How to Use the Web App Simulator?

The following sections will describe in detail on how to record a transaction and configure the Web App Simulation component for monitoring.

How to Record a Transaction?

The Web App Simulation Recorder is a standalone desktop tool that is packaged with the eG agent and is installed on the computer / VM from where the simulation will happen. This is used to simulate the required web transactions and record the entire simulation to be played back at custom intervals later on.

To record a transaction, do the following:

Login to the host on which the eG agent is installed.
Execute the WebAppSimulationRecorder.exe from the <EG_INSTALL_DIR>\lib\Synthetic folder.
Figure 1 will then appear.

Figure 1 : The Web App Simulation Recorder
Here, specify the URL of the website using which you wish to record a sequence of transactions to build a script. Let us take http://teleportal.acme.com as an example.

Figure 2 : Entering the URL for simulation
In Figure 2, once you enter the URL, click the Start Recording button. Google Chrome browser opens automatically and the simulator hits the specified URL in Figure 2. Figure 3 will then appear prompting you to start the recording.

Figure 3 : Starting the recording
Click the OK button in Figure 3 to start the recording.
The next step towards building the script is to start the recording. The primary purpose of the recording is to start capturing the user transactions that are to be emulated.
Each activity that you do on the website will be recorded. For example, let us say take the case of recharging a mobile with a pre-paid plan. For this, in our example, we login into the website, ascertain the best pre-paid plan, proceed to recharge by making the payment. These transactions and activity pertaining to the transactions will be recorded in sequence.

Figure 4 : Recording an activity
Figure 4 captures each URL hit on the target web app as a transaction and every action (mouse click, keystroke etc) as an Activity. You can even use the Web App Simulation Recorder to record a transaction/activity where TOTP based two-factor authentication is used for user authentication. To know more on how TOTP based two-factor authentication works with web applications / web sites, refer to How TOTP based Two-factor Authentication Works With Web Applications?.
While you are recording a simulation, you are allowed to verify the page title or a text in the web page. This helps in maintaining a smooth navigation between web pages while replaying the simulation. To verify the page title, right click on the Google Chrome browser and follow the menu sequence: eG Web App Simulation Extension -> Assert Title (see Figure 5).

Figure 5 : Verifying the title of the web page

This will ensure that the title of the web page is verified. In our example, the page title is ACME TELCOM (see Figure 5) and the same will be verified while replaying the simulation. This will be added as an activity while performing the simulation (see Figure 6). Similarly, you can even verify a text in the web page. For example, you can verify the Payment Successful message in the web page while performing the simulation.
Once you have performed all the required transactions, you can stop the recording by selecting the Stop Recording button that appears in Figure 6.

Figure 6 : Stopping the recording
Once you have stopped the recording, you can even replay the recording to verify if you have perfectly recorded the script. For this, press the Play button as shown in Figure 7.

Figure 7 : Clicking the Play button to replay the recorded script
You are even allowed to modify / delete a transaction at any point of time. For this, you need to right click on a Transaction. Figure 8 will then appear using which you can provide your own name for that transaction. Note that you are not allowed to delete the very first transaction that you have recorded.

Figure 8 : Editing a transaction
When you click the Edit Transaction, Figure 9 will appear prompting you to rename the transaction.

Figure 9 : Renaming of the transaction
Similarly, you can delete an individual transaction alone or delete the transaction along with the activities performed in the chosen transaction.

You are even allowed to modify / delete an activity too. For this, you need to right click on an Activity and click the Edit Activity option. Figure 10 will then appear using which you can select the Activity and the Target:Value pair of the chosen activity.

Figure 10 : Editing an Activity

The below table lists the purpose of each Activity in detail.

Activity

Description

Target

Value

AssertText

Asserts an expected page text. Verifies whether the text in the Target location is the same as the Value specified

The location (XPath) of the text that should be matched against the Value.

The string that is expected in the Target location specified.

AssertNotText

Asserts a page text that is not expected. Verifies whether the text in the Target location does not contain the Value specified

The location (XPath) of the test should not match against the Value.

The string that is not expected in the Target location specified.

AssertTitle

Asserts an expected page title. Gets the title of a website and checks it against the provided Target text

The expected title.

Not applicable

AssertNotTitle

Asserts if a page title that is not expected appears. Gets the title of a website and checks it against the provided Target text

The title should not contain the Target text.

Not applicable

ClearandType

Clears and sets the value of an input field, as though you typed it in.

