Add tracing support for simulation timestamps

asynchronix/Cargo.toml

@@ -24,7 +24,7 @@ autotests = false
 [features]
 # gRPC service.
 grpc = ["dep:bytes", "dep:ciborium", "dep:prost", "dep:prost-types", "dep:serde", "dep:tonic", "dep:tokio", "dep:tonic"]
-tracing = ["dep:tracing"]
+tracing = ["dep:tracing", "dep:tracing-subscriber"]
 
 # DEVELOPMENT ONLY: API-unstable public exports meant for external test/benchmarking.
 dev-hooks = []
@@ -55,14 +55,14 @@ serde = { version = "1", optional = true }
 tokio = { version = "1.0", features=["net", "rt-multi-thread"], optional = true }
 tonic = { version = "0.12", default-features = false, features=["codegen", "prost", "server"], optional = true }
 tracing = { version= "0.1.40", default-features = false, features=["std"], optional = true }
+tracing-subscriber = { version= "0.3.18", optional = true }
 
 [dev-dependencies]
 atomic-wait = "1.1"
 futures-util = "0.3"
 futures-executor = "0.3"
 mio = { version = "1.0", features = ["os-poll", "net"] }
-tracing = "0.1"
+tracing-subscriber = { version= "0.3.18", features=["env-filter"] }
-tracing-subscriber = { version = "0.3", features = ["env-filter"] }
 
 [target.'cfg(asynchronix_loom)'.dev-dependencies]
 loom = "0.5"

asynchronix/src/dev_hooks.rs

@@ -15,7 +15,17 @@ impl Executor {
     ///
     /// The maximum number of threads is set with the `pool_size` parameter.
     pub fn new(pool_size: usize) -> Self {
-        Self(executor::Executor::new_multi_threaded(pool_size))
+        let dummy_context = crate::executor::SimulationContext {
+            #[cfg(feature = "tracing")]
+            time_reader: crate::util::sync_cell::SyncCell::new(
+                crate::time::TearableAtomicTime::new(crate::time::MonotonicTime::EPOCH),
+            )
+            .reader(),
+        };
+        Self(executor::Executor::new_multi_threaded(
+            pool_size,
+            dummy_context,
+        ))
     }
 
     /// Spawns a task which output will never be retrieved.

asynchronix/src/executor.rs

@@ -7,11 +7,23 @@ mod task;
 use std::future::Future;
 use std::sync::atomic::AtomicUsize;
 
+use crate::macros::scoped_thread_local::scoped_thread_local;
+#[cfg(feature = "tracing")]
+use crate::time::AtomicTimeReader;
 use task::Promise;
 
 /// Unique identifier for executor instances.
 static NEXT_EXECUTOR_ID: AtomicUsize = AtomicUsize::new(0);
 
+/// Context common to all executor types.
+#[derive(Clone)]
+pub(crate) struct SimulationContext {
+    #[cfg(feature = "tracing")]
+    pub(crate) time_reader: AtomicTimeReader,
+}
+
+scoped_thread_local!(pub(crate) static SIMULATION_CONTEXT: SimulationContext);
+
 /// A single-threaded or multi-threaded `async` executor.
 #[derive(Debug)]
 pub(crate) enum Executor {
@@ -21,8 +33,8 @@ pub(crate) enum Executor {
 
 impl Executor {
     /// Creates an executor that runs futures on the current thread.
-    pub(crate) fn new_single_threaded() -> Self {
+    pub(crate) fn new_single_threaded(simulation_context: SimulationContext) -> Self {
-        Self::StExecutor(st_executor::Executor::new())
+        Self::StExecutor(st_executor::Executor::new(simulation_context))
     }
 
     /// Creates an executor that runs futures on a thread pool.
@@ -33,8 +45,11 @@ impl Executor {
     ///
     /// This will panic if the specified number of threads is zero or is more
     /// than `usize::BITS`.
-    pub(crate) fn new_multi_threaded(num_threads: usize) -> Self {
+    pub(crate) fn new_multi_threaded(
-        Self::MtExecutor(mt_executor::Executor::new(num_threads))
+        num_threads: usize,
+        simulation_context: SimulationContext,
+    ) -> Self {
+        Self::MtExecutor(mt_executor::Executor::new(num_threads, simulation_context))
     }
 
     /// Spawns a task which output will never be retrieved.
@@ -88,6 +103,16 @@ mod tests {
 
     use super::*;
 
+    fn dummy_simulation_context() -> SimulationContext {
+        SimulationContext {
+            #[cfg(feature = "tracing")]
+            time_reader: crate::util::sync_cell::SyncCell::new(
+                crate::time::TearableAtomicTime::new(crate::time::MonotonicTime::EPOCH),
+            )
+            .reader(),
+        }
+    }
+
     /// An object that runs an arbitrary closure when dropped.
     struct RunOnDrop<F: FnOnce()> {
         drop_fn: Option<F>,
@@ -208,25 +233,25 @@ mod tests {
 
     #[test]
     fn executor_deadlock_st() {
-        executor_deadlock(Executor::new_single_threaded());
+        executor_deadlock(Executor::new_single_threaded(dummy_simulation_context()));
     }
 
     #[test]
     fn executor_deadlock_mt() {
-        executor_deadlock(Executor::new_multi_threaded(3));
+        executor_deadlock(Executor::new_multi_threaded(3, dummy_simulation_context()));
     }
 
     #[test]
     fn executor_deadlock_mt_one_worker() {
-        executor_deadlock(Executor::new_multi_threaded(1));
+        executor_deadlock(Executor::new_multi_threaded(1, dummy_simulation_context()));
     }
     #[test]
     fn executor_drop_cycle_st() {
-        executor_drop_cycle(Executor::new_single_threaded());
+        executor_drop_cycle(Executor::new_single_threaded(dummy_simulation_context()));
     }
 
     #[test]
     fn executor_drop_cycle_mt() {
-        executor_drop_cycle(Executor::new_multi_threaded(3));
+        executor_drop_cycle(Executor::new_multi_threaded(3, dummy_simulation_context()));
     }
 }

asynchronix/src/executor/mt_executor.rs

@@ -56,11 +56,10 @@ use std::time::{Duration, Instant};
 use crossbeam_utils::sync::{Parker, Unparker};
 use slab::Slab;
 
+use super::task::{self, CancelToken, Promise, Runnable};
+use super::{SimulationContext, NEXT_EXECUTOR_ID, SIMULATION_CONTEXT};
 use crate::macros::scoped_thread_local::scoped_thread_local;
 use crate::util::rng::Rng;
-
-use super::task::{self, CancelToken, Promise, Runnable};
-use super::NEXT_EXECUTOR_ID;
 use pool_manager::PoolManager;
 
 const BUCKET_SIZE: usize = 128;
@@ -95,7 +94,7 @@ impl Executor {
     ///
     /// This will panic if the specified number of threads is zero or is more
     /// than `usize::BITS`.
-    pub(crate) fn new(num_threads: usize) -> Self {
+    pub(crate) fn new(num_threads: usize, simulation_context: SimulationContext) -> Self {
         let parker = Parker::new();
         let unparker = parker.unparker().clone();
 
@@ -141,11 +140,15 @@ impl Executor {
                     .spawn({
                         let context = context.clone();
                         let active_tasks = active_tasks.clone();
+                        let simulation_context = simulation_context.clone();
                         move || {
                             let worker = Worker::new(local_queue, context);
-                            ACTIVE_TASKS.set(&active_tasks, || {
+                            SIMULATION_CONTEXT.set(&simulation_context, || {
-                                LOCAL_WORKER
+                                ACTIVE_TASKS.set(&active_tasks, || {
-                                    .set(&worker, || run_local_worker(&worker, id, worker_parker))
+                                    LOCAL_WORKER.set(&worker, || {
+                                        run_local_worker(&worker, id, worker_parker)
+                                    })
+                                })
                             });
                         }
                     })

asynchronix/src/executor/st_executor.rs

@@ -8,6 +8,7 @@ use slab::Slab;
 use super::task::{self, CancelToken, Promise, Runnable};
 use super::NEXT_EXECUTOR_ID;
 
+use crate::executor::{SimulationContext, SIMULATION_CONTEXT};
 use crate::macros::scoped_thread_local::scoped_thread_local;
 
 const QUEUE_MIN_CAPACITY: usize = 32;
@@ -21,11 +22,13 @@ pub(crate) struct Executor {
     context: ExecutorContext,
     /// List of tasks that have not completed yet.
     active_tasks: RefCell<Slab<CancelToken>>,
+    /// Read-only handle to the simulation time.
+    simulation_context: SimulationContext,
 }
 
 impl Executor {
     /// Creates an executor that runs futures on the current thread.
-    pub(crate) fn new() -> Self {
+    pub(crate) fn new(simulation_context: SimulationContext) -> Self {
         // Each executor instance has a unique ID inherited by tasks to ensure
         // that tasks are scheduled on their parent executor.
         let executor_id = NEXT_EXECUTOR_ID.fetch_add(1, Ordering::Relaxed);
@@ -40,6 +43,7 @@ impl Executor {
         Self {
             context,
             active_tasks,
+            simulation_context,
         }
     }
 
