[OpenSTA-devel] Re: Codemax 2

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

JC Dus wrote:
> I used OpenSTA for the first time in my last mission and found out
> it's a pretty great tool for Web load testing.  In this specific
> context, I had to deal with a proprietary framework wich was using
> many identifiers (well three, but tricky enough) to ensure
> client/server conversation to be in a valid state, and I found myself
> spending more time looking in the logs to put the pieces together
> then scripting.  So I thought OpenSTA would really benefit such
> features as automatic correlation of this identifiers.  Right now, I
> am really thinking of basic stuff, like using rules (if possible) to
> automatically create variables, or comparing recorded HTTP
> conversation during a replay with the current HTTP conversation to
> find out differences.  These differences would then be a pool of
> candidate variables to be created in the script.

I'm still not 100% sure of what type of things you intend to pull out
as candidates for variables - there's lots of possibilities.  Maybe a
quick simple example would help.  Whatever it sounds like something
which would be generically useful and thus something which more
people would be willing to help you achieve...

> > > But since I haven't got VC++ 6 at my disposal, I am currently
> > > trying to compile a dotNet version of the modeller, so I could
> > > then write my addons in C#.
> 
> > That, in itself, is a project that I believe will be of interest
> > to many here - I don't have dotNet but I'll be interested in
> > hearing all this entails...
> 
> Yes, I realized that when I first try to compile the full build.
> That's why I have decided to focus on the Modeler (which is the part
> that I really need to compile succefully),  By still producing
> correct SCL scripts, I could use the "standard" OpenSTA components
> to run the tests.

Given the rough idea of what you want to achieve I think you might
actually be looking at the wrong place for code to alter.  The
recording is performed by the Gateway (a completely seperate
component to the Modeler) and produces a TOF file.  The Modeler uses
the Tof2SCL.dll to then translate this into the SCL...  Maybe you'd
be better looking at these areas, or maybe I'm grabbing the wrong
end of the stick ;-)

> > > I already fixed a few things but now I miss codemax to go
> > > further.
> 
> > Please provide more information on your "fixes" and make sure
> > that all these get back to me, however small.
> 
> Ok, my two cents :

Aha - it sounds like much of what you are doing are not really what
I'd call "fixes" but more "porting" to a different compilation
environment.  Some times you'll find general issues here that should
be fixed because the new environment has better checking - other
times you'll have to break compilation in the new environment to make
the new one work.  Obviously I'm interested in the former, but the
latter needs to be treated carefully.

> Sorry but I am working alone on this so I didn't bother use a
> versioning tool.

No need for you to work in any versioning tool - although I find it
useful even when working alone - just keep a copy of the virgin
sources around and a good diff/comparator tool can help remind you
of what you've had to change.  Another hint, and something I find
very difficult to do is to keep your changes as small as possible
and don't alter tabs to spaces (etc.) - this just helps keeping track
of the changes easier, even if you find the coding standards horrible
to read through (which I mostly do)...

Anyway, don't be afraid to ask about anything in the source - publish
anything you find "strange" here, and generally keep us informed of
what you are doing - it's much easier to get something going when you
are not working totally alone.

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