LoadRunner - How to record a file saving, performed by user from browser page?

LoadRunner - How to record a file saving, performed by user from browser page?

The problem:

This is a frequently asked question - why file downloading from a browser page (right mouse click, then "Save Target As...") was not recorded in LoadRunner VuGen script?

The difference between functional and load testing:
Actually, LoadRunner records a file transferring only, not downloading!
This is the principal difference between functional and load testing! I will describe it.


Functional testing is done from a user's viewpoint.
What does a user see? It sees windows, dialogs, UI cotrols.
For example, user can see downloaded html-page in a browser, or as plain text in a telnet session.
In this case, data transferring is the same (HTTP protocol), while data representation varies (browser or telnet session).

LoadRunner performs Load testing, i.e. it records and emulates data transferring between client and server. Data transferring only, not data displaying for user!
For the above example, html-page can be downloaded directly from web-server. Another variant - page can be downloaded from FTP-server (even using Secured FTP protocol - FTPS), and then data will be passed to browser. User will see the same page.
In this case, data representation is the same (browser page), while data transferring varies (HTTP or FTPS protocols).

So, remember the simple rule:

LoadRunner does not record client side activities!

Tips: That's why LoadRunner does not show browser windows during load testing.
Note: Please, do not tell me, that VuGen shows Run-Time Viewer during replay :)
The run-time viewer was developed specifically for script debugging. There is no dependency between data representations in Run-Time Viewer and in a real browser (for detailed info read Mercury Support Knowledge Base (http://kb-web.mercury.com, requires login), topic 14094 "What are the limitations of the Run-Time Viewer").

And that's why it is impossible to record a mentioned file downloading (
right mouse click, then menu item "Save Target As...") . The answer is simple - this is not a load testing :)
To perform this action, use functional testing tools - QTP, SilkTest, Selenium, and others.

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

Hi ,

Could you please explain some basics on how to start off a kick off meeting for performance testing

How to select protocols for webapplications (I now HTTP/HTML is worked) but multiple protocols for web applications

what parameters dow e need to concentrate on initially to proceed with performance testing.

Please give a brief discussion in your valuable blog.

it would be very advantegeous for all who merely involved in LR and to enhance their career in performance testing or for beginners to know how things are moving on in perf testing..

Thanks in advance,

pradeep said...

Please explain me how to create a script to findout the downloading of a file.

PartyPete said...
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
Anonymous said...

Hi
Can you please explain that a script written in QTP which contains transactions and parameterization can be called by VU controller easily or some editions has to be made in the script to make in run successfully in LR.
Secondly for QTP scripting language is vb script whereas for LR it is C++, then how can editions be made in the script if one wishes to.

Dmitry Motevich said...

@Anonymous,
1. I explained hare how to run QTP scripts from LoadRunner.
2. QTP should be edited within QTP editor. LR scripts - within LR editor.