AppPerfect Enterprise Server Tutorial

This tutorial provides a brief introduction to the various features of the AppPerfect Enterprise Server and AppPerfect Test Studio using a set of hands-on practice exercises. This tutorial assumes you have successfully downloaded and installed AppPerfect Enterprise Server and AppPerfect Test Studio on your machine with the default options. Apart from this pre-requisite, this tutorial is self contained. Instructions given below are Windows-specific; if you are using a non-Windows machine, please use equivalent commands/instructions.

This document is divided into various sections:

Within each section, multiple exercises are listed. Each exercise forms a logical unit which is expected to take no more than a few minutes to perform. All exercises use the PetStore demo application running inside Apache Tomcat. The modified PetStore application and Tomcat are both bundled with AppPerfect Test Studio product.

All exercises assume you have installed product in C:\AppPerfect\TestStudio folder and will be referred as TESTSTUDIO_HOME henceforth in tutorial. If you have installed the product in some other folder, modify the instructions below appropriately.

This tutorial is not intended as a comprehensive training guide. Please refer to the product documentation for detailed information. However, this tutorial will give you a very good overview of the products and substantially improve your productivity with the product.

Login to Enterprise Server (web interface)

By default AppPerfect Enterprise Server is configured to run as a service, hence it will start when the OS starts and stops when OS shuts down. However, server can be started/stopped manually using Start -> Programs ->AppPerfect Enterprise Server -> AppPerfect Service -> Start / Stop respectively. you can verify that the server is running by selecting Start -> Programs ->AppPerfect Enterprise AppPerfect Enterprise Server Login. This should start a browser and fire a URL http://localhost:8744/AppEnterpriseServer which will show you a Login page.

Exercise 1: Login to Enterprise Server

Action:

  1. Launch the web interface using Start -> Programs -> AppPerfect Enterprise -> AppPerfect Enterprise Server Login. You we see a login page where in you can provide the username & password.
  2. When the server is installed, there exists one super user "administrator". Enter the username as administrator. The password of this user is provided by you during installation of the server. Enter the passowrd in password textfield. Select Login button.
  3. On successful login in to the server, you will see a view that briefly introduces all the features of the enterprise server. You are advised to view all the links to have a fair idea of the features provided by AppPerfect Enterprise Server.

Creating User application, group and requirements

We will use the built-in PetStore web application. Before we perform load testing tests for this application we would like to add certain requirements of this application which should be met by during testing of this application.

Exercise 1: Create User Application

Action:

  1. Select Requirements link from left hand side column (its the first one from the top).
  2. Select "New User Application" from menu or toolbar of requirements view. This will popup a new window where in you can add your application's details.
  3. Enter PetStore as your product's name. Enter 1.3.1 as its version and enter appropriate description e.g. This is a sample PetStore web application. Select Save.
  4. The poped up window will close and you can see a node "PetStore" under User Applications node in the tree.

Exercise 2: Create Requirement Group(s)

Requirement groups are entities which logically group user's requirements. For e.g. UI requirements can be grouped in UI group, performance requirements can be grouped in Stress group etc. We will add requirements to Check Login functionality, Buying of pets and checkout functionality. We will create 3 seperate requirement groups for them.

Action:

  1. Select Requirements link from left hand side column (its the first one from the top).
  2. Select "New Requirement Group" from menu or toolbar of requirements view. This will popup a new window where in you can add your group's details.
  3. Select PetStore as your product's name. Enter Login as the group name. Select Save.
  4. The poped up window will close and you can see a node "Login" under PetStore node in the tree.
  5. Similarly add two more groups viz; Cart Operations and Check Out.

Exercise 2: Adding Requirements

Action:

  1. Select Requirements link from left hand side column (its the first one from the top).
  2. Select "New Requirement" from menu or toolbar of requirements view. This will popup a new window where in you can add requirement's details.
  3. Select PetStore as your product's name and select Login as the group name.
  4. Enter the requirement name as Login and select its status as "Open". Select created on as today's date.
  5. Provide appropriate summary and details of this requirement. We should provide as uch details as possible for this requirement. Now select Save.
  6. The poped up window will close and you can see a node "Login" under Login group node in the tree.
  7. Similarly add two more requirements say Add Birds to Cart and Purchase birds under Cart Operations and Check Out groups respectively.

