Knowledge Base: The complete reference on UI and functionality

  • Basics - A few things you may need to know before you start using WAPT Pro.
      • System Requirements and Installation - How to choose proper hardware and install all components.
      • Testing Methods and Terminology - General concepts used in relation to any load testing tool and the process in general.
      • How Many Users Can Be Emulated by WAPT Pro? - How to estimate your requirements for the test and the corresponding software components.
      • Basic Actions - A short description of the main activities in a load testing project: from test recording to the report analysis.
      • Glossary - A reference to all technical terms used in this document.
      • Index - All topics in alphabetical order.

  • Testing with WAPT Pro - What to start with and what main features may be useful for you from the very beginning.
      • New Scenario Wizard - The work starts with creating a new test scenario. This is done in a wizard consisting on several steps.
          • Main Test Goal - The first wizard page is where you select the load type depending on your test goal.
          • Test Load Specification - Second step: test volume is specified in a number of ways depending on the load type.
          • Test Duration - Third step: specifying test completion conditions.
          • Virtual User Profiles - The last wizard step suggests starting recording profiles for the test.

      • Preparing a Test - You need to get familiar with several processes to create a good test for your web application.
          • Creating Virtual User Profiles - To emulate a number of concurrent similar user sessions you need to create a profile. You can create additional profiles for different types of users.

          • Recording a Virtual User - Perform user actions step by step while WAPT Pro records the session to the profile.
              • Recording Tests with Firefox, Chrome and Other Browsers - You can use any browser for recording or even connect from a mobile device.
              • How to Create a Performance Test for a Mobile Application - You can create performance tests for mobile applications.
          • Editing Test Sequences - You can edit the sequence of recorded requests (not recommended for beginners).
          • Editing Virtual User Profiles - A number of options are associated with each profile. Some of them affect the execution of the user sessions.
          • Editing Page Requests - Each page request has a number of options. You can edit them to insert session-specific values changing at runtime.
          • Work with Streaming Data - Streaming requests are executed in the background while the main sequence is continued concurrently. This is useful to emulate streaming media transfers and long downloads.

          • Editing Scenario Options - Test scenario specifies general test settings. They affect test execution and handling of the results.
              • Test Volume - You can specify how the number of virtual users changes for each profile during the test and how long the test will run.
              • Report Options - The appearance of test report can be customized to a certain extent.
              • Log Settings - Logs are useful for test debugging/verification, but you can also enable them for the test run. In such case you have a number of options that will let you wisely allocate system resources to this resource-consuming task.
              • Extended Results - In addition to the report, graphs and logs you can copy raw test data to external files for further processing.
              • Pass/Fail Criteria - Specify what conditions should be met to treat the test successful or failed.

          • Preparing a Distributed Test Run - You can use several load agents installed on different systems to create higher test load.
              • How to Add a New Load Agent Installed on a Remote Server - Load agents can be installed on any systems, including ones outside your local network.
              • Remote Test Management - You run tests from the workplace component of WAPT Pro. It connects to all load agents and manages their activity remotely.
          • Verifying a Test Scenario - Before running the test you need to verify that each profile works correctly and produces valid user sessions. You may need to parameterize session-specific values and verify again until you get the accurate emulation.
          • Setting Baseline Response Times - To check how the performance of your site changes under load you can fix a certain baseline response time value for each request. Response time under load will be higher. The ratio between these values will be the performance degradation factor measured by WAPT Pro.

          • Running a Test - You are ready to run a test and start receiving the results.
              • Parallel Execution of Requests - It is done for better emulation of the real work of web browser.
              • Changing the Current Load - You can change load parameters and load allocation during the running test.

      • Analyzing Test Results - Test results are provided in the form of reports, graphs, logs and additional optional files with the raw data.
          • HTML Report - The most important source of information on a test run is the report. It becomes available few seconds after you start the test providing partial data for your analysis.
          • Summary Report - The very basic test information averaged by a profile is provided in the Summary section.
              • Performance Data - This section shows the number of transactions per second for sessions, pages and hits.
              • Response Time - This section contains response times for each request.
              • Bandwidth Usage - Sending/receiving speed and amounts of transferred data.
              • Errors Report - Error rates for all types of errors and statistics on HTTP response codes.
          • Summary Graphs - Graphs generally provide the same information as the report, but through a better visual representation.
          • Graphs for Individual Pages - You can see graphs detailed to the level of separate page requests.
          • CSV Results - The same information as in the report can be generated in the form of CSV files.
          • WAPT Pro Result File - The best way to store the results of a test run for future review and analysis.

