diff --git a/ldms/scripts/examples/linux_proc_sampler b/ldms/scripts/examples/linux_proc_sampler
index 2a13424bd..b5e1208c4 100644
--- a/ldms/scripts/examples/linux_proc_sampler
+++ b/ldms/scripts/examples/linux_proc_sampler
@@ -67,12 +67,15 @@ cat << EOF > $LDMSD_RUN/metrics.input
 }
 EOF
 rm -f $LOGDIR/json*.log
-#valgrind -v --tool=drd --log-file=$LOGDIR/vg.netlink.txt ${BUILDDIR}/sbin/ldms-netlink-notifier --port=61061 --auth=none --reconnect=1 -D 30 -r -j $LOGDIR/json.log --exclude-dir-path= --exclude-short-path= --exclude-programs --track-dir=${LDMSD_RUN}/ldms-netlink-tracked &
-#valgrind -v --leak-check=full --track-origins=yes --trace-children=yes  --log-file=$LOGDIR/vg.netlink.txt ${BUILDDIR}/sbin/ldms-netlink-notifier --port=61061 --auth=none --reconnect=1 -D 30 -r -j $LOGDIR/json.log --exclude-dir-path= --exclude-short-path= --exclude-programs --track-dir=${LDMSD_RUN}/ldms-netlink-tracked &
-${BUILDDIR}/sbin/ldms-netlink-notifier --port=61061 --auth=none --reconnect=1 -D 30 -r -j $LOGDIR/json.log --exclude-dir-path= --exclude-short-path= --exclude-programs --track-dir=${LDMSD_RUN}/ldms-netlink-tracked -x -e exec,clone,exit &
+drd="valgrind -v --tool=drd --log-file=$LOGDIR/vg.netlink.drd.txt --trace-cond=yes --trace-fork-join=yes"
+memcheck="valgrind -v --leak-check=full --track-origins=yes --trace-children=yes  --log-file=$LOGDIR/vg.netlink.memcheck.txt --keep-debuginfo=yes --malloc-fill=3b"
+#${BUILDDIR}/sbin/ldms-netlink-notifier --port=61061 --auth=none --reconnect=1 -D 30 -r -j $LOGDIR/json.log --exclude-dir-path= --exclude-short-path= --exclude-programs --track-dir=${LDMSD_RUN}/ldms-netlink-tracked &
+
+${BUILDDIR}/sbin/ldms-netlink-notifier --port=61061 --auth=none --reconnect=1 -D 30 -r -j $LOGDIR/json.log --exclude-dir-path= --exclude-short-path= --exclude-programs --track-dir=${LDMSD_RUN}/ldms-netlink-tracked -x -e exec,clone,exit  -L $LOGDIR/nl.log --heartbeat 1 -v 0 &
+
 # uncomment next one to test duplicate handling
 #${BUILDDIR}/sbin/ldms-netlink-notifier --port=61061 --auth=none --reconnect=1 -D 30 -r -j $LOGDIR/json2.log --exclude-dir-path= --exclude-short-path= --exclude-programs &
-VGARGS="--tool=drd --suppressions=/scratch1/baallan/ovis/ldms/scripts/examples/linux_proc_sampler.drd.supp"
+VGARGS="--tool=drd --trace-cond=yes --trace-fork-join=yes"
 VGARGS="--leak-check=full --track-origins=yes --trace-children=yes --show-leak-kinds=definite --time-stamp=yes --keep-debuginfo=yes --malloc-fill=3b"
 #vgon
 LDMSD 1
diff --git a/ldms/src/sampler/netlink/netlink-notifier.c b/ldms/src/sampler/netlink/netlink-notifier.c
index 6a661b214..036e0e380 100644
--- a/ldms/src/sampler/netlink/netlink-notifier.c
+++ b/ldms/src/sampler/netlink/netlink-notifier.c
@@ -230,6 +230,7 @@ typedef struct proc_info {
 	bool    excluded;	/* true if matches excluded path lists or uid bound */
 	bool    excluded_short;	/* true if matches excluded_short path list */
 	int	emitted;	/* values from EMIT_* below */
+	double duration;	/* -1 if unknown or seconds pid endured (only valid at end) */
 } proc_info_t;
 
