  The generic trace format GenTra4CP has been defined in 2004 with the goal of
becoming a standard trace format for the observation of constraint solvers over
finite domains. It has not been used since. This paper defines the concept of
generic trace formally, based on simple transformations of traces. It then
analyzes, and occasionally corrects, shortcomings of the proposed initial
format and shows the interest that a generic tracer may bring to develop
portable applications or to standardization efforts, in particular in the field
of constraints.
