Creating an Eggplant Performance Test from Objectives

The easiest way to get started with creating an Eggplant Performance test is to use the Objectives feature in Studio. This feature provides a method for test creation by following a step-by-step guide. Following this method, you can define an application to test, record user journeys within the application, generate scripts from the recording, create data files to provide data to virtual users during test runs, fine-tune other aspects of the test, and then create the test itself.

The Objectives pane is typically found in the right sidebar of the Studio UI, although remember that the Studio interface is customizable, so you can move this pane into a different location or open it as a separate window if you prefer.

If you have no active (i.e., in progress) objectives, the column under Objectives is empty. After you create an objective, the steps necessary to create the test are displayed in a tree hierarchy. As you complete steps, you see a green check mark in the tree to show your progress.

Although the Objectives pane shows the steps of the objective, you complete the actions of each step in the Viewer pane, the central portion of the Studio window. When you select a step in the Objectives tree, the Viewer pane displays information about what you need to do to complete that step and provides the controls or links to make the necessary updates.

To create an objective, you must first:

• Create a workspace: If you don't already have a workspace, or want to create a new one, see Managing Workspaces.
• Create a project: If you don't already have a project, or want to create a new one, see Managing Projects.

Step by Step: Creating a Test from Objectives

The Objectives feature is a useful guide to test creation, but you don't necessarily have to perform every step in order. If you have created tests before, you might find that some steps are marked as complete immediately because you already have the required assets in your project or workspace. If that's the case, you can either accept the existing assets or create new ones as you walk through the steps.

1. Click New objective to create a new objective.
   If you have defined applications under test (AUTs) in the Applications Under Test section of the workspace, you can start a new objective by right-clicking an AUT, then selecting Create new objective. If you use this method, you skip step 2 because the application is already selected.
2. Select the application you want to create a test for.
   • If no applications under test (AUTs) have been created in the workspace, the Create Application Under Test dialog box opens, and you will need to define an AUT that you want to test. For complete information about defining an AUT, see Managing Applications Under Test.
   • If you have AUTs in the workspace, the Create New Objective dialog box opens. You can choose an existing AUT or decide to define a new one, which takes you to the Create Application Under Test dialog box, as above.
     
     Note: If you have an in-progress objective based on an AUT, that AUT is not available to select to create a new objective. After the objective is complete and the test created, the AUT is available again to create a new objective, if desired.
   After you choose the AUT, the objective is created and appears in the Objectives pane. If you created a new AUT (or chose an AUT that had no scripting options selected), the Objectives tree for the new objective initially contains only one additional node, the Choose scripting options step:
   

   A new objective from a new application under test (AUT) shown in the Objectives tree

   If the new objective is created based on an AUT that has scripting options selected, the Chose scripting options step is marked complete with a green check mark, and additional steps show below it in the tree. The specific steps you need to complete to create a test are dependent on the scripting options you choose.
   
3. Follow the on-screen instructions to complete your test definition.
   When the objective is created, the first step is selected, Create test for <AUT name>. This step is the parent to the whole objective and doesn't include any action items. However, it does include a relationship diagram of the tasks you need to complete as you define your test.
   

   The relationship diagram for a new objective shows the requirements for test creation (click image to view larger)

   When you complete requirements, the boxes in the chart turn green. You can select this step in the tree at any time to view your progress. The individual steps in the tree also show a green check mark as they are completed.
   Some of the requirements in the chart involve completing multiple steps in the Objectives tree. You can hover your cursor over a box in the chart to see what specific requirements are necessary to complete that piece of the test definition.
   When you're ready to proceed, click Next at the lower-right side of the chart.
4. Continue through the steps by following the on-screen instructions and performing the actions as required in the Viewer pane.
   Some steps will vary depending on the type of application you've chosen or the virtual user type. For example, a web service application has different requirements from a Citrix server application. However, most steps are the same, regardless of the application type. For example, you always need to choose a virtual user type, and you always need to build a workflow for the test.
   Of course, there are many steps to complete. Read the on-screen instructions carefully, and take the appropriate actions to complete each step. As you complete a step, click Next to move to the next step, or select the step in the Objectives tree.
5. As the final step, on the Create test page, click Create Test to create the test. Note that all previous steps must be marked as complete before you can complete this step.
   

   The final step in an objective lets you create a test from the various assets of the test definition (click image to view larger)

   The Test name field provides a suggested name, which you can accept, or you can enter a different name before you create the test.
   

The new test is added to the Tests directory of the Project tree. When you create a test from the objectives page, the project is built at the same time. Therefore, the test should immediately be ready to run in Test Controller. If you're ready to run the test, click the Open test in Test Controller button.

For more information about running tests, see the next part of the quick start guide, Running an Eggplant Performance Test.

Working with Objectives

The Objectives feature is not a traditional wizard. As mentioned above, you don't necessarily have to perform the steps in order. You also don't have to complete the steps at one time. You can work through some steps, then return later to continue working on the same objective by selecting a step in the Objectives tree.

You can also return to completed steps and edit your previous choices. Keep in mind, however, that in many of the steps, you are creating assets that are added to the workspace or project. For instance, if you create a KPI collection on the Create KPIs step, then later change to a different KPI collection, the first collection is still available and can be found in the KPI folder in the Project tree.

Although you don't have to complete all steps in order, some steps have dependencies on previous steps. If you select a step in the Objectives tree that has a prerequisite that hasn't been met, the text and any controls on the page are grayed out, and any tasks you need to complete prior to this task are listed at the top of the page.

You can have multiple objectives in progress at the same time. If so, they stack in the Objectives tree. Note that you can click the arrow beside the parent task for any objective, Create test for <AUT name>, to hide its steps from view. You might find this ability useful to temporarily hide, or close, objectives that you're not actively working on. Click the arrow again to reopen an objective.

All of the steps you complete by following an objective can also be completed directly in the workspace or project. In fact, you can edit, update, or delete assets that you create by following an objecting by selecting them in the Workspace or Project trees. As you get more familiar with all the elements that make up a performance test, you might choose to create your tests from scratch as well. For information about following this approach, see Creating an Eggplant Performance Test Manually.

Deleting Objectives

After you complete an objective by creating a test, you can delete the objective. In fact, the final task page includes a button, Delete the objective, that becomes active after you create the test. You can also delete an objective by right-clicking the parent task, Create test for <AUT Name>,in the Objectives tree, then selecting Delete objective.

Deleting an objective removes the objective and all subtasks from the tree, but it doesn't remove any assets that were created as part of the objective. For instance, deleting an objective doesn't remove a test that was created by using the objective or any workflows, KPI collections, and so forth, that you created as you walked through the steps.

When you delete an objective, the AUT the objective is based on becomes available again to create a new objective.

Next Steps

After your test has been created, you can run it in Eggplant Performance Test Controller. Continue to Running an Eggplant Performance Test in this sample quick start guide for information about running your test..

 

This topic was last updated on January 13, 2022, at 02:42:23 PM.

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