 #define EMIT_NONE 0x0
@@ -320,6 +321,9 @@ typedef struct forkstat {
 	double opt_wake_interval;
 	char *compid_field;			/* compid field formatted, if requested */
 	char *prod_field;			/* ProducerName field formatted, if requested */
+	unsigned long format;			/* stream formatting version to use */
+	int heartbeat;				/* approximate seconds between heartbeats */
+	time_t lastbeat;			/* time of last beat */
 } forkstat_t;
 
 
@@ -405,6 +409,8 @@ static const int signals[] = {
 };
 
 /* add several structures related to filtering. */
+#define default_format "1" /* this is also the max format known */
+#define default_heartbeat NULL /* none by default*/
 #define default_component_id NULL
 #define default_ProducerName NULL
 #define default_track_dir "/var/run/ldms-netlink-tracked"
@@ -2105,8 +2111,10 @@ static void *monitor(void *vp)
 						d1 = timeval_to_double(&info1->start);
 						d2 = timeval_to_double(&tv);
 						(void)snprintf(duration, sizeof(duration), "%8s", secs_to_str(d2 - d1));
+						info1->duration = d2 - d1;
 					} else {
 						(void)snprintf(duration, sizeof(duration), "unknown");
+						info1->duration = -1.0;
 					}
 					if (ft->opt_flags & (OPT_UMIN | OPT_EXTRA)) {
 						if (info1->uid < ft->opt_uidmin) {
@@ -2350,6 +2358,8 @@ static struct exclude_arg excludes[] = {
 	{default_track_dir, VT_DIR, 0, "NOTIFIER_TRACK_DIR", NULL, 0, PLINIT},
 	{default_ProducerName, VT_SCALAR, 0, "NOTIFIER_PRODUCERNAME", NULL, 0, PLINIT},
 	{default_component_id, VT_SCALAR, 0, "NOTIFIER_COMPONENT_ID", NULL, 0, PLINIT},
+	{default_format, VT_SCALAR, 0, "NOTIFIER_FORMAT", NULL, 0, PLINIT},
+	{default_heartbeat, VT_SCALAR, 0, "NOTIFIER_HEARTBEAT", NULL, 0, PLINIT},
 };
 static struct exclude_arg *bin_exclude = &excludes[0];
 static struct exclude_arg *dir_exclude = &excludes[1];
@@ -2366,6 +2376,8 @@ static struct exclude_arg *send_log_arg = &excludes[11];
 static struct exclude_arg *track_dir_arg = &excludes[12];
 static struct exclude_arg *prod_arg = &excludes[13];
 static struct exclude_arg *compid_arg = &excludes[14];
+static struct exclude_arg *format_arg = &excludes[15];
+static struct exclude_arg *heartbeat_arg = &excludes[16];
 
 static struct option long_options[] = {
 	{"exclude-programs", optional_argument, 0, 0},
@@ -2383,6 +2395,8 @@ static struct option long_options[] = {
 	{"track-dir", required_argument, 0, 0},
 	{"ProducerName", required_argument, 0, 0},
 	{"component_id", required_argument, 0, 0},
+	{"format", required_argument, 0, 0},
+	{"heartbeat", required_argument, 0, 0},
 	{0, 0, 0, 0}
 };
 
@@ -2539,6 +2553,41 @@ static int set_interval(char *optarg, forkstat_t *ft)
 	return 0;
 }
 
