The trace manager maintains a circular buffer that accumulates trace events when no client is connected to the manager. For example, any trace events that are generated in global constructors before a client is connected go into the buffer.

The number of buffered events defaults to 100, but it can be reset with the environment variable RW_TRACE_BUFFER_SIZE. When buffer contains the maximum number of trace events, the oldest is removed to make room for the newest one.

When a client connects to the manager, any buffered messages are immediately forwarded to the client. To ensure that all trace events are passed through all the clients and filters you create, connect the filters and clients together first, then make the final connection to the manager. When the client is disconnected from the manager, buffering resumes.