You will see a requirement under each requirement group under PetStore application node after this exercise. Now we will move to AppPerfect Test Studio application to create a project so that it meets our requirements. We will come back to linking these requirements with the project/groups in the project once it is saved to server database.

Configuring AppPerfect Test Studio with AppPerfect Enterprise Server

In AppPerfect Test Studio, you can integrate reports & results management fetaure provided by AppPerfect Enterprise Server by providing Enterprise Server settings.

Exercise 1: Launch AppPerfect Test Studio

Action:

  1. Click on Start -> Programs ->AppPerfect Test Studio x.x.x -> AppPerfect Test Studio
  2. On launching AppPerfect Test Studio a Workspace Launcher dialog will be shown. Please leave the default value and select the check box "Use this as the default and do not ask again". Click OK to continue.
  3. On start of product AppPerfect Test Studio a Welcome page will be displayed. Go through the brief description given for each product and click on the product icon to view its perspective.
    NB: Welcome page is displayed only when Test Studio x.x.x is launched first time and when last time no project was opened.
  4. To switch between different product perspectives click on corresponding project button in toolsbar.
  5. Once you have gone through each perspective, select AppPerfect Load Tester product perspective.

Exercise 2: Specifying Enterprise Server settings

Action:

  1. Launch the Preferences dialog by clicking Tools ->Options... menu option. The Preferences dialog will be launched with Load Tester node selected in the tree.
  2. Select Server Connection node. Here you can configure Enterprise Server settings, Repository settings and built-in service settings. We will configure Enterprise Server settings.
  3. Select the checkbox Use Enterprise Server for Reports/Results management. This will enable UI elements present in the next row. In the third textfield, change 8714 to 8744.
  4. Select Validate Settings button next to it. If the settings are proper, it will show a message Enterprise server information provided is correct.

Creating Common Project

In AppPerfect Test Studio, you can create a common project and use the same project to perform tests in all the bundled products.

Exercise 1: Creating a Common Project

Action:

  1. Launch the Common Project Wizard by clicking File ->New... menu option. The New Project wizard will be launched.
  2. Keep the default project name and location for the purpose of this exercise. We don't have to provide "Notification" settings. Click on the OK button.
  3. A confirmation message saying that the project is saved will be displayed. Click on the OK button.

Now using this common project we will create tests to demonstrate the functionality of AppPerfect Functional Tester for Web Applications products present in AppPerfect Test Studio product suite.

AppPerfect Load Tester

NB: Please follow the steps provided in the Creating Common Project section to first create a common project, then proceed further.

Exercise 1: Define a Load Tester project

Action:

  1. Once the common project is successfully created another dialog "Define Project Properties" will be displayed.
  2. Keep the default settings as shown in this dialog i.e., Test Duration:1min, Run Type:Burst, Virtual Users:10.
  3. Go through the description given for Burst run type at the bottom.
  4. Review other settings in the Panel and click on the OK button to close this dialog.
  5. Click through all the menu items to familiarize yourself with the available features and how to access them. Viewing through all menu items will give a reasonable overview of the application.
  6. Click Help -> Table of Contents menu item to see AppPerfect Test Studio product documentation
  7. Open the Preferences dialog by selecting the menu option Tools -> Options...
  8. Review the default settings for Load Tester and click the OK button to close the dialog.

Exercise 2: Recording a Test

The empty project has three groups viz; StartingGroup, ActionGroup1 and EndingGroup. These groups are intended to provide categorisation of tasks as per the nature of the group. As the names suggest, while performing any task online it typically involves startup actions like Login in to the server, etc. Then you perform some actions like buy, sell, view etc and finally you logout from the server. It is a good idea to record the startup actions in StartingGroup, all your actions in ActionGroup1 and final action of Logout in EndingGroup. The advantage of doing this are many, but the most significant one is, when the test is replayed for a certain duration (say 1 minute), at the end of this duration Load Tester will stop executing the subsequent tasks, instead it will complete tasks in that group and then execute the EndingGroup before stopping the test. This ensures that a configured user is not left logged into the server which may cause security issues.
AppPerfect Test Studio comes with a built-in tomcat server containing Petstore web application. We will record tests such that actions upto Login are recorded in StartingGroup, buying of pets is done in ActionGroup1 and finally user is logged of in EndingGroup.

