Execution

Execution

Execution form is designed for the purpose of easily setting up and running 1 – 5 instances of jython scripts via grinder application and managing them. Please note that the execution is not capable to distribute load on multiple load generators, it is possible to run scripts only on one load generator machine.
The form consists of 2 tabs – Planning and Execution

Planning

Planning consists of 5 groups of input fields, each of group designed to run a separate instance of grinder script. Each group consists of:

• “Script to run” text box – meant for path to script file
• Button labeled (…) – this opens a browsing dialog for picking file manually
• “Nr. of threads” text box – Configuration option for chosen script to describe how many virtual users need to run.
• “Time between threads“ text box – Rump up configuration option describing time interval between each starting thread given in previous field. Time is measured in milliseconds. For example, if I would input 5 threads with 20000 time between threads (20 seconds) the start time for 5th thread will be (5-1)*20000ms = 80000ms =1 min 20 secs.
• “Total start time” text box – a read only field with calculated value of all thread start time. Both “Nr. of threads” and “Time between threads” textboxes must be provided in order for this field to be filled. This field updates on changes in these fields. Time is calculated with formula Time×(Threadcount-1), since first thread is started at beginning of execution.
• “Kill process after x min” text box – Configuration option describing after how long time period since last thread has been started the execution of script will be killed. Instances killed this way will still provide sufficient results to generate a report using Grinder Analyzer.

All fields besides “Script to run” are optional.

Besides these fields there is a “Start” button. Pressing this button will start script executions based on data provided from fields above and switch to “Execution” tab. If check-box “Clear log directory” is checked, default Grinder log directory (taken from configuration) is cleared of all files.

Execution

Execution tab is used for monitoring execution of scripts. The tab is based on groups of elements used by each separate instance of grinder. Each group has these elements:

• “Grinder process #” textbox – name of the script currently running. Label after this textbox shows the current status of the script. There are number of options
  • Disabled – this process is not currently used
  • Stopped – this process has been manually stopped
  • Running – this process is currently running
  • Stopped by timer – this process has been killed by previously set up timer
  • Done – this process has exited on its own, usually after completion of the script
• “Error count” textbox – a textbox that represents current error count of the running script.
• “Stop” and “Stop all” buttons – These buttons are active only if the script is running. If pressed they will kill the process. Note, that processes killed this way will not provide sufficient results for Analyzer. “Stop all” button will kill all grinder instances currently running

On lower part of form there is a scroll-able panel with console outputs for all 5 processes, one for each process in the corresponding order scripts were input. They are labeled “Grinder process #”. Each console has additional “Save as…” button that will allow saving console outputs for later. These buttons are enabled only if the console has been assigned with a process.