+static int set_heartbeat(char *optarg, forkstat_t *ft)
+{
+	if (!optarg || !ft)
+		return EINVAL;
+	char *end = NULL;
+	ft->heartbeat = strtol(optarg, &end, 10);
+	if (ft->heartbeat < 0) {
+		PRINTF("Illegal --heartbeat: %s, must be positive\n", optarg);
+		return EINVAL;
+	}
+	if (*end != '\0') {
+		PRINTF("--heartbeat <integer> needed, not %s\n", optarg);
+		return EINVAL;
+	}
+	return 0;
+}
+
+static int set_format(char *optarg, forkstat_t *ft)
+{
+	if (!optarg || !ft)
+		return EINVAL;
+	char *end = NULL;
+	unsigned long max_format = strtoul(default_format, &end, 10);
+	ft->format = strtoul(optarg, &end, 10);
+	if (ft->format > max_format) {
+		PRINTF("Illegal --format: %s, must be <= %s\n", optarg, default_format);
+		return EINVAL;
+	}
+	if (*end != '\0') {
+		PRINTF("--format <integer> needed, not %s\n", optarg);
+		return EINVAL;
+	}
+	return 0;
+}
+
 static int set_duration_min(char *optarg, forkstat_t *ft)
 {
 	if (!optarg || !ft)
@@ -3029,6 +3078,7 @@ static int add_env_attr(struct env_attr *a, jbuf_t *jb, const struct proc_info *
 	return 0;
 }
 
+
 static jbuf_t make_process_start_data_linux(forkstat_t *ft, const struct proc_info *info,
 #if DEBUG_EMITTER
 					const char *type,
@@ -3087,42 +3137,78 @@ static jbuf_t make_process_start_data_linux(forkstat_t *ft, const struct proc_in
 
 }
 
+
 static jbuf_t make_process_end_data_linux(forkstat_t *ft, const struct proc_info *info, jbuf_t jbd)
 {
 	jbuf_t jb = jbd;
-	(void)ft;
 
 	if (!jb)
 		return NULL;
-	jb = jbuf_append_str(jb,
-		"{"
-		"\"msgno\":%" PRIu64 ","
-		"\"schema\":\"linux_task_data\","
-		"\"event\":\"task_exit\","
-		"\"timestamp\":%d,"
-		"\"context\":\"*\","
-		"\"data\":"
+
+	if (ft->format == 0)
+		jb = jbuf_append_str(jb,
 			"{"
-			"%s%s"
-			"\"start\":\"%lu.%06lu\","
-			/* format start_tick as string because u64
-			* is out of ovis_json signed int range */
-			"\"start_tick\":\"%" PRIu64 "\","
-			"\"job_id\":\"%s\","
-			"\"serial\":%" PRId64 ","
-			"\"os_pid\":%" PRId64 ","
-			"\"task_pid\":%d"
-			"}"
-		"}",
-		forkstat_get_serial(ft),
-		time(NULL),
-			ft->prod_field, ft->compid_field,
-			info->start.tv_sec, info->start.tv_usec,
-			info->start_tick,
-			info_jobid_str(info),
-			info->serno,
-			(int64_t)info->pid,
-			(int)info->pid);
+			"\"msgno\":%" PRIu64 ","
+			"\"schema\":\"linux_task_data\","
+			"\"event\":\"task_exit\","
+			"\"timestamp\":%d,"
+			"\"context\":\"*\","
+			"\"data\":"
+				"{"
+				"%s%s"
+				"\"start\":\"%lu.%06lu\","
+				/* format start_tick as string because u64
+				* is out of ovis_json signed int range */
+				"\"start_tick\":\"%" PRIu64 "\","
+				"\"job_id\":\"%s\","
+				"\"serial\":%" PRId64 ","
+				"\"os_pid\":%" PRId64 ","
+				"\"task_pid\":%d"
+				"}"
+			"}",
+			forkstat_get_serial(ft),
+			time(NULL),
+				ft->prod_field, ft->compid_field,
+				info->start.tv_sec, info->start.tv_usec,
+				info->start_tick,
+				info_jobid_str(info),
+				info->serno,
+				(int64_t)info->pid,
+				(int)info->pid);
+	else if (ft->format == 1)
+		jb = jbuf_append_str(jb,
+			"{"
+			"\"msgno\":%" PRIu64 ","
+			"\"schema\":\"linux_task_data\","
+			"\"event\":\"task_exit\","
+			"\"timestamp\":%d,"
+			"\"context\":\"*\","
+			"\"data\":"
+				"{"
+				"%s%s"
+				"\"start\":\"%lu.%06lu\","
+				/* format start_tick as string because u64
+				* is out of ovis_json signed int range */
+				"\"start_tick\":\"%" PRIu64 "\","
+				"\"job_id\":\"%s\","
+				"\"serial\":%" PRId64 ","
+				"\"os_pid\":%" PRId64 ","
+				"\"task_pid\":%d,"
+				"\"duration\":%.17g"
+				"}"
+			"}",
+			forkstat_get_serial(ft),
+			time(NULL),
+				ft->prod_field, ft->compid_field,
+				info->start.tv_sec, info->start.tv_usec,
+				info->start_tick,
+				info_jobid_str(info),
+				info->serno,
+				(int64_t)info->pid,
+				(int)info->pid,
+				info->duration);
+	else
+		jb = NULL;
 
