Capturing a Web Transaction

Before you start using the Web Transaction Capture Tool, BMC recommends that you plan out and rehearse the transaction that you want to record using a Web browser.

Planning a Web Transaction

It is important to plan the transaction you intend to replay before you actually start recording it since any erroneous mouse clicks or keystrokes will result in an invalid transaction that may fail when executed by the monitor. This step will also help you anticipate the actions you want to record, as well as avoid any surprises that might pop up (literally!) when you are working with and recording live Web sites.

1. Delete cookies and temporary files from your browser.
   Before launching your browser, it is critical to delete all cookies that have been set in your browser and clear all pages that may be stored in cache. Failure to do this might produce unexpected results, like an incorrect HTML page, when your transaction is later executed by the monitor.

   Internet Explorer on a Windows computer is the preferred platform since this is the environment supported by the Web Transaction Capture Tool.

2. Launch a text editor, such as Notepad, or use a pencil and paper to keep track of your actions.
   It is strongly advised that you write down the exact steps you take and the actions you want to execute as you click through the intended transaction. In reality, most Web sites are fairly complex and you may be confronted with pop up windows, log in forms,  advertisements, and other such innovative features. In the Recording your Transaction topic, we will discuss these specific issues, but for now it is important to note your steps and any surprises that might appear. Launch your browser and start your transaction with the first URL.
   For this tutorial, we use the bmc.com Web site to record a transaction. As you click through the site, remember to write these steps on paper or in the text editor. Your transaction planning sheet would look like this:

   1. Go to http://www.bmc.com
   2. Click Products and Solutions option in Company menu.
   3. Click TrueSight Operations Management.
   4. Stop (close the browser).

   Remember - this is the trial run of the transaction. Take time to look at the Web pages and plan out what you actually want to record.

3. Note the Content Match parameters.

   You will most likely want to ensure that the transaction you are about to record actually returns the content you were expecting. To do this you will use Content Matching. For this sample transaction, you want to ensure that you have reached the TrueSight Operations Management page. To do so, make a note on your planning sheet to attach a Positive Content Match for the string TrueSight Operations Management (step b below). Alternately, add a note to attach a Negative Content Match for the string No listings were found (step e below).
   Your transaction planning sheet would now look like the following:

   1. TrueSight Operations Management transaction with content matches: http://www.bmc.com
   2. Go to Products and Solutions > TrueSight Operations Management
   3. Positive content match: TrueSight Operations Management
   4. Negative Content match: No listings were found
   5. Stop (close the browser)

   Positive Content Match

   A positive content match on a page verifies that the specified text string is found on the page. If that string is not found, the transaction fails.
   
   Negative Content Match

   A negative content match flags the transaction as failed if the specified string appears anywhere on the page.

4. Planning step completed

5. You have now completed the first step of planning the transaction and will now use your planning sheet to go back and actually record the same steps you just rehearsed and made notations about.

   You will find that the more detailed your planning is, the easier it is to create a reliable and effective monitor. 

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Creating a Web Transaction

Before you actually create a new Web Transaction, you should plan your transaction and practice creating a transaction using a Web browser.

For details, see Planning a Web Transaction. For details about creating a new Web Transaction, see Recording a new Web Transaction.

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Need for the transaction file

The Web Transaction File is the basis for the Web Transaction Monitor. A Web Transaction File saves Web browser activities, which the monitor plays back to record the Web site availability and response time.

If the Web Transactions Knowledge Module is installed, the .tran file will be saved at %PATROL_HOME%\WTX\Shared\usr_apps\webtranx directory.

If the Web Transaction Capture Tool is installed separately, the .tran file will be saved at installDirectory\webtranx directory.

Launching the Web Transaction Capture Tool

You create Web Transaction Files using a Windows PC, then export the files to the BMC TrueSight Server for use with Web Transaction Monitors.

1. Open the Web Transaction Capture Tool directory i.e %PATROL_HOME%\WTX\WebRecorder and run Recorder.exe.
   If the tools is installed separately, open the installDirectory and run Recorder.exe.
2. In the Web Capture screen to start recording a series of steps as a transaction, click Record. For details, see Recording a new Web Transaction.

For a description of each option available in the Web Capture screen, see Web Transaction Capture screen field descriptions.

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Recording a new Web Transaction

Use the Web Transaction Capture Tool to record your transaction and create a Web Transaction File.

1. Launch the Web Transaction Capture Tool.
   For information about Launching the  Web Transaction Capture tool, see the above section; Launching the Web Transaction Capture tool.

2. In the URL field, enter the address of the Web site and click Go.
   The static BMC ProactiveNet icon next to the Go button turns dynamic. The icon returns to its static state to indicate that the navigation to the intended URL is complete.

   Do not click any button or option on the screen when the icon is changing its status. This may lead to errors.