@@ -102,14 +106,16 @@ impl Executor {
     /// Execute spawned tasks, blocking until all futures have completed or
     /// until the executor reaches a deadlock.
     pub(crate) fn run(&mut self) {
-        ACTIVE_TASKS.set(&self.active_tasks, || {
+        SIMULATION_CONTEXT.set(&self.simulation_context, || {
-            EXECUTOR_CONTEXT.set(&self.context, || loop {
+            ACTIVE_TASKS.set(&self.active_tasks, || {
-                let task = match self.context.queue.borrow_mut().pop() {
+                EXECUTOR_CONTEXT.set(&self.context, || loop {
-                    Some(task) => task,
+                    let task = match self.context.queue.borrow_mut().pop() {
-                    None => break,
+                        Some(task) => task,
-                };
+                        None => break,
+                    };
 
-                task.run();
+                    task.run();
+                })
             })
         });
     }
@@ -225,9 +231,9 @@ impl<T: Future> Drop for CancellableFuture<T> {
 ///
 /// # Panics
 ///
-/// This function will panic if called from called outside from the executor
+/// This function will panic if called from outside the executor worker thread
-/// work thread or from another executor instance than the one the task for this
+/// or from another executor instance than the one the task for this `Runnable`
-/// `Runnable` was spawned on.
+/// was spawned on.
 fn schedule_task(task: Runnable, executor_id: usize) {
     EXECUTOR_CONTEXT
         .map(|context| {

asynchronix/src/lib.rs

@@ -392,46 +392,7 @@
 //! asynchronix = { version = "0.3", features = ["tracing"] }
 //! ```
 //!
-//! Each tracing event or span emitted by a model is then wrapped in a span
+//! See the [`tracing`] module for more information.
-//! named `model` with a target `asynchronix` and an attribute `name`. The value
-//! of the attribute is the name provided to
-//! [`SimInit::add_model`](simulation::SimInit::add_model).
-//!
-//! Note that model spans are always emitted at
-//! [`Level::INFO`](tracing::Level::INFO) .
-//!
-//! ### Tracing examples
-//!
-//! The examples below assume that the `tracing` feature flag is activated, the
-//! `tracing_subscriber` crate is used with the `env-filter` feature flag
-//! activated and the default subscriber is set up, e.g. with:
-//!
-//! ```ignore
-//! tracing_subscriber::fmt::init();
-//! ```
-//!
-//! In order to let only warnings and errors pass through but still see model
-//! span information (which is emitted as info), you may run the bench with:
-//!
-//! ```{.bash}
-//! $ RUST_LOG="warn,[model]=info" cargo run --release my_bench
-//! 2024-09-09T21:05:47.891984Z  WARN model{name="kettle"}: my_bench: water is boiling
-//! 2024-09-09T21:08:13.284753Z  WARN model{name="timer"}: my_bench: ring ring
-//! 2024-09-09T21:08:13.284753Z  WARN model{name="kettle"}: my_bench: water is hot
-//! ```
-//!
-//! In order to see warnings or errors for the `kettle` model only, you may
-//! instead run the bench with:
-//!
-//! ```{.bash}
-//! $ RUST_LOG="[model{name=kettle}]=warn" cargo run --release my_bench
-//! 2024-09-09T21:05:47.891984Z  WARN model{name="kettle"}: my_bench: water is boiling
-//! 2024-09-09T21:08:13.284753Z  WARN model{name="kettle"}: my_bench: water is hot
-//! ```
-//!
-//! If the `model` span name collides with that of spans defined outside
-//! `asynchronix`, the above filters can be made more specific using
-//! `asynchronix[model]` instead of just `[model]`.
 //!
 //!
 //! # Other resources
@@ -466,17 +427,21 @@
 
 pub(crate) mod channel;
 pub(crate) mod executor;
-#[cfg(feature = "grpc")]
-pub mod grpc;
 mod loom_exports;
 pub(crate) mod macros;
 pub mod model;
 pub mod ports;
-#[cfg(feature = "grpc")]
-pub mod registry;
 pub mod simulation;
 pub mod time;
 pub(crate) mod util;
 