 	return jb;
 }
@@ -3183,27 +3269,54 @@ static jbuf_t make_process_end_data_lsf(forkstat_t *ft, const struct proc_info *
 	jbuf_t jb = jbd;
 	if (!jb)
 		return NULL;
-	jb = jbuf_append_str(jb,
-		"{"
-		"\"msgno\":%" PRIu64 ","
-		"\"schema\":\"lsf_task_data\","
-		"\"event\":\"task_exit\","
-		"\"timestamp\":%d,"
-		"\"context\":\"*\","
-		"\"data\":"
+	if (ft->format == 0)
+		jb = jbuf_append_str(jb,
 			"{"
-			"%s%s"
-			"\"start\":\"%lu.%06lu\","
-			"\"job_id\":\"%s\","
-			"\"serial\":%" PRId64 ","
-			"\"os_pid\":%" PRId64 ",",
-		forkstat_get_serial(ft),
-		time(NULL),
-			ft->prod_field, ft->compid_field,
-			info->start.tv_sec, info->start.tv_usec,
-			info_jobid_str(info),
-			info->serno,
-			(int64_t)info->pid);
+			"\"msgno\":%" PRIu64 ","
+			"\"schema\":\"lsf_task_data\","
+			"\"event\":\"task_exit\","
+			"\"timestamp\":%d,"
+			"\"context\":\"*\","
+			"\"data\":"
+				"{"
+				"%s%s"
+				"\"start\":\"%lu.%06lu\","
+				"\"job_id\":\"%s\","
+				"\"serial\":%" PRId64 ","
+				"\"os_pid\":%" PRId64 ",",
+			forkstat_get_serial(ft),
+			time(NULL),
+				ft->prod_field, ft->compid_field,
+				info->start.tv_sec, info->start.tv_usec,
+				info_jobid_str(info),
+				info->serno,
+				(int64_t)info->pid);
+	else if (ft->format == 1)
+		jb = jbuf_append_str(jb,
+			"{"
+			"\"msgno\":%" PRIu64 ","
+			"\"schema\":\"lsf_task_data\","
+			"\"event\":\"task_exit\","
+			"\"timestamp\":%d,"
+			"\"context\":\"*\","
+			"\"data\":"
+				"{"
+				"%s%s"
+				"\"start\":\"%lu.%06lu\","
+				"\"job_id\":\"%s\","
+				"\"serial\":%" PRId64 ","
+				"\"os_pid\":%" PRId64 ","
+				"\"duration\":%.17g,",
+			forkstat_get_serial(ft),
+			time(NULL),
+				ft->prod_field, ft->compid_field,
+				info->start.tv_sec, info->start.tv_usec,
+				info_jobid_str(info),
+				info->serno,
+				(int64_t)info->pid,
+				info->duration);
+	else
+		jb = NULL;
 	if (!jb)
 		goto out_1;
 	size_t i, iend;
@@ -3285,25 +3398,52 @@ static jbuf_t make_process_end_data_slurm(forkstat_t *ft, const struct proc_info
 
