A method of obtaining trace data with respect to a running software program includes accessing a method in a call stack, the call stack including a sequentially ordered list of methods called during the running of the software program. If the accessed method in the call stack falls between a minimum trace offset and a maximum trace offset where the minimum trace offset and the maximum trace offset define a trace window, obtaining trace data for the method and outputting it to an output stream which is then collected into a trace data storage. If the trace data in the trace data storage meets predetermined adaptation rules then changing the position in the call stack of at least one of the minimum trace offset and the maximum trace offset.