+#[cfg(feature = "grpc")]
+pub mod grpc;
+#[cfg(feature = "grpc")]
+pub mod registry;
+
+#[cfg(feature = "tracing")]
+pub mod tracing;
+
 #[cfg(feature = "dev-hooks")]
 pub mod dev_hooks;

asynchronix/src/simulation.rs

@@ -146,10 +146,9 @@ use recycle_box::{coerce_box, RecycleBox};
 use crate::executor::Executor;
 use crate::model::{Context, Model, SetupContext};
 use crate::ports::{InputFn, ReplierFn};
-use crate::time::{Clock, MonotonicTime, TearableAtomicTime};
+use crate::time::{AtomicTime, Clock, MonotonicTime};
 use crate::util::seq_futures::SeqFuture;
 use crate::util::slot;
-use crate::util::sync_cell::SyncCell;
 
 /// Simulation environment.
 ///
@@ -192,7 +191,7 @@ use crate::util::sync_cell::SyncCell;
 pub struct Simulation {
     executor: Executor,
     scheduler_queue: Arc<Mutex<SchedulerQueue>>,
-    time: SyncCell<TearableAtomicTime>,
+    time: AtomicTime,
     clock: Box<dyn Clock>,
 }
 
@@ -201,7 +200,7 @@ impl Simulation {
     pub(crate) fn new(
         executor: Executor,
         scheduler_queue: Arc<Mutex<SchedulerQueue>>,
-        time: SyncCell<TearableAtomicTime>,
+        time: AtomicTime,
         clock: Box<dyn Clock + 'static>,
     ) -> Self {
         Self {

asynchronix/src/simulation/scheduler.rs

@@ -18,22 +18,18 @@ use crate::executor::Executor;
 use crate::model::Model;
 use crate::ports::InputFn;
 use crate::simulation::Address;
-use crate::time::{MonotonicTime, TearableAtomicTime};
+use crate::time::{AtomicTimeReader, MonotonicTime};
 use crate::util::priority_queue::PriorityQueue;
-use crate::util::sync_cell::SyncCellReader;
 
 /// Scheduler.
 #[derive(Clone)]
 pub struct Scheduler {
     scheduler_queue: Arc<Mutex<SchedulerQueue>>,
-    time: SyncCellReader<TearableAtomicTime>,
+    time: AtomicTimeReader,
 }
 
 impl Scheduler {
-    pub(crate) fn new(
+    pub(crate) fn new(scheduler_queue: Arc<Mutex<SchedulerQueue>>, time: AtomicTimeReader) -> Self {
-        scheduler_queue: Arc<Mutex<SchedulerQueue>>,
-        time: SyncCellReader<TearableAtomicTime>,
-    ) -> Self {
         Self {
             scheduler_queue,
             time,

asynchronix/src/simulation/sim_init.rs

@@ -1,10 +1,10 @@
 use std::fmt;
 use std::sync::{Arc, Mutex};
 
-use crate::executor::Executor;
+use crate::executor::{Executor, SimulationContext};
 use crate::model::Model;
+use crate::time::{AtomicTime, MonotonicTime, TearableAtomicTime};
 use crate::time::{Clock, NoClock};
-use crate::time::{MonotonicTime, TearableAtomicTime};
 use crate::util::priority_queue::PriorityQueue;
 use crate::util::sync_cell::SyncCell;
 
@@ -14,10 +14,8 @@ use super::{add_model, Mailbox, Scheduler, SchedulerQueue, Simulation};
 pub struct SimInit {
     executor: Executor,
     scheduler_queue: Arc<Mutex<SchedulerQueue>>,
-    time: SyncCell<TearableAtomicTime>,
+    time: AtomicTime,
     clock: Box<dyn Clock + 'static>,
-    #[cfg(feature = "tracing")]
-    log_level: tracing::Level,
 }
 
 impl SimInit {
@@ -34,20 +32,23 @@ impl SimInit {
     /// be between 1 and `usize::BITS` (inclusive).
     pub fn with_num_threads(num_threads: usize) -> Self {
         let num_threads = num_threads.clamp(1, usize::BITS as usize);
+        let time = SyncCell::new(TearableAtomicTime::new(MonotonicTime::EPOCH));
+        let simulation_context = SimulationContext {
+            #[cfg(feature = "tracing")]
+            time_reader: time.reader(),
+        };
 
         let executor = if num_threads == 1 {
-            Executor::new_single_threaded()
+            Executor::new_single_threaded(simulation_context)
         } else {
-            Executor::new_multi_threaded(num_threads)
+            Executor::new_multi_threaded(num_threads, simulation_context)
         };
 