 	if (!jb)
 		return NULL;
-	jb = jbuf_append_str(jb,
-		"{"
-		"\"msgno\":%" PRIu64 ","
-		"\"schema\":\"slurm_task_data\","
-		"\"event\":\"task_exit\","
-		"\"timestamp\":%d,"
-		"\"context\":\"*\","
-		"\"data\":"
+	if (ft->format == 0)
+		jb = jbuf_append_str(jb,
 			"{"
-			"%s%s"
-			"\"job_id\":\"%s\","
-			"\"serial\":%" PRId64 ","
-			"\"os_pid\":%" PRId64 ",",
-		forkstat_get_serial(ft),
-		time(NULL),
-			ft->prod_field, ft->compid_field,
-			info_jobid_str(info),
-			info->serno,
-			(int64_t)info->pid);
+			"\"msgno\":%" PRIu64 ","
+			"\"schema\":\"slurm_task_data\","
+			"\"event\":\"task_exit\","
+			"\"timestamp\":%d,"
+			"\"context\":\"*\","
+			"\"data\":"
+				"{"
+				"%s%s"
+				"\"job_id\":\"%s\","
+				"\"serial\":%" PRId64 ","
+				"\"os_pid\":%" PRId64 ",",
+			forkstat_get_serial(ft),
+			time(NULL),
+				ft->prod_field, ft->compid_field,
+				info_jobid_str(info),
+				info->serno,
+				(int64_t)info->pid);
+	else if (ft->format == 1)
+		jb = jbuf_append_str(jb,
+			"{"
+			"\"msgno\":%" PRIu64 ","
+			"\"schema\":\"slurm_task_data\","
+			"\"event\":\"task_exit\","
+			"\"timestamp\":%d,"
+			"\"context\":\"*\","
+			"\"data\":"
+				"{"
+				"%s%s"
+				"\"job_id\":\"%s\","
+				"\"start\":\"%lu.%06lu\","
+				"\"serial\":%" PRId64 ","
+				"\"os_pid\":%" PRId64 ","
+				"\"duration\":%.17g,",
+			forkstat_get_serial(ft),
+			time(NULL),
+				ft->prod_field, ft->compid_field,
+				info_jobid_str(info),
+				info->start.tv_sec, info->start.tv_usec,
+				info->serno,
+				(int64_t)info->pid,
+				info->duration);
+	else
+		jb = NULL;
 	if (!jb)
 		goto out_1;
 	int i, iend;
@@ -3546,6 +3686,33 @@ static int forkstat_set_json_log(forkstat_t *ft, const char *fname)
 
 static forkstat_t *shft;
 
+void heartbeat(forkstat_t *ft, time_t now, jbuf_t *jbd)
+{
+	if (!ft || !ft->heartbeat || !jbd || !*jbd)
+		return;
+	if (now - ft->lastbeat >= ft->heartbeat) {
+		ft->lastbeat = now;
+		jbuf_t jb = *jbd;
+		/* format similar to others without data object */
+		jbuf_reset(jb);
+		jb = jbuf_append_str(jb,
+			"{"
+			"\"msgno\":%" PRIu64 ","
+			"\"schema\":\"ldms-notify-status\","
+			"%s%s"
+			"\"timestamp\":%" PRId64 ","
+			"\"event\":\"heartbeat\",\"data\":{}}",
+				forkstat_get_serial(ft),
+				ft->prod_field, ft->compid_field,
+				(int64_t)ft->lastbeat
+			);
+		if (jb) {
+			send_ldms_message(ft, jb);
+		}
+		*jbd = jb;
+	}
+}
+
 #define DFLT_SORT_SZ 128
 static void *dump_pids(void *vp)
 {
@@ -3608,6 +3775,7 @@ static void *dump_pids(void *vp)
 		if (ft->opt_trace)
 			PRINTF("end UPDATE\n");
 