The location (XPath) where the Value should be typed.

The input string to be typed in the Target location.

Click

Clicks on an element (button, link, check box etc).

The location (XPath) of the element to be clicked at.

Not applicable

ClickAt

Moves mouse inside the element in the Target location and clicks it.

The location (XPath) of the element to be clicked at.

Not applicable

CloseWindow

Closes the tabs and windows

Index of the tab to be selected. 0 is the main window/tab, 1 the first tab to the right, 2 the second, and so on.

Not applicable

DoubleClick

Double-clicks on the element in the Target location.

The location (XPath) of the element to be double-clicked.

Not applicable

ExitFrame

Exits the current frame and moves to the top of the web page.

Not applicable

Pause

Delays the execution of the simulation by a specified time.

The duration (in secs) of the delay.

Not applicable

Scroll

Scrolls the web page up or down.

X,Y coordinates of the web page to be scrolled. Example: 0,400.

Not applicable

Select

Selects the specified Value from the element (drop-down/combo box/list box) in the Target location.

The location (XPath) of the element.

The value to be selected from the element in the Target location.

SelectFrame

Switches to the frame that uses the Target index.

Pass the frame index. 0 is the first frame, 1 is the frame below it, and so on. For nested iframe, the format is 0,1,2,3,...n. Example: 0 for an iframe (OR) 0,5,2 for a nested iframe.

Not applicable

Sendkeys

The location (XPath) of the element from which the keystrokes have to be sent.

Key or Value to be sent. Refer the table below for the format in which the Value needs to be provided:

Key	Value
Enter	${KEY_ENTER}
Escape	${KEY_ESC}
Tab	${KEY_TAB}
Delete	${KEY_DELETE} or ${KEY_DEL}
Backspace	${KEY_BACKSPACE} or ${KEY_BKSP}
Up Arrow	${KEY_UP}
Down Arrow	${KEY_DOWN}
Left Arrow	${KEY_LEFT}
Right Arrow	${KEY_RIGHT}
Home	${KEY_HOME}
End	${KEY_END}
Page Down	${KEY_PAGEDOWN}
Page Up	${KEY_PAGEUP}
Alt	${KEY_ALT+*}
CTRL	${KEY_CTRL+*}
Shift	${KEY_SHIFT+*}

* - Represents a Character or key such as CTRL+c, Alt+Tab, etc.

Submit

Submits the element in the Target location.

The location (XPath) of the element to be submitted.

Not applicable

Type

Sets the value of an input field, as though you typed it in.

The location (XPath) of the element in which the Value is to be typed.

The value to be typed in the element in the Target location.

TypeWithEncrypt

Sets the Value of an input field, as though you typed it in and encrypts that Value.

The location (XPath) of the element in which the Value is to be typed.

The value to be typed in the element in the Target location.

StoreText

Gets the text of an element and stores into a variable for later use.

The location (XPath) of the element that contains text to be stored.

The name of a variable. Only uppercase letters, digits and underscore (_) characters are allowed.

StoreValue

Gets the value of an element and stores into a variable for later use.

The location (XPath) of the element that contains value to be stored.

The name of a variable. Only uppercase letters, digits and underscore (_) characters are allowed.

Echo

Prints the specified string or variable in log file.

The value to be printed in log file. Use @{VariableName} format to print the value of a stored variable.

Not applicable

GoBack

Go back to previous page in the browser history. This is exactly similar to what happens when you click on the Back button in your browser, if you have some history in backward direction.

Not applicable

GoForward

Go back to next page in the browser history. This is exactly similar to what happens when you click on the Forward button in your browser, if you have some history in forward direction.

Not applicable

GoToURL

Loads a new web page in the current browser window.

The full URL beginning with HTTP/S of the new web page.

Not applicable

AssertFileAvailable

Assert an expected file's availability Verifies, whether the specified file in Target location is available.

The absolute path (includes file name) of the file. Also can use wildcard specifiers in file name, e.g., *txt to search files with extension or *.* to search any files in specified location.

Not applicable

AssertFileNotAvailable

Assert an expected file's unavailability Verifies, whether the specified file in Target location is not available.

The absolute path (includes file name) of the file. Also can use wildcard specifiers in file name, e.g., *txt to search files with extension or *.* to search any files in specified location.

Not applicable

AssertDesktopWindowExistByTitle

Asserts an expected window displayed on the system's desktop with a given title. Enumerates all desktop windows title and verifies whether the text in the target location is present.

