Custom Web Performance Rules

Create a Custom Extraction Rule for a Web Performance Test
http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ms243179.aspx

Create a Custom Validation Rule for a Web Performance Test
http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ms182556

Create a Web Performance Test Plug-In
http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ms243191.aspx

Custom Extraction Rule - Extract Cookie Value
http://social.msdn.microsoft.com/Forums/en-US/vstswebtest/thread/cf2bf144-4e87-414f-8aa3-7731f9bc7b73/

Encode/Decode to Base64

//Encode

static public string EncodeTo64(string toEncode)

    {

      byte[] toEncodeAsBytes

            = System.Text.ASCIIEncoding.ASCII.GetBytes(toEncode);

      string returnValue

            = System.Convert.ToBase64String(toEncodeAsBytes);

      return returnValue;

    }

//Decode

    static public string DecodeFrom64(string encodedData)

    {

      byte[] encodedDataAsBytes

          = System.Convert.FromBase64String(encodedData);

      string returnValue =

         System.Text.ASCIIEncoding.ASCII.GetString(encodedDataAsBytes);

      return returnValue;

    }

//Usage

      string myData = “Here is a string to encode.”;

      string myDataEncoded = EncodeTo64(myData);

      Console.WriteLine(myDataEncoded);

      string myDataUnencoded = DecodeFrom64(myDataEncoded);

      Console.WriteLine(myDataUnencoded);

      Console.ReadLine();

Link where I got this from:
http://arcanecode.com/2007/03/21/encoding-strings-to-base64-in-c/

401 - Unauthorized error in Web Performance test

Scenario:
1. In a Visual Studio Web Performance test, make call to a web service that requires credentials.
=> you will get 401 - Unauthorized error (if you did not specify credentials)

Solution:
1. Add a Header (for Basic authentication) to the web test request: Right-click on the call -> Add Header.

2. Add the following info:
Name: "Authorization"
Value: “Basic ” + encodeBase64 (“username:password”)

Use http://www.base64encode.org/ to encode username and password in the following format: "username:password".

It should look like this:

RESTClient - usefull tool when working with REST services

You can download the tool from here:
https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/restclient/

After installting the Firefox addon you can use it to create all kinds of calls to the REST service.

Nice things you can do with Excel

Excel can be a very useful tool with few tricks.
Here is a collection of some of them:

1. ALT + Enter - to go on second line inside a cell.

2. View -> Freeze Panes -> Freeze top Row.

3. =IF(logical_test,[value_if_true],[value_if_false]) - to display a result if the logical_test is true or false.

4. =SUMIF(range,criteria,[sum_range]) - to add elements in a range that match given criteria.

5. =COUNTIF(range,criteria) - to count elements in a range that match given criteria.


6. =COUNT(value1,[value2],...) - to count the number of cells in a range that contain numbers.


7. =COUNTBLANK(range) - to count number of blank cells in a range.

8. =COUNTA(value1,[value2],...) - to count the number of cells in a range that are not empty.

9. =OR(logical1,[logical2],...) - logic OR. Same for AND and NOT.

10. =SUM(number1,[number2],..) - to add numbers

11. =CONCATENATE(text1,[text2],...) - to concatenate strings

12. =VALUE(text) - to convert text to numbers

13. =TRIM(text) - to remove all spaces from a string

14. =ROUND(number,num_digits) - to round a number with specified number of digits.

15. =INT(number) - to round a number to the closest integer.

16. =RANDBETWEEN(top,bottom) - generates random number in given range.

17. =ISBLANK(value) - returns True if blank and False otherwise.

18. =CONVERT(number,from_unit,to_unit) - used to convert from a unit to another.

19. Home -> Conditional Formating.

Have fun :)

Mind Map for Mobile Testing

I run into this very interesting article about a mobile testing mind map:

http://www.ministryoftesting.com/2012/06/getting-started-with-mobile-testing-a-mindmap/?utm_source=Software+Testing+Club+List&utm_campaign=f4b22766f1-mobilemindmap&utm_medium=email

Run, Alina, run!

    There was a running competition in Timisoara, and I went with my colleagues :) from Haufe-Lexware.
It was cold and windy and I have never run this much in my life, but somehow it was worth it.
I felt like quiting many times, but managed to run 5km in 27:16 minutes, winning a 10th place in the women category: http://www.crosulfirmelor.ro/index.php/ro/rezultate-2012.html

    It was a really interesting experience. I had "Run, Alina, run!" written on the back of my tshirt, and people that I did not know where cheering. That was really nice and gave me a warm feeling of hope that I could do it.

    Here is a foto of me just before the finish line. I'm the one in blue :)
(oh, yeah I did not see that girl coming :P )