Action:

  1. Start tomcat server by selecting Start->Programs->AppPerfect Test Studio x.x.x->Documentation and Examples->Examples->Tomcat running Petstore->Start Server.
  2. To start recording, click on Project -> Record test... in the menu bar.'
  3. 'Record a test' dialog will be displayed. Select StartingGroup1 from the Group combo. Provide starting URL as "http://localhost:8081/petstore". In Authentication drop down select "HTML Form based Login". Specify Username as "j2ee" and passowrd as "j2ee". Click on 'Start recording' button to start recording test.
  4. An instance of Microsoft Internet Explorer will be launched with the PetStore home page loaded. Click on enter the store link. This will populate the database and display the PetStore main page. Note that populating the database might take some time.
  5. Click on Sign-in link located at top-right.
  6. This will bring up a page thorugh which you can login if you are already signed up as a customer. Select "Submit" in the first group.
  7. Now go back to recording dialog and change the group to ActionGroup1.
  8. Click on each link on the left: Birds, Reptiles, Dogs, Cats, Fish
  9. Order an item by clicking on: Birds -> Amazon Parrot -> Adult Male Amazon Parrot -> Add to cart
  10. Now go back to recording dialog and change the group to EndingGroup.
  11. Check out by clicking on the Check Out link and place the order
  12. Sign out of PetStore by clicking on Sign-out at top right of screen.
  13. Close browser by clicking on File -> Close in the browser window.
  14. Click on the Stop button of "Record a test" dialog to stop the recording session.
  15. Click on Close button to close the 'Record a test' dialog.
  16. The URLs navigated will be displayed under StartingGroup, ActionGroup1 and EndingGroup.
  17. Click through each Tasks to view its details on the panel on the right.

Exercise 3: Executing a test

Action:

  1. To execute the test, click on Project -> Run from the menubar.
  2. The focus will be shifted to Status tab. Here the current status of the test execution will be displayed. Various test metrics such as response time, virtual user count, etc. are continuously refreshed in the charts.
  3. The test will run for 1 minute as specified when project was created.
  4. Stop running tomcat server by selecting Start->Programs->AppPerfect Test Studio x.x.x->Documentation and Examples->Examples->Tomcat running Petstore->Stop Server.

Exercise 4: View and analyze result. Save result to database (Enterprise server database)

Action:

  1. Once the test is completed, the test results will be displayed in the "Results" tab and result summary data is displayed in the main window on the right.
  2. Since no error was detected during our test execution, the result of our test execution was "Successful". Additional details about hit count, etc. is also displayed.
  3. View various result summaries by clicking on the items in the tree on the left in the Results tab
  4. We should save the test execution results to enterprise server database for further report & results management. To save the result to database, click on File -> Result -> Save in Database from the menubar. You will get a message "Result saved in database".

Linking requirements with projects/groups

Exercise 1: Link Login Requirement with StartingGroup of NewProject

Action:

  1. Launch the web interface using Start -> Programs -> AppPerfect Enterprise -> AppPerfect Enterprise Server Login. You we see a login page where in you can provide the username & password.
  2. When the server is installed, there exists one super user "administrator". Enter the username as administrator. The password of this user is provided by you during installation of the server. Enter the passowrd in password textfield. Select Login button.
  3. On successful login in to the server, you will see a view that briefly introduces all the features of the enterprise server. You are advised to view all the links to have a fair idea of the features provided by AppPerfect Enterprise Server.
  4. Select Projects link from left hand side column (its the second from the top).
  5. Expand the Load Tester project till you see "NewProject" node. Its the project that we saved in previous exercise.
  6. Select "Linked Requirements" tab
  7. Select "Link Requirements" from menu or toolbar of project's view. This will popup a new window where in you can link requirements with existing projects/groups.
  8. Select LoadTester in AppPerfect Application drop down
  9. Select NewProject in AppPerfect Project drop down
  10. Select StartingGroup and press ">>" button to move the selected group to right hand list.
  11. Select PetStore in Product name drop down
  12. Select Login in Group name drop down
  13. Select Login in Requirement name drop down
  14. Select Save to linked requirement.

