-java/releases/tag/v1.2.0

I think this is probably a better question for the splunk-otel-java repository than here. Do you mind asking over there where we can get all the splunk folks involved?

[jkwatson]

I wonder if this is being repressed due to nested SERVER span logic

[anuraaga]

Sorry for the fake note, didn't realize Splunk is using a different versioning scheme!

[woldie]

Oh, should I only use CLIENT span kinds? I can try that. I will also reach out to the Splunk folks and ask there. Thanks for responding, all!

…

On Sat, Aug 21, 2021, 9:34 AM John Watson ***@***.***> wrote: I wonder if this is being repressed due to nested SERVER span logic — You are receiving this because you authored the thread. Reply to this email directly, view it on GitHub <#3531 (reply in thread)>, or unsubscribe <https://github.com/notifications/unsubscribe-auth/ACOGQYFLJB5RMLPGMUSXEUDT57IRHANCNFSM5CRNKFXA> . Triage notifications on the go with GitHub Mobile for iOS <https://apps.apple.com/app/apple-store/id1477376905?ct=notification-email&mt=8&pt=524675> or Android <https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.github.android&utm_campaign=notification-email> .

[jkwatson]

keeping them as INTERNAL is also just fine. You don't need to set a span kind if you just want a standard INTERNAL span.