The test creation wizard
starts when you record a test. To record the test, a proxy recorder
intercepts the HTTP traffic between the browser and the web server.
You can record a test from Microsoft Internet
Explorer, Mozilla Firefox, or from another browser.
Before you begin
The following recorders are available for recording HTTP
traffic from a browser:
- SOCKS proxy recorder: Use this recorder when no proxy connections
are required.
- HTTP proxy recorder: Use this recorder when proxy connections
are required to connect to the network or when the client program
does not support SOCKS.
- Socket recorder: Use this recorder for low-level network
traffic when the client does not support proxies.
If you are using Secure Sockets Layer (SSL), the proxy
recorder can cause authentication problems because SSL relays traffic
between the client and the server. Depending on the authentication
method in place, the client might require the proxy recorder to authenticate
itself as the server, and the server might require the proxy recorder
to authenticate as the client. If the client program requires an authenticated
server, you must either have access to the server certificate keystore
and provide it to the proxy recorder or configure the client to accept
the default certificate from the proxy recorder instead of the certificate
from the actual server.
If you have recorded a test that does not use SSL, you can convert that test to
be secure by adding an SSL object to the corresponding Server Access Configuration in the test.
Procedure
To record an HTTP performance test with a browser:
- In the Performance Test perspective, on the toolbar, click
the New Test From Recording icon
or click .
- In the New Test From Recording wizard,
click Create a test from a new recording, select HTTP
Test, and click Next. If
you are recording sensitive data, click Recording encryption
level and select the encryption level to record.
- On the Select Location page, select
the project and folder to create the test in, type a name for the
test, and click Next. If necessary,
click the Create the parent folder icon
to create a performance test
project or folder.
- On the Select Client Application page,
select the web browser to use. The type of application
defines the recorder that can be used. The following client application
types are supported for recording a service test:
- Microsoft Internet Explorer: This option
records traffic that is sent and received with Internet Explorer.
- Mozilla Firefox: This option records
traffic that is sent and received with Firefox.
- Google Chrome: This option records
traffic that is sent and received with Chrome.
- Apple Safari: This option records traffic
that is sent and received with Safari.
- Opera: This option records traffic
that is sent and received with Opera.
- Managed Application: This option starts
a browser that is not in the list.
- Unmanaged Application: This option
records HTTP traffic from one or multiple client programs that use
a proxy. You must manually start the client programs, and the proxy
recorder records all traffic that is sent and received through the
specified network port.
- Depending on your selection in step 4, take one of the
following necessary steps: On the Recorder Settings page,
depending on the browser that you selected, specify these details:
- If you selected a browser, specify the recording method.
- Click Record traffic with the proxy recorder to
record HTTP or SOCKS traffic through a proxy or click Record
traffic with the socket recorder to record low-level network
traffic for applications where a proxy cannot be used. Use this option
primarily when you are not using Mozilla Firefox or Microsoft Internet Explorer.
Note: When
using proxy recording, you can filter out HTTP or HTTPS requests to
a specific endpoints so that any requests to those endpoints are not
recorded. See
Proxy recording preferences.
- If the Web UI extension of the IBM® Rational® Test Workbench Web UI Tester is
installed and shell-shared with IBM Rational Performance Tester, you can
use the Record user actions option to record the functional aspects of the
application in the same HTTP recording session. Thus, both the functional and performance aspects of
the application are recorded.
- If the server requires client SSL authentication, you must provide
the client certificate keystore for the proxy recorder to be authenticated
by the server as though the proxy recorder were the client. Select
the The server requires a specific client certificate check
box. Specify the file name and password of the server certificate
keystore. If multiple certificates are required, click Multiple
certificates, and click Add to
specify a certificate keystore file name and password for each host
name and port.
- If you selected Mozilla Firefox, you can
choose to use a temporary Firefox profile. This starts Firefox without
any bookmarks, plug-ins, or toolbars that might be associated with
your usual profile. Select the Use an alternate Firefox
profile check box, and then select Use a temporary
Firefox profile.
- If you clicked Record traffic with the proxy recorder,
click Advanced to specify whether to use an
HTTP or SOCKS proxy recorder to review and edit network connection
settings that the browser uses or to specify advanced SSL authentication
settings. If you clicked Record traffic with the socket
recorder, specify advanced SSL authentication settings.
- If you selected Managed Application,
complete the following steps:
- On the Recording Method page, click a recorder
to record HTTP traffic and click Next.
- On the Managed Application Options page,
for Program path, click Browse to
select the program. If necessary, specify the Working directory, and
in the Arguments field, type the command-line
arguments that the program requires. Click Next.
- If the program requires user input from a command line interface,
select the Open console for user input check
box. Click Next.
- Depending on the recording method that you selected, complete
one of the following steps:
- On the Proxy Recorder Settings page, specify
whether to use an HTTP or SOCKS proxy recorder to review and edit
network connection settings that the browser uses or to specify advanced
SSL authentication settings.
- On the Socket I/O Recorder Secured Settings page,
specify advanced SSL authentication settings.
- If you selected Unmanaged Application,
on the Proxy Recorder Settings page, specify
whether to use an HTTP or SOCKS proxy recorder to review and edit
network connection settings that the browser uses or to specify advanced
SSL authentication settings.
- Click Finish. A progress
window opens while your browser starts.
- In the browser address field, type the address of the web-based
application to test, and activate the link.
Note: If you
enter the address of a secure website (one that starts with https:),
your browser might display a security alert. Depending on the security
certificate for the site, you might be required to accept a security
risk to proceed with the recording.
- Complete the user tasks to test. While you are recording,
follow these guidelines:
- Wait for each page to load completely. This wait does not affect
performance results, because you can remove extra waiting time (think
time) when you play back the test.
- Do not change any browser preferences.
You can use the
Recorder
Test Annotations toolbar to add comments, record synchronizations,
or take screen captures during the recording.
- To change the page name, click the Change page name icon
. In the resulting test, the page element in the test editor uses the new name; however, the
original name is preserved in the Page Title Verification Point area so that
page title verification points still work correctly.
- To add a comment to the recorded test, click the Insert comment icon
. You are prompted for a comment.
- To add a screen capture to the recorded test, click the Capture screen
icon
. Screen and window captures make your tests easier to read and help you visualize the
recorded test. You can change the settings for screen captures and add a comment to the image.
- To manually add a synchronization point to the recording, click the Insert
synchronization icon
.
- To manually add a transaction folder to the recording, click the Start
Transaction icon
and Stop Transaction icons
to start and stop the transaction. Transactions can be nested.
- To insert a split point into the recorded test, click the Split point
icon
icon. With split points, you can generate multiple tests from a single recording, which you
can replay in a different order with a schedule. See Splitting an HTTP test during recording for more information about splitting a
test.
- To filter packets that display during recording sessions, click the Filter
packets
icon. You can specify the filter criteria for the following elements: - SAP packet type
- SAP packet attribute
- Socket packet type
- Socket packet attribute
- Packet type
- Proxy connection IDs
- Citrix events
- A group of conditions
- Remote host
You can add and remove packet filters as needed.
- After you finish the user tasks in the browser, stop the recorder. You can stop the browser by
closing the client program or by clicking the Stop icon
in the Recording
Control view.
Results
A progress window opens while the test is generated. After
the test is complete, the
Recording Control view
displays the
Test generation completed message,
the test navigator lists your test, and the test opens in the test
editor.