   
   
   
   

   If the Title Match check box in the Recorder is turned on, then title of the Web pages are automatically recorded as Positive Content Match and the Title Match is enabled automatically in Content Match Details screen.

3. Enter the starting URL, that is the first step of the transaction, in the URL field. In this example, we use http://www.bmc.com as the first step.
   You can record additional links within the Web site by simply clicking on the respective links. They will automatically be added to the transaction file.
   
   
4. Follow the steps you have planned. To continue the trial transaction recording, go to Watch the video (2:27).
   The Web Recorder window records every page you visit in the Web site. This info is available to you in the Step Info section.
   
   While recording there will always be a slight delay from when you click on a link and when the next page is actually rendered (more of a delay than usual). Be sure to wait until the page is completely loaded before clicking on the next button or link. If you do not wait there is a chance that the step will not be recorded correctly in the transaction file, which will cause the transaction to fail. One way to verify that you have correctly recorded each step is to verify that the step is recorded in the Step Info section after each click.
   
   The Log Info tab is useful when you are trying to troubleshoot a failed transaction. This tab consists of two more tabs - Debug and Error. The Debug tab contains all debug messages associated with the transactions and the Error tab lists errors that occurred during recording.

5. Insert text for Content Match. For example, Infrastructure Availability. The recommended way to insert a content match is to copy the text from the View Source feature. For proper content match, the text should be pasted directly from the HTML source of the URL. 
   
   Do not copy the text from the page as displayed in the browser, for there could be extra characters in the HTML source that are hidden.
   Use this feature to monitor changes in the Web content on the Web sites. Content matches apply to specific pages.
   
   

   Content Matching may only contain alphanumeric characters (Internationalization support).

   1. In the Step Info section, select the step for which you want to add a content match.

   2. Go to Record > View Source.

   3. Copy the content match text and paste it in the Content Match section of the recorder.

   4. Select Positive or Negative.

   5. Click Insert.

   
   Follow the above steps to insert multiple content match strings for a step.
   
   Positive Match: This displays an error if the string is not found on the designated page. The text strings must appear in the designated URL or frame for the monitor to report success. The monitor reports success only if all strings are found. If all the multiple strings are found, then the monitor reports success.
   
   Negative Match: This displays an error if the string is found on the designated page. If the text strings appear in the designated URL or frame, the monitor reports failure (no response). The monitor reports failure if any one of the strings is found.
   Example: 
   HTTP 404;The page cannot be found
   
   If any one of the negative content match strings is found, then the monitor reports failure.
   
   This is the exact string that must be used for defining content matches. Remember that the monitor is case-sensitive and the string should be entered EXACTLY as it appears on the HTML source. The reason is that there may be multiple frames in the Web page, and this option will not display any of the frame source text (it is, however, useful for identifying the URLs for all frames in the page). Instead, you should right-click on the frame of interest and select View Source.
   
   The Operations Console lists Web monitor attributes such as Source Agent and Collect Data.
   
   You can define multiple content matches on a page by repeating this step. Once the form is open, you can insert content match strings for every steps without having to open and close the form every time you want to insert a content matching string. If you make a mistake, such as typing an incorrect string or inserting it in the wrong place, you can change it by clicking Edit.
   
   

   The Web Transaction Monitor supports Unicode characters in Web content. However, it does not support Unicode characters in a pop-up log in Authentication Info.

   
   POP-UP log in: If a logon pop-up (Basic/Digest/NTLM Authentication) window appears during the transaction, refer Pop-up Windows help topic.
   You may also run into more complicated transaction recordings, such as System Authentication pop-up screens, advertisement windows, and other complex transactions. For information on working with these, refer Pop-up Windows topic.

6. Click Stop to stop the transaction recording.
   The Save Transaction File window is displayed. Specify a name for your transaction file and click Save. The file is saved with the extension .tran in %PATROL HOME%\WTX\Shared\usr_apps\webtranx directory or installDirectory\wbtranx, if the Web Transaction Knowledge Module is not installed.

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Recording another transaction in the same user session

If required, you can record another transaction immediately after you have saved one. To do this, click Reset on the Web Capture window. This clears the recorder window and displays the default setting of the Web Capture tool. Click Record and begin recording the second transaction.

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Enabling Browser pop-up Windows

Several sites automatically pop up small windows with advertisements. These will be referred to as Browser pop-up windows and can be recognized by the IE logo on the top left. While these windows may not be of interest most of the time, they affect the way one records a content match on the main window.

If you do not want to record browser pop-up windows,

1. Go to Options => Advanced Settings.
2. Select Allow Popups option.

The Allow Popups option enables other pop-up windows and screens associated with the Web site you are viewing to be displayed while you are recording the transaction. This does not interfere with the system authentication pop-up windows that may be displayed.

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