Easy way to automate testing

Introductory words about LoadRunner Analysis HTML reports:

I like watching on how my LoadRunner scripts work without my intervention. The plan is simple:

• I start LoadRunner Controller from command line
  
• Controller performs load testing
• After Controller finishes, it opens Analysis
• LoadRunner Analysis analyses :) and interprets results of load tests
  
• I create and export customized HTML report

Default HTML report looks like the following one:


The task I faced:

After Analysis completed working, custom HTML report should be created and exported automatically and be sent with email. After that, next load test can be started from bat-file. So, there are no any pauses for tester's intervention should be.

My custom HTML report should contain new graph - "Windows Resources". Also, several default pages should be removed - "Running Vusers", "Throughput", and "Transaction Summary". So, new HTML report should look like:

And the main condition is:

• this custom report should be generated automatically every time I started my production LoadRunner scripts

How I created custom reports before:

Actually, any custom report can be created manually... I added manually new graph ("Windows Resources"), deleted unnecessary pages, generated HTML report, saved it, attached to email and sent it.


Why I had to automate the creation of reports:

Above process requires tester's time (= mine). I'm lazy man and don't like wasting my time for such routine actions.

Another important reason to generate these custom reports automatically is that I created something like a framework, which:

1. restarts test server
2. configures and starts services of my application to be tested
   
3. starts LoadRunner tests
4. performs load testing
5. gathers and analyses results from automated tests
6. creates custom reports
   
7. attaches these reports to email and send to appropriate addressees
8. repeats the above actions for next automated LoadRunner test

I plan to share this framework in the nearest future, if anyone asks it :)


Well, let's start working on the current topic...

I will show how to edit a default report and save it as a template. After that, we will learn how to start LR Analisys from command line and how to work with a saved template.


How to create custom report:

I recommend to customize a default report and save it as a template.
To delete "Running Vusers", "Throughput", and "Transaction Summary" pages, select them in Session Explorer, right-click and select "Delete Item":

The new graph ("Windows Resources") adding is also intuitive. Just right-click on "Graphs" item and select "Add New Item / Add New Graph":

After that you can select new graph to added. In my case, I selected "Windows Resources" graph:
Note: if you want to add "Windows Resources" graph, it must be added to LR Controller. Please, read my previous post to see how add and process "Windows Resources" graph:
How to detect memory leaks with LoadRunner - visual tutorial

After that I rearrange the current list of graphs. For that just drag any item (graph) and drop it to required place. It's easy, really :)
After these manipulations, the list will be the same I wished:

Great! The finish is not far :)
Now I select menu "Reports / HTML Reprot..." and get the report I dreamt :)


The next step is saving of the current report as a template:

Select menu item "Tools / Templates / Save As Template...".
As a result, "Save As Template" dlg will be shown:
I perform the following:

• Uncheck "Automatically apply this template to a new session" checkbox.
  This will allow to load default template when I start LoadRunner Analysis. Unchecked option suits me.
  
• Check "Generate the following automatic HTML report" checkbox.
  If checked, the HTML report will be generated automatically. This is what I need.
• Check "Automatically save the session as" checkbox.
  It should be checked to correctly automatically close Analysis.
  
• Check "Automatically close Analysis after saving session" checkbox.
  I recommend to enable this option. It will be irreplaceable, if you plan a batch processing - that's our case.

So, prepared "Save As Template" dialog is shown on the screen shot:
Click OK btn to save new template.
Close LoadRunner Analysis. Now we are ready to perform last action.


Start LoadRunner Analysis from command line:

• To start only Analysys, execute the following command:
  path_to_AnalysisUI.exe
  
• To open *.lrr file (LoadRunner result file) or *.lra file (LoadRunner Analysis file), execute:
  path_to_AnalysisUI.exe -RESULTPATH path_to_lrr_or_lra_file
  
• To open *.lrr or *.lra file and apply a specified template, execute:
  path_to_AnalysisUI.exe -RESULTPATH path_to_lrr_or_lra_file -TEMPLATENAME name_of_template

There is an example for my template ("WinResTemplate"):
"c:\Program Files\Mercury\LoadRunner\bin\AnalysisUI.exe" -RESULTPATH C:\Temp\30users\30users.lrr -TEMPLATENAME WinResTemplate

Tips on the example:

1. Since path to AnalysisUI.exe contains spaces, use quotes (")
2. You have to specify name of template, not path!
   

That's all! Execute the example command from command line.
You will see that:

1. Analysis will be loaded
2. It will start processing lrr-file, which was produced by LoadRunner Controller.
3. After it precesses lrr-file, Analysis will apply template. That means, needed graphs only will be created. We have specified these graphs above.
4. Analysis will create HTML report
5. HTML report will be saved in specified path (I used - %ResultDir%\Windows_Resources_Report.html)
6. At the end, Analysis will be closed.

So, custom HTML report is ready without tester's intervention! Next LoadRunner test can be started from command line.

--
Dmitry Motevich,
living in LoadRunner-city :)