Recording and replaying a basic SilkPerformer script

Important

This documentation describes information about the third-party software. For the latest information, please review the Third-party-product-terms-of-use documentation.

The following procedures help you learn how to record and replay a basic SilkPerformer script:

To record a SilkPerformer script

Open SilkPerformer.
Choose File > New Project.
A Workflow - Outline Project dialog appears as shown in the following figure:
Enter a project name and description.
For application type, select ERP/CRM > Remedy > Remedy 8.1.
This enables you to use the special SilkPerformer add-on that Micro Focus made for Mid Tier. If you are not recording an application, the plug-in can record actions in other HTML-based or HTTP-based applications. You do not need to specify any configuration settings in SilkPerformer to record browser-based applications.
Click OK.
Click the Model Script icon, or choose Record > Recorder.
The Workflow - Model Script dialog box appears as shown in the following figure:
In the Model Script dialog box, enter the URL of the web application or page you want to record.
Click OK to start recording.
SilkPerformer opens the specified URL in your default browser. The example shown in the above figure opens the Google website. After the browser is opened, a SilkPerformer Recorder dialog box appears on top of the browser in the upper right corner. As you record actions in the application, you use this dialog box to add comments, pause recording, stop recording, and so on.
Add comments before each action so that the actions are easier to understand after the script is recorded. To add comments, click the comment button in the toolbar as shown in the following figure:

You can add an unlimited number of comments. To add a comment, follow this example:
1. Add the comment in the SilkPerformer Recorder dialog box.
2. Click the more link on the Google home page.
3. Close the browser.
Click the Stop button in the SilkPerformer Recorder dialog box as shown in the following figure:
In the confirmation message, click Yes.
The SilkPerformer script appears.

Scripts are stored in the new project's folder. By default, the project folder is in this directory:
C:\Program Files\Silk\SilkPerformer 2010 R2\Working\Projects* *<yourProjectNameDirectory>
After a script is recorded, SilkPerformer creates several important files. These files help parameterize your scripts:
- <yourScriptName>.record.bdf — Original recorded script.
- <yourScriptName>.bdf — Script you modify. To replay this script, click the TryScript icon or choose Run > TryScript.
  Important: Usually, when you record a script, you cannot replay it without first modifying it.
  When you select the Animated option in the TryScript dialog, you can see the script execute each HTTP request. The results look very similar to the recorded XLG file. (You are not running a workload. Workloads will be discussed later.) TryScript is to debug your script.
- <yourScriptName>.record.xlg — Play-by-play GUI output. The following figure shows the google.record.xlg GUI output file. This file shows the HTTP request and the response for each call, which is useful when you need to parse one HTTP response to give to another HTTP request.
  You can use TrueLog Explorer to view and search the contents of this file or to find where a specific value came from.
To open a file in Silk TrueLog Explorer, double-click the file name.

Basic script structure

This example shows a basic performance script structure:

benchmark SilkPerformerRecorder

use "WebAPI.bdh"
use "Remedy.bdh"
use "nameOfYourHeaderFile.bdh"

dcluser
user
VUser
transactions
TInit : begin;
TransactionName : 1;
TFinish : end;

const
NUMBER_CONST := 1;
STRING_CONST := "ABCD";
BOOLEAN_CONST := true;

var
nNumber : number;
sString : string;
bBoolean : boolean;

dclrand
rChooseTier : RndUniN(2..3);

dclfunc
function Function1
begin
end Function1;

dcltrans
transaction TransactionName
var
begin
end TransactionName;

dclform
Form1:
"elem1" := "Value1",
"elem2" := "Value2";

When creating scripts, follow the format of this example, using the keywords listed in the following table.

SilkPerformer script keywords

Keyword	Description
benchmark	Denotes a benchmark script. Keep at top of script.
use	Specifies any additional files that the script references. SilkPerformer header files end in the extension BDH.
dcluser	Specifies the users to simulate and define in the workload section of a test script. A user is described by the transactions that are called and by the frequency of those transactions.
const	Specifies the section where you define constants.
var	Specifies the variables that are used in a load test. They can be defined in the global section or within a transaction. Prefacing a global variable with the letter "g" is a good practice.
dclrand	Specifies the random variables used in the script. Random variables are used for generating random input values, specifying random user times, and so on.
dclfunc	Specifies the section where you define functions. Use functions to give your script more structure.
dcltrans	Specifies the section where your virtual user's transactions are defined. This is the meat of the script.
dclform	Specifies the section where web forms are defined. Web forms are the most important interface for exchanging data with the web server. The BackChannel parameters are defined in this section.

See Sample-SilkPerformer-script to refer to a complete SilkPerformer script. For information about SilkPerformer types, see the SilkPerformer Help.

Recording and replaying a basic SilkPerformer script

To record a SilkPerformer script

Basic script structure

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