         Self {
             executor,
             scheduler_queue: Arc::new(Mutex::new(PriorityQueue::new())),
-            time: SyncCell::new(TearableAtomicTime::new(MonotonicTime::EPOCH)),
+            time,
             clock: Box::new(NoClock::new()),
-            #[cfg(feature = "tracing")]
-            log_level: tracing::Level::INFO,
         }
     }
 
@@ -78,16 +79,6 @@ impl SimInit {
         self
     }
 
-    /// Set the level of verbosity for model spans.
-    ///
-    /// By default, model spans use [`Level::INFO`](tracing::Level::INFO).
-    #[cfg(feature = "tracing")]
-    pub fn with_log_level(mut self, level: tracing::Level) -> Self {
-        self.log_level = level;
-
-        self
-    }
-
     /// Builds a simulation initialized at the specified simulation time,
     /// executing the [`Model::init()`](crate::model::Model::init) method on all
     /// model initializers.

asynchronix/src/time.rs

@@ -52,3 +52,6 @@ pub use tai_time::MonotonicTime;
 
 pub use clock::{AutoSystemClock, Clock, NoClock, SyncStatus, SystemClock};
 pub(crate) use monotonic_time::TearableAtomicTime;
+
+pub(crate) type AtomicTime = crate::util::sync_cell::SyncCell<TearableAtomicTime>;
+pub(crate) type AtomicTimeReader = crate::util::sync_cell::SyncCellReader<TearableAtomicTime>;

