Test Script Services Reference

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Measurement Class


Use the measurement methods to set timers and environment variables and to get the value of internal variables. Timers allow you to gauge how much time is required to complete specific activities under varying load conditions. Environment variables allow for the setting and passing of information to virtual testers during script playback. Internal variables store information used by the TestManager to initialize and reset virtual tester parameters during script playback.


Applicability

Commonly used with TestManager.


Summary

The following table lists the measurement methods. They are methods of class TSSMeasure.

Method Description
CommandEnd Logs an end-command event.
CommandStart Logs a start-command event.
EnvironmentOp Sets an environment variable.
GetTime Gets the elapsed time of a run.
InternalVarGet Gets the value of an internal variable.
Think Sets a think-time delay.
TimerStart Marks the start of a block of actions to be timed.
TimerStop Marks the end of a block of timed actions.


TSSMeasure.CommandEnd

Marks the end of a timed command.


Syntax

CommandEnd ([result As Integer], [description As String], 
[starttime As Long], [endtime As Long], [logdata As String], 
[property[] As NamedValue])

Element Description
result Specifies the notification preference regarding the result of the call. Can be one of the following:
  • TSS_LOG_RESULT_NONE (default: no notification)

  • TSS_LOG_RESULT_PASS

  • TSS_LOG_RESULT_FAIL

  • TSS_LOG_RESULT_WARN

  • TSS_LOG_RESULT_STOPPED

  • TSS_LOG_RESULT_INFO

  • TSS_LOG_RESULT_COMPLETED

  • TSS_LOG_RESULT_UNEVALUATED.

0 specifies the default.
description Contains the string to be displayed in the event of failure.
starttime An integer indicating a time stamp to override the time stamp set by CommandStart. To use the time stamp set by CommandStart, specify as 0.
endtime An integer indicating a time stamp to override the current time. To use the current time, specify as 0.
logdata Text to be logged describing the ended command.
property An array containing property name/value pairs, where property[n].name is the property name and property[n].value is its value.


Error Codes

This method may generate one of the followingerror codes:

If you handle one of these errors and do not log it, TestManager is not aware of the error and does not log a Fail result for it. The script continues to run, and TestManager could log a Pass result for the script.


Comments

The command name and label entered with CommandStart are logged, and the run state is restored to the value that existed before the CommandStartcall.

An event and any data associated with it are logged only if the specified result preference matches associated settings in the EVAR_LogData_control or EVAR_LogEvent_control environment variables. (See Arguments of TSSMeasure.EnvironmentOp.) Alternatively, the logging preference can be set with the EVAR_Log_level and EVAR_Record_level environment variables. The TSS_LOG_RESULT_STOPPED, TSS_LOG_RESULT_COMPLETED, and TSS_LOG_RESULT_UNEVALUATED preferences are intended for internal use.

NamedValue is a dimensioned array of name/value pairs. For example, an array of 10 name/value pairs could be implemented as follows:

Dim NV(9,1) As String
NV(0,0)= "name1"
NV(0,1)= "value1"
NV(1,0)= "name2"
NV(1,1)= "value2"
...

Example

This example marks the end of the timed activity specified by the previous CommandStart call.

Dim measure As TSSMeasure
measure.CommandEnd TSS_LOG_RESULT_PASS, "Command timer failed", 0, 0, 
"Login command completed", NULL

See Also

CommandStart, TSSAdvanced.LogCommand


TSSMeasure.CommandStart

Starts a timed command.


Syntax

CommandStart(label As String, name As String, state As Long)

Element Description
label The name of the timer to be started and logged, or NULL for an unlabeled timer.
name The name of the command to time.
state The run state to log with the timed command. See the run state table. You can enter 0 (MST_UNDEF) if you're uninterested in the run state.


Error Codes

This method may generate one of the followingerror codes:

If you handle one of these errors and do not log it, TestManager is not aware of the error and does not log a Fail result for it. The script continues to run, and TestManager could log a Pass result for the script.


Comments

A command is a user-defined name appearing in the log of a test run. By placing CommandStart and CommandEnd calls around a block of lines in a script, you can log the time required to complete the actions in the block.

During script playback, TestManager displays progress for different virtual testers. What is displayed for a group of actions associated by CommandStart depends on the run state argument. Run states are listed in the run state table.

CommandStartincrements IV_cmdcnt, sets the name, label, and run state for TestManager, and sets the beginning time stamp for the log entry. CommandEnd restores the TestManager run state to the run state that was in effect immediately before CommandStart.


Example

This example starts timing the period associated with the string Login.

Dim measure As TSSMeasure
measure.CommandStart "initTimer", "Login", MST_WAITRESP

See Also

CommandEnd, TSSAdvanced.LogCommand


TSSMeasure.EnvironmentOp

Sets a virtual tester environment variable.


Syntax

EnvironmemtOp (envVar As EvarKey, envOp As EvarOp, envVal As 
Variant)

Element Description
envVar The environment variable to operate on. See Arguments of TSSMeasure.EnvironmentOpfor a list and description of environment variable constants.
envOp The operation to perform. See Arguments of TSSMeasure.EnvironmentOp for a list and description of the operation constants..
envVal The value operated on as specified by envOp to produce the new value for envVar.


Error Codes

This method may generate one of the followingerror codes:

If you handle one of these errors and do not log it, TestManager is not aware of the error and does not log a Fail result for it. The script continues to run, and TestManager could log a Pass result for the script.


Comments

Environment variables define and control the environment of virtual testers. Using environment variables allows you to test different assumptions or runtime scenarios without re-writing your test scripts. For example, you can use environment variables to specify:

See Arguments of TSSMeasure.EnvironmentOp for a list and description of the values that can be used for argument envVar.

