4.4.1 Defining Web transactions (creating Web transaction files)

You create a Web transaction file for each Web page frame that is accessed by a series of transitions. A Web transaction file contains information such as the URLs, the Web authentications, and the use of a proxy.

There are two ways to create a Web transaction file:

By using Web Recorder

If there is a large amount of information to be defined for a Web transaction, it is easiest to use Web Recorder to create a Web transaction file.
By editing the Web transaction file directly

If there is only a small amount of information to be defined for a Web transaction, you can directly edit the Web transaction file.

Web transaction files must be stored in the folder shown below. They can have any name, but the extension must be .xml. All files with the extension xml under this folder are handled as Web transaction files.

Web transaction file storage folder:

installation-folder\agtv\probe\webtrans

For details about the format of Web transaction files, see 8.5 Web transaction files.

This subsection describes how to use Web Recorder to create a Web transaction file.

Organization of this subsection

(1) Procedures for creating a Web transaction file
(2) Defining step information
(3) Customizing step information
(4) Setting a scope
(5) Displaying and editing an existing Web transaction definition
(6) Setting a transaction

(1) Procedures for creating a Web transaction file

Web Recorder operates in the following two modes:

IE mode

In this mode, an