asynchronix/src/tracing.rs

@@ -0,0 +1,166 @@
+//! Support for structured logging.
+//!
+//! # Overview
+//!
+//! When the `tracing` feature is activated, each tracing event or span emitted
+//! by a model is wrapped in a [`tracing::Span`] with the following metadata:
+//!
+//! - name: `model`,
+//! - target: `asynchronix`,
+//! - verbosity level: [`Level::INFO`](tracing::Level::INFO),
+//! - a unique field called `name`, associated to the model name provided in
+//!   [`SimInit::add_model`](crate::simulation::SimInit::add_model).
+//!
+//! The emission of `model` spans can be readily used for [event
+//! filtering](#event-filtering-examples), using for instance the
+//! [`tracing_subscriber::fmt`][mod@tracing_subscriber::fmt] subscriber. By
+//! default, however, this subscriber will timestamp events with the wall clock
+//! time. Because it is often desirable to log events using the simulation time
+//! instead of (or on top of) the wall clock time, this module provides a custom
+//! [`SimulationTime`] timer compatible with
+//! [`tracing_subscriber::fmt`][mod@tracing_subscriber::fmt].
+//!
+//!
+//! # Configuration
+//!
+//! Using the `tracing-subscriber` crate, simulation events can be logged to
+//! standard output by placing the following call anywhere before
+//! [`SimInit::init`](crate::simulation::SimInit::init):
+//!
+//! ```
+//! tracing_subscriber::fmt::init();
+//! ```
+//!
+//! However, this will stamp events with the system time rather than the
+//! simulation time. To use simulation time instead, a dedicated timer can be
+//! configured:
+//!
+//! ```
+//! use asynchronix::tracing::SimulationTime;
+//!
+//! tracing_subscriber::fmt()
+//!     .with_env_filter(tracing_subscriber::EnvFilter::from_default_env())
+//!     .with_timer(SimulationTime::with_system_timer())
+//!     .init();
+//! ```
+//!
+//! Note that this timer will automatically revert to system time stamping for
+//! tracing events generated outside of simulation models, e.g.:
+//!
+//! ```text
+//! [2001-02-03 04:05:06.789012345]  WARN model{name="my_model"}: my_simulation: something happened inside the simulation
+//! 2024-09-10T14:39:24.670921Z  INFO my_simulation: something happened outside the simulation
+//! ```
+//!
+//! Alternatively, `SimulationTime::with_system_timer_always()` can be used to
+//! always prepend the system time even for simulation events:
+//!
+//! ```text
+//! 2024-09-10T14:39:22.124945Z [2001-02-03 04:05:06.789012345]  WARN model{name="my_model"}: my_simulation: something happened inside the simulation
+//! 2024-09-10T14:39:24.670921Z  INFO my_simulation: something happened outside the simulation
+//! ```
+//!
+//!
+//! # Event filtering examples
+//!
+//! Note that event filtering based on the `RUST_LOG` environment variable
+//! requires the `env-filter` feature of the
+//! [`tracing-subscriber`][tracing_subscriber] crate.
+//!
+//! The following `RUST_LOG` directive could be used to only let warnings and
+//! errors pass through but still see model span information (which is emitted
+//! as info):
+//!
+//! ```text
+//! $ RUST_LOG="warn,[model]=info" cargo run --release my_simulation
+//! [2001-01-01 00:00:06.000000000]  WARN model{name="kettle"}: my_simulation: water is boiling
+//! [2001-01-01 00:01:36.000000000]  WARN model{name="timer"}: my_simulation: ring ring
+//! [2001-01-01 00:01:36.000000000]  WARN model{name="kettle"}: my_simulation: water is ready
+//! ```
+//!
+//! In order to see warnings or errors for the `kettle` model only, this
+//! directive could be modified as follows:
+//!
+//! ```text
+//! $ RUST_LOG="[model{name=kettle}]=warn" cargo run --release my_simulation
+//! [2001-01-01 00:00:06.000000000]  WARN model{name="kettle"}: my_simulation: water is boiling
+//! [2001-01-01 00:01:36.000000000]  WARN model{name="kettle"}: my_simulation: water is ready
+//! ```
+//!
+//! If the `model` span name collides with that of spans defined outside
+//! `asynchronix`, the above filters can be made more specific using
+//! `asynchronix[model]` instead of just `[model]`.
+//!
+//!
+//! # Customization
+//!
+//! The [`tracing-subscriber`][tracing_subscriber] crate allows for
+//! customization such as logging to files or formatting logs with JSON.
+//!
+//! Further customization is possible by implementing a
+//! [`tracing_subscriber::layer::Layer`] or a dedicated [`tracing::Subscriber`].
+
+use std::fmt;
+
+use tracing_subscriber::fmt::format::Writer;
+use tracing_subscriber::fmt::time::{FormatTime, SystemTime};
+
+use crate::executor::SIMULATION_CONTEXT;
+
+/// A timer that can be used in conjunction with the
+/// [`tracing-subscriber`][tracing_subscriber] crate to log events using the
+/// simulation time instead of (or on top of) the wall clock time.
+///
+/// See the [module-level documentation][crate::tracing] for more details.
+#[derive(Default, Debug)]
+pub struct SimulationTime<const VERBOSE: bool, T> {
+    sys_timer: T,
+}
+
+impl SimulationTime<false, SystemTime> {
+    /// Constructs a new simulation timer which falls back to the [`SystemTime`]
+    /// timer for events generated outside the simulator.
+    pub fn with_system_timer() -> Self {
+        Self::default()
+    }
+}
+
+impl SimulationTime<true, SystemTime> {
+    /// Constructs a new simulation timer which prepends a [`SystemTime`]
+    /// timestamp to all tracing events, as well as a simulation timestamp for
+    /// simulation events.
+    pub fn with_system_timer_always() -> Self {
+        Self::default()
+    }
+}
+
+impl<T: FormatTime> SimulationTime<false, T> {
+    /// Constructs a new simulation timer which falls back to the provided
+    /// timer for tracing events generated outside the simulator.
+    pub fn with_custom_timer(sys_timer: T) -> Self {
+        Self { sys_timer }
+    }
+}
+
+impl<T: FormatTime> SimulationTime<true, T> {
+    /// Constructs a new simulation timer which prepends a timestamp generated
+    /// with the provided timer to all tracing events, as well as a simulation
+    /// timestamp for simulation events.
+    pub fn with_custom_timer_always(sys_timer: T) -> Self {
+        Self { sys_timer }
+    }
+}
+
+impl<const VERBOSE: bool, T: FormatTime> FormatTime for SimulationTime<VERBOSE, T> {
+    fn format_time(&self, w: &mut Writer<'_>) -> fmt::Result {
+        SIMULATION_CONTEXT
+            .map(|ctx| {
+                if VERBOSE {
+                    self.sys_timer.format_time(w)?;
+                    w.write_char(' ')?;
+                }
+                write!(w, "[{:.9}]", ctx.time_reader.try_read().unwrap())
+            })
+            .unwrap_or_else(|| self.sys_timer.format_time(w))
+    }
+}