Environment control options allow a script to control a virtual tester's environment by operating on the environment variables. Every environment variable has, instead of a single value, a group of values: a default value, a saved value, and a current value.

See the EnvironmentOP table for the values that can be used for argument envOp.


Example

This example gets the current value of EVAR_Think_dist. .

Dim measure As New TESTSERVICESLib.TSSMeasure
Varient cur_dist
measure.EnvironmentOp EVAR_Think_dist, EVAR_eval, cur_dist

TSSMeasure.GetTime

Gets the elapsed time since the beginning of a suite run.


Syntax

GetTime() As Long

Return Value

On success, this method returns the number of milliseconds elapsed in a suite run.


Error Codes

This method may generate one of the followingerror codes:

If you handle one of these errors and do not log it, TestManager is not aware of the error and does not log a Fail result for it. The script continues to run, and TestManager could log a Pass result for the script.


Comments

For execution within TestManager, this call retrieves the time elapsed since the start time shared by all virtual testers in all test scripts in a suite.

For a test script executed outside TestManager, the time returned is the milliseconds elapsed since the call to TSSSession.Connect, or since the value of CTXT_timeZero set by TSSSession.Context.


Example

This example stores the elapsed time in etime.

Dim etime As Long
Dim measure As New TSSMeasure
etime = measure.GetTime

TSSMeasure.InternalVarGet

Gets the value of an internal variable.


Syntax

InternalVarGet (internVar As IVKey, ivVal As Variant)

Element Description
internVar The internal variable to operate on. See Arguments of TSSMeasure.InternalVarGet for a list and description of the internal variable constants..
ivVal OUTPUT. The returned value of the specifiedinternVar.


Error Codes

This method may generate one of the followingerror codes:

If you handle one of these errors and do not log it, TestManager is not aware of the error and does not log a Fail result for it. The script continues to run, and TestManager could log a Pass result for the script.


Comments

Internal variables contain detailed information that is logged during script playback and used for performance analysis reporting. This function allows you to customize logging and reporting detail.


Example

This example stores the current value of the IV_error internal variable in IVVal.

Dim measure As New TSSMeasure
measure.InternalVarGet IV_error,IVVal

TSSMeasure.Think

Puts a time delay in a script that emulates a pause for thinking.


Syntax

Think ([thinkAverage As Long])

Element Description
thinkAverage If specified as 0 or omitted, the number of milliseconds stored in the EVAR_Think_avg environment variable is used as the basis of the calculation. Otherwise, the calculation is based on the value specified.


Error Codes

This method may generate one of the followingerror codes:

If you handle one of these errors and do not log it, TestManager is not aware of the error and does not log a Fail result for it. The script continues to run, and TestManager could log a Pass result for the script.


Comments

A think-time delay is a pause inserted in a performance test script in order to emulate the behavior of actual application users.

For a description of environment variables, see EnvironmentOp on page50.


Example

This example calculates a pause based on the value stored in the environment variable EVAR_Think_avg and inserts the pause into the script.

Dim measure As New TSSMeasure
measure.Think

See Also

TSSAdvanced.ThinkTime


TSSMeasure.TimerStart

Marks the start of a block of actions to be timed.


Syntax

TimerStart ([label As String], [timeStamp As Long])

Element Description
label The name of the timer to be inserted into the log. If specified as NULL or not specified, an unlabeled timer is created. Only one unlabeled timer is supported at a time.
timeStamp An integer specifying a time stamp to override the current time. If specified as 0 or not specified, the current time is logged.


Error Codes

This method may generate one of the followingerror codes:

If you handle one of these errors and do not log it, TestManager is not aware of the error and does not log a Fail result for it. The script continues to run, and TestManager could log a Pass result for the script.


Comments

This call associates a starting time stamp with label for later reference by TimerStop. The TestManager reporting system uses captured timing information for performance analysis reports.

Starting an unlabeled timer sets a start time for an event that you want to subdivide into timed intervals. See the example for TimerStop. You can get a similar result using named timers, but there will be a slight difference in the timing calculation due to the overhead of starting a timer.


Example

This example times actions designated event1, logging the current time.

Dim measure As New TSSMeasure
measure.TimerStart "event1"
\xd4 action to be timed
measure.TimerStop "event1"

See Also

TimerStop


TSSMeasure.TimerStop

Marks the end of a block of timed actions.


Syntax

TimerStop (label As String, [timeStamp As Long], [rmFlag As Long])

Element Description
label The name to be logged.
timeStamp An integer indicating the time stamp to log. If not specified or specified as 0, the current time is used.
rmFlag Specify as 0or omit to stop the timer without removing it; otherwise, specify as nonzero. A timer that is not removed can be stopped multiple times in order to measure intervals of this timed event.


Error Codes

This method may generate one of the followingerror codes:

If you handle one of these errors and do not log it, TestManager is not aware of the error and does not log a Fail result for it. The script continues to run, and TestManager could log a Pass result for the script.


Comments

Normally, this call associates an ending time stamp with a label specified with TimerStart. If the specifiedlabel was not set by a previous TimerStart but an unlabeled timer exists, this call logs an event using the specified label and the start time specified for the unlabeled timer with TimerStart. If rmFlag is specified as 0, multiple invocations of TimerStop are allowed against a single TimerStart. This usage (see the example) allows you to subdivide a timed event into separate timed intervals.


Example

This example stops an unlabeled timer without removing it. In the log, event1 and event2 will record the time elapsed since the TimerStart call.

Dim measure As New TSSMeasure
measure.TimerStart()
\xd4 action to be timed
measure.TimerStop "event1"
\xd4 another action to be timed
measure.TimerStop "event2"

See Also

TimerStart

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