      • Advanced Tasks - Some functionality is not required to test simple web sites, but you will need it to deal with applications working with changing user data.
          • Parameter Value Dynamic Calculation - Session-specific values are usually passed in parameters of HTTP requests. You can replace the initially recorded values with the dynamically calculated ones.
              • WAPT Pro Functions - A number of built-in functions are used to calculate session-specific values. You can read them from files or extract from server responses.
              • One-Click Parameterization of User Profiles - In some cases you can parameterize several occurrences of the same value at once. WAPT Pro will search the whole session and will make replacements automatically.
              • Working with Session Variables - If a value appears in an unusual place, you still can replace it with a variable manually.

          • Post-processing of Recorded Requests - The main point of post-processing is the automatic parameterization of dynamic values.
              • Automatic Parameterization of Dynamic Values - WAPT Pro can parameterize certain values automatically right after recording a profile. You need to specify rules for that. After that you can record new profiles for the same site and get them ready to use immediately after recording.
              • Automatic Parameterization of JSESSIONID Cookie Values - WAPT Pro can automatically parameterize the JSESSIONID cookie values.
              • Automatic Parameterization of Access Tokens for OAuth Authorization - WAPT Pro supports the usage of OAuth authorization which includes the automatic parameterization of access tokens used in request headers.
              • Automatic Parameterization of CSRF Tokens - WAPT Pro can find CSRF tokens in the server responses and automatically parameterize them.

          • Collecting Performance Counters Statistics - In addition to the client-side data such as response time, WAPT Pro can collect performance information such as CPU and RAM usage directly from the servers running your web application.
              • Performance Counters Functions - Each counter is calculated by a JavaScript function that accesses values through WMI, SNMP or ODBC interfaces. You can create custom counters by adding your own functions.
              • Automatic Update of Microsoft SQL Server Statistics - MS SQL server may require an additional configuration step to provide counter data correctly.

          • WAPT Pro Integration with Jenkins - Include load testing tasks into your continuous integration process.
              • Support of Jenkins Pipeline Plugin - You can use the Jenkins Pipeline Plugin together with WAPT Pro.

          • JavaScript Support - When dealing with thick-client applications you may need to implement complex calculations for session-specific values in order to parameterize your profiles correctly. If this cannot be done by simple built-in functions, you can always use JavaScript code.
          • Operators for Managing the Behaviour of Virtual Users - A profile does not need to be executed as a fixed sequence of requests. You can add operators to create loops, conditional, random and other execution patterns.
          • Examining Logs of Test Run - When you want to check that a profile works correctly, you can take a look at the execution logs. This can be done on the test verification, as well as after a test run. Logs let you compare each server response with the originally recorded page.
          • Ask for Assistance from WAPT Team - You can get help from our experienced QA team.
          • WAPT Advisor - WAPT Pro has a special Advisor which displays a prompt message in case some trouble event occurs.
          • Automatic Analysis of Test Results - Find the slowest request or a period with a peaking error rate by implementing your own analysis functions in JavaScript.
          • Editing Reports Name Pattern - Customize the names for report and other output files with test data.
          • How to Set up Multiple IP Addresses on a Computer - If you have a load balancer, you may need to emulate users coming from different IP addresses. This is called IP spoofing.
          • Windows Firewall Setup Instruction - If Windows Firewall blocks incoming connections to the port of Recorder or Load Agent, you need to add a simple rule to Firewall settings.

  • Extended Data Format Support - While WAPT Pro can be used to test any web application, some technologies may be handled more efficiently if you install special modules that provide additional functionality.

      • Testing of ASP.NET Applications - You may facilitate the work with ASP.net applications by installing the Module for ASP.net testing.
          • ViewState and EventValidation Functions - The module adds two new functions that automatically handle standard ASP.net values.

      • Testing of Silverlight Applications - To work with the binary data used in MSBIN1 messages sent and received by applications implemented in Silverlight, you need to install the Module for Silverlight testing.
          • Editing of SOAP-MSBIN Requests - You can edit and parameterize the decoded messages in the form of XML documents.
          • XPath Function - You can use the XPath function to extract values from the MSBIN1 messages.