The string that is expected to be present (case insensitive and exact match) on desktop windows title.

Not applicable

AssertDesktopWindowNotExistByTitle

Asserts an expected window not displayed on the system's desktop with a given title. Enumerates all desktop windows title and verifies whether the text in the target location is not present.

The string that is expected not to be present (case insensitive and exact match) on desktop windows title.

Not applicable

CloseDesktopWindowByTitle

Close the desktop windows by its title. Enumerate all desktop windows and close

The title (case insensitive and exact match) of desktop window to be closed.

Not applicable

CreateFile

Creates a file at the specified location if not exists and writes given string to the file.

The absolute path (includes file name) of the file to be created.

The input string to be written in the file.

OpenFile

Opens a file with associated / default application from the specified location.

The absolute path (includes file name) of the file to be opened. Also can use wildcard specifiers in file name, e.g., *.txt to open latest file with the extension or *.* to open latest file in specified location.

Choose another application to open file e.g., wordpad.exe to open any text file. (optional)

DeleteFile

Deletes a file in the specified location.

The absolute path (includes file name) of the file to be deleted. Also can use wildcard specifiers in file name, e.g. *.txt to delete files with the extension or *.* to delete any files in specified location.

Not applicable

AssertProcessRunningByName

Asserts an expected process is running on the local computer with given name. Verifies whether the specified process in Target location is running.

The friendly name (case insensitive and exact match) of the process. It does not include the .exe extension or the path.

Not applicable

AssertProcessNotRunningByName

Asserts an expected process is not running on the local computer with given name. Verifies whether the specified process in Target location is not running.

The friendly name (case insensitive and exact match) of the process. It does not include the .exe extension or the path.

Not applicable

StopProcessByName

Kill or focus a termination of the specified process(es) running on the local computer by its friendly name.

The friendly name (case insensitive and exact match) of the process(es) to be stopped. It does not include the .exe extension or the path.

Not applicable

CreateOrOverwriteFile

Creates a file at the specified location or overwrites if already exists.

The absolute file path (includes file name) of the file to be created or overwritten.

The input string to be written in the file.

AssertURLTextAvailable

Asserts a specified text present on the current page/URL. Gets the site URL and checks it against the provided Target text.

The string that is expected to be present on the page URL.

Not applicable

AssertURLTextNotAvailable

Asserts a specified text present not on the current page/URL. Gets the site URL and checks it against the provided Target text.

The string that is not expected to be present on the page URL.

Not applicable

AssertVariableValueExist

Asserts a specified value exists in the stored variable. Verifies whether value of the stored variable in the Target location is same as the value specified.

The name of a variable. Use @{VariableName} format to validate the value of specified variable.

The string that is expected to be present in the variable.

AssertVariableValueNotExist

Asserts a specified value not exists in the stored variable. Verifies whether value of the stored variable in the Target location is not same as the value specified.

The name of a variable. Use @{VariableName} format to validate the value of specified variable.

The string that is not expected to be present in the variable.

StoreMFAToken(TOTP)

Time-based One Time Password (TOTP) is a multi-factor authentication method to generate a one-time password (OTP) typically used for authenticating users. Generates TOTP token from the shared secret key and stores into a variable for later use.

The shared secret key used to generate a one-time password.

The name of a variable to store the one-time password. Only uppercase letters, digits, underscore (_) characters are allowed.

EnumDesktopWindows

Enumerate all desktop windows and print its details in log file. Useful for debugging.

Not applicable

ImplicitClick

Implicit clicks on an element (button, link, checkboc, etc)

The location (XPath) of the element to be clicked at.

Not applicable

ImplicitType

Sets the value of an input field, as though you implicitly typed it in.

The location (XPath) of the element in which the Value is to be typed.

The value to be typed in the element in the Target location. Use @{VariableName} format to type the value of a stored variable.

MouseOver

Moves mouse over (hover) the element in the target location.

The location (XPath) of the element to be moused over.

Not applicable

RefreshPage

Refreshes the current page as if you have pressed F5 button on the browser.

Not applicable

SelectWindow

Switches to a browser tab or a window that uses the Target index.

Index of window/tab to switch to. 0 is the main window/tab, 1 is the first tab to the right, 2 is the second, and so on.

Not applicable

WaitForElementDisable

Wait for a target element to be either disabled or invisible on the page.

The location (XPath) of the element to be disabled.