Prerequisites
Before
you can test the performance of Citrix applications, a Citrix XenApp
client must be installed on the same computer as IBM Rational Performance
Tester. The Citrix XenApp client is required for recording and execution
of performance tests.
If you are deploying tests over remote
computers to emulate a large number of users, the following software
must be installed on each remote computer:
- The Citrix XenApp client
- The IBM Rational Performance Tester Agent
Limitations
Citrix
performance tests use window creation and change events, and optionally
image recognition techniques, to synchronize user input with server
output. Before you record a session with a Citrix application, the
behavior of that application must be perfectly reproducible. Specifically,
the application must always create windows and GUI elements at the
same locations and in the same sequence. Mouse or keyboard events
must always produce the same output. Consider these examples:
- If the application displays windows or dialog boxes on only the
first execution of a particular program or feature, such as tips or
security warnings, ensure that they are disabled when you record the
test. Any windows or dialog boxes that were recorded but are not displayed
on subsequent executions, or displayed at different coordinates on
the screen, will fail the test and cause synchronization timeouts.
- If you save a file during a recorded session, the application
might issue a warning for an existing filename when you replay the
tests. If the warning was not in the recorded session, this will fail
the test and cause errors.
It is essential to be aware of the context of user actions
when you edit a test. Because the Citrix performance tests interact
with the Citrix XenApp client at a very low level (mouse movements
and key presses) any changes that you make to the test after the recording,
such as moving test elements, adding loops or conditions, or inserting
new sequences, can alter the context of the emulated user actions
and cause synchronization timeouts.