Exercise 2: Link Add Birds to Cart Requirement with ActionGroup1 of NewProject

Action:

  1. Launch the web interface using Start -> Programs -> AppPerfect Enterprise -> AppPerfect Enterprise Server Login. You we see a login page where in you can provide the username & password.
  2. When the server is installed, there exists one super user "administrator". Enter the username as administrator. The password of this user is provided by you during installation of the server. Enter the passowrd in password textfield. Select Login button.
  3. On successful login in to the server, you will see a view that briefly introduces all the features of the enterprise server. You are advised to view all the links to have a fair idea of the features provided by AppPerfect Enterprise Server.
  4. Select Projects link from left hand side column (its the second from the top).
  5. Expand the Load Tester project till you see "NewProject" node. Its the project that we saved in previous exercise.
  6. Select "Linked Requirements" tab
  7. Select "Link Requirements" from menu or toolbar of project's view. This will popup a new window where in you can link requirements with existing projects/groups.
  8. Select LoadTester in AppPerfect Application drop down
  9. Select NewProject in AppPerfect Project drop down
  10. Select ActionGroup1 and press ">>" button to move the selected group to right hand list.
  11. Select PetStore in Product name drop down
  12. Select Cart Operations in Group name drop down
  13. Select Add Birds to Cart in Requirement name drop down
  14. Select Save to linked requirement.

Exercise 3: Link Purchase birds Requirement with EndingGroup of NewProject

Action:

  1. Launch the web interface using Start -> Programs -> AppPerfect Enterprise -> AppPerfect Enterprise Server Login. You we see a login page where in you can provide the username & password.
  2. When the server is installed, there exists one super user "administrator". Enter the username as administrator. The password of this user is provided by you during installation of the server. Enter the passowrd in password textfield. Select Login button.
  3. On successful login in to the server, you will see a view that briefly introduces all the features of the enterprise server. You are advised to view all the links to have a fair idea of the features provided by AppPerfect Enterprise Server.
  4. Select Projects link from left hand side column (its the second from the top).
  5. Expand the Load Tester project till you see "NewProject" node. Its the project that we saved in previous exercise.
  6. Select "Linked Requirements" tab
  7. Select "Link Requirements" from menu or toolbar of project's view. This will popup a new window where in you can link requirements with existing projects/groups.
  8. Select LoadTester in AppPerfect Application drop down
  9. Select NewProject in AppPerfect Project drop down
  10. Select EndingGroup and press ">>" button to move the selected group to right hand list.
  11. Select PetStore in Product name drop down
  12. Select Check Out in Group name drop down
  13. Select Purchase birds in Requirement name drop down
  14. Select Save to linked requirement.

Auto-updation of requirement status on project execution

Exercise 1: Check auto updation of requirement status in Enterprise Server on execution of test in AppPerfect TestStudio

Action:

  1. Click on Start -> Programs ->AppPerfect Test Studio x.x.x -> AppPerfect Test Studio
  2. This will open the earlier project NewProject
  3. Start tomcat server by selecting Start->Programs->AppPerfect Test Studio x.x.x->Documentation and Examples->Examples->Tomcat running Petstore->Start Server.
  4. To execute the test, click on Project -> Run from the menubar.
  5. Once the test is completed, the test results will be displayed in the "Results" tab and result summary data is displayed in the main window on the right.
  6. We should save the test execution results to enterprise server database for further report & results management. To save the result to database, click on File -> Result -> Save in Database from the menubar. You will get a message "Result saved in database".
  7. Launch the web interface using Start -> Programs -> AppPerfect Enterprise -> AppPerfect Enterprise Server Login. You we see a login page where in you can provide the username & password.
  8. When the server is installed, there exists one super user "administrator". Enter the username as administrator. The password of this user is provided by you during installation of the server. Enter the passowrd in password textfield. Select Login button.
  9. On successful login in to the server, you will see a view that briefly introduces all the features of the enterprise server. You are advised to view all the links to have a fair idea of the features provided by AppPerfect Enterprise Server.
  10. Select Requirements link from left hand side column (its the first one from the top).
  11. View the status of all the Requirements we added. It would have been changed to "Successful" as our project executed successfully without any task failures.

Concluding Remarks

We greatly appreciate your effort in completing this AppPerfect Test Studio x.x.x tutorial. We hope it has given you a good overview of the various products and their features. While it may seem a lot, going through this tutorials a couple of times will give you a solid footing not only with the software but also with the underlying functional concepts of software testing.

There were a lot of features which were not covered by this tutorials, including

  1. Scheduling
  2. Notifications
  3. Report generation
  4. Issues management
  5. Administration

Please refer to the product documentation for additional details on all product features.

We are always eager to hear your feedback regarding the product, the documentation, the tutorial or any other issue related to the product. Please provide us your feedback at support(at)AppPerfect.com.

Thank you.
AppPerfect Support