+		heartbeat(ft, tv.tv_sec, &jb);
 		nanosleep(&s, NULL);
 	}
 	jbuf_free(jb);
@@ -3788,6 +3956,12 @@ int main(int argc, char * argv[])
 		}
 		normalize_exclude(&excludes[c]);
 	}
+	if (set_format(format_arg->paths[0].n, ft)) {
+		fprintf(stderr, "Bad value %s for %s (>=0 & <= %s).\n",
+			 format_arg->paths[0].n, "format", format_arg[0].defval);
+		ret = EXIT_FAILURE;
+		goto abort_sock;
+	}
 	if (compid_arg[0].parsed && compid_arg->paths[0].n) {
 		size_t csz = strlen(compid_arg->paths[0].n) + 20;
 		char ctmp[csz];
@@ -3796,6 +3970,13 @@ int main(int argc, char * argv[])
 	} else {
 		ft->compid_field = strdup("");
 	}
+	if (heartbeat_arg[0].parsed && heartbeat_arg->paths[0].n &&
+		set_heartbeat(heartbeat_arg->paths[0].n, ft)) { // NPR fixme
+		fprintf(stderr, "Bad value %s for %s.\n",
+			heartbeat_arg->paths[0].n, "heartbeat. need seconds.");
+		ret = EXIT_FAILURE;
+		goto abort_sock;
+	}
 	if (prod_arg[0].parsed && prod_arg->paths[0].n) {
 		size_t csz = strlen(prod_arg->paths[0].n) + 20;
 		char ctmp[csz];
@@ -3813,6 +3994,7 @@ int main(int argc, char * argv[])
 		fprintf(stderr, "Bad value %s for %s or %s.\n",
 			 duration_exclude->paths[0].n, long_options[3].name, duration_exclude->env);
 		ret = EXIT_FAILURE;
+		goto abort_sock;
 	}
 
 	if (ft->opt_trace)
diff --git a/ldms/src/sampler/netlink/netlink-notifier.man b/ldms/src/sampler/netlink/netlink-notifier.man
index 4a54b784e..088f269b4 100644
--- a/ldms/src/sampler/netlink/netlink-notifier.man
+++ b/ldms/src/sampler/netlink/netlink-notifier.man
@@ -90,6 +90,8 @@ The 'short' options do not override the exclude entirely options.
 	 If not set, the component_id field is not included in the stream formats produced.
 --ProducerName=<name>    set the value of ProducerName
 	 If not set, the ProducerName field is not included in the stream formats produced.
+--format=N           change the format of messages to version N.
+         If not set, the highest available format is used. See MESSAGE FORMATS.
 .fi
 
 .SH ENVIRONMENT
@@ -107,6 +109,8 @@ NOTIFIER_LDMS_XPRT=sock
 NOTIFIER_LDMS_HOST=localhost
 NOTIFIER_LDMS_PORT=411
 NOTIFIER_LDMS_AUTH=munge
+NOTIFIER_FORMAT=1
+NOTIFIER_HEARTBEAT=(none)
 .fi
 Omitting (nullexe):<unknown> from NOTIFIER_EXCLUDE_PROGRAMS may cause incomplete output
 related to processes no longer present. In exotic circumstances, this may be desirable anyway.
@@ -127,6 +131,15 @@ Client applications may validate a file by checking the contents
 against the /proc/$pid/stat content, if it exists.
 Invalid files should be removed by clients or system scripts.
 
+.SH MESSAGE FORMATS
+Message formats tuned to SLURM, LSF, and Linux without a batch scheduler
+are published, based on what the notifier detects and the users choice of
+ProducerName and component_id. The version of the tuned formats is specified by number.
+.PP
+Format 0 omits the start time from slurm process end messages (since it is only sometimes known) and omits process duration, which depend on the start time.
+.PP
+Format 1 includes the start time for slurm process or the dummy value 0 when unknown) and includes process duration for all end messages. When the start time is unavailable, duration of -1.0 is published. Merging data from other sources may allow durations flagged as -1 to be computed in some later data cleanup step.
+
 
 .SH NOTES
 .PP
@@ -138,7 +151,13 @@ If not used with a sampler, the --component_id or --ProducerName options are nee
 to add a node identifier to the messages. Normally a process-following sampler that creates sets
 will add the node identifier automatically.
 .PP
+When the daemon is started after a process is started, the process start time and therefore process
+duration may not be available. In message formats which report start time, 0 indicates
+data was unavailable. For processes without completely known time bounds, the duration is reported
+as -1.0.
+.PP
 Options are still in development. Several options affect only the trace output.
+
 .SH EXAMPLES
 .PP
 Run for 30 seconds with screen and json.log test output connecting to the ldmsd from 'ldms-static-test.sh blobwriter' test: