[OpenSTA-users] Re: Getting started

[Daniel S. <da...@Op...>]

Victor J Stachura wrote:
> I too just got started with OpenSTA and have gotten it to work just
> fine.  If you read the Getting Started help text, that should tell
> you what you need to know.

Ijan, have you not found the "Getting Started Guide"?  It's here:
  http://opensta.org/docs/gsg/
The idea behind this document was to help people just like you - if
it has shortcomings then please ask specific questions here and
suggest how improvements couldbe made.

> But the basic steps are:
>  1) Make sure the OpenSTA Name server is running
>  2) Start the OpenSTA Commander
>  3) From the options menu select the browser you are using - IE6
>     works well.
>  4) Select File->New Script->http.  This will start the Script
>     Modeler.  From here if you press the 'Record' button your browser
>     should start and then you can access your Web site.  Your session
>     is recorded.  At the end of your session stop recording.
>  5) You can then create a new test group and assign the script you
>     recorded to it.

This is a good basic specific step by step approach (although 3 and 4
need to be swapped - you select your browser in the Modeler).  Maybe
it's a conceptual issue of understanding rather than specifics though
if so then maybe this could help:
 - Create a Script (the steps your simulated user will take)
    - a Script is created in the Commander by right clicking
    - double clicking on the script opens the Modeler for creation
    - in the Modeler a script can be created by recording a browser
      session and/or editing using the OPenSTA SCL scripting
      language
 - Optionally create Collectors (for gathering other data)
 - Create a Test (specification of how many users will be simulated
                  and what they will be doing - the Script)
    - created through Commander GUI
    - Scripts and/or Collectors are dragged onto Task Columns
    - various attibutes of Test: # of VUs, sequence, etc edited
 - Run the Test (simulate many virtual users and collect stats)
    - test can be started and monitored from Test pane in Commander
 - Analyse the results 
    - basic result graphs can be viewed in the Commander
    - further analysis can be performed by exporting the results

Hope this helps
/dan
-- 
Daniel Sutcliffe <Da...@Op...>
  OpenSTA part-time caretaker - http://OpenSTA.org/