Scenario Recorder

Installation > Configuration > Scenario Recorder

User: Developer

Version: 5.3.0 +

Prerequisites

- Futurama-HTML/Web

Introduction

Explains the usage of the ScenarioRecorder

Description

The Scenario Recorder is a new feature for Futurama-HTML from version 5.3 where the actions that a user executes on a Futurama document can be recorded as well as the response that is returned to the user. This scenario can then be used by Futurama developers to reproduce the steps that this user has performed, and how the document was changed because of it.

Configuration

Settings

The scenario recorder can be activated within the web.config file of the Futurama web application. Below is an example of a section of web.config where the scenariorecorder has been activated to write to the directory "C:\temp\scenarios".

Within the configuration element the next code has to be included:

<configSections>
	<sectionGroup name="futuramaSettings">
		<section type="ActuIT.Futurama.Config.RecordingSection, ActuIT.Futurama.Engine, Version=1.0.0.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=null" name="recording"/>
	</sectionGroup>
</configSections>

Next to this code, also within the configuration element the next code has to be included:

<futuramaSettings>
	<recording includeHtmlOutput="true" savePath="C:\temp\scenarios" enabled="true"/>
</futuramaSettings>

The additional attribute "includeHtmlOutput" causes the recorder to save the HTML that is generated within Futurama.

Recording

From the moment this feature has been enabled within the configuration file, a scenario file will be generated for every session that users will instantiate. So when a user logs in, a file will be created with the following filename: "C:\temp\scenarios\{foldername}-{sessionid}.scenario".

Here the {foldername} will be the folder in which the accessed Futurama application is present.
The sessionID represents a unique code that can be seen embedded within the users browser-url.

Whenever a user performs a new step within that same session, a new step will be added to the scenario file.

This scenario file is all that is needed by the Futurama development team in order to re-enact the steps a user has performed.

File format

If a scenariofile is opened, the following structure will be found:

<!--?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?-->
<scenario xmlns="http://www.ActuIT.nl/Futurama/TestScenario/2014/10/" dateRecorded="13-8-2015 14:54:22" rootPath="C:\inetpub\wwwroot\CurrentFuturama">
  <step>
    <name>step 1</name>
    <request>...</request>
    <response>...</response>
  </step>  
  <step>
    <name>step 2</name>
    <request>...</request>
    <response>...</response>
  </step>
  ...
</scenario>

The scenario will record the location of the webapplication, the recording date, and a list of steps.

The list of steps will contain a name, a request and a response, which are WebAPI requests and responses, which is a system used within the replaying functionality.

Usage in combination with Futurama Web API

The scenario recorder makes it possible to study the inner workings of Futurama Web, to recreate the same behaviour using Futurama WebAPI and a customized front-end application.

For instance, when Futurama Web is used to show a webpage, the Scenario Recorder can be used to view the data that is used to create the webpage. One of these variables is the “reqStateid” variable, which indicates the sequence of events, and this same variable can be used to perform the “Back-navigation” action of a webbrowser.

Another use is the recording how complex controls like websliders, radiobuttons or dateboxes can be used or manipulated. By creating a small testing Futurama Web Application, containing a WebPage, and a single control, you can examine interactions with the running Futurama Application by examining the Scenario file.

Feedback

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Updated: 2018-04-17