      • Testing of Flash-based Applications - To work with the binary data used in AMF messages sent and received by applications implemented in Adobe Flash, you need to install the Module for Adobe Flash testing.
          • Editing of AMF Requests - You can edit and parameterize the decoded messages in the form of XML documents.
          • XPath Function - You can use the XPath function to extract values from the AMF messages.

      • Testing of Applications with JSON Formatting - You may facilitate the work with web applications using JSON messages in the client-server communication by installing the Module for JSON format.
          • Formatted View of JSON in Requests and Server Responses - The module lets you see and edit JSON messages in a formatted view.
          • JPath and JSON Text Functions - The module adds two functions that work with JSON data.
          • Automatic Parameterization in JSON Messages - With the installed module, WAPT can find session-specific values in JSON messages received from the server and automatically parameterize them.

      • Testing of GWT Requests - GWT applications pass serialized data between the client and server. The Module for GWT testing can convert this data to XML for easier parameterization.
          • Parsing of GWT Requests - To make the conversion you need to provide the application code that serializes the data.
          • How to Make Jar/War Archive with Java Classes - You may need to pack your application code to an archive file in order to use it with WAPT Pro.

      • Testing of Requests with Binary Data - To work with any binary data in HTTP requests independently of the protocol used in your web application, you need to install the Module for binary formats.
          • Binary Search Function - You can extract values from binary responses with the help of an additional function implemented in the module.

      • Testing of SharePoint Applications - SharePoint applications use special tokens called "request digest". The Module for SharePoint Testing can extract these tokens from server responses and automatically parameterize them.
          • RequestDigest Function - The module adds a special function that works with the Request Digest values.

      • Testing of PeopleSoft Applications - PeopleSoft applications set a special cookie in the browser before the POST request is built. The Module for PeopleSoft Testing tracks this cookie in the headers of requests and automatically parameterizes its values.
          • Automatic Parameterization in Action - Here you can see how the module facilitates the process of parameterization of cookie values.

      • Testing of WebSocket Connections - The Module for WebSocket Testing allows WAPT to test sites and web applications which use WebSocket communications protocol.
          • WebSocket Connect Item - Makes a request for opening a WebSocket connection.
          • WebSocket Request Item - Makes a request for sending some data to the open WebSocket connection.
          • Recording of WebSocket Connections - Recorder creates a WebSocket Connect item and a number of WebSocket Request items in a profile.
          • Adding New WebSocket Items - You can add new WebSocket Connect and Request items manually.
          • Processing of Variables - The processing of variables is different for Connect and Request items.
          • JavaScript API - The module adds a new object "websocket" to WAPT Pro JavaScript API. You can use it in JavaScript-operators and JavaScript-functions.
          • Logging - WebSocket Connect and Request items are shown in the log tree.

  • WAPT Pro User Interface - The workplace component of WAPT Pro provides a convenient user interface for the test design and execution.
      • Program Menus - You can access the most common features through the main menu at the top of the WAPT Pro window.
      • Context Menus - Right-click on an interface element to display a context menu related to that element.
      • Toolbar - Main toolbar duplicates frequently used menu functions.
      • Additional Toolbar to Navigate Through the Log - Additional toolbar is located at the bottom of the left view. It provides functionality related to the log viewer.
      • Navigation Pane - You can select items in the left view to display their content in the right view.
      • Hot Keys - Some key combinations provide shortcuts to the frequently used functions.
      • Command Line - You can start test execution with the help of the command line interface. This way you can integrate WAPT Pro with other tools.
      • Load Agent Manager - A separate utility is used to manage the options of a load agent. You can run it from the Start menu on the system where the agent is installed.
      • x64 Load Engine Manager - For high volume tests you can replace regular agents with one or several load engines, which can generate over 10,000 concurrent virtual users per system.

      • Settings - All WAPT Pro settings affecting all profiles and scenarios are gathered in one dialog box with several tabs.
          • General Settings - The most general settings.
          • HTTPS Settings - Options related to the recording and execution of HTTPS sessions.
          • Parameterization Settings - Automatic parameterization is done after recording a profile according to the rules specified on this tab.
          • Recorder Settings - You can specify how to record some HTTP requests and create a list of skip masks.
          • JavaScript Settings - You can add files with JavaScript code you would like to call from your profiles.
          • E-mail Settings - Reports can be sent by email automatically after the test completion if you specify the corresponding options on this tab.
          • Prompts - Here you can switch on and off various prompt messages which are very useful when shown for the first time, but may become annoying later.
          • Module-specific Settings - Here you can view and modify the settings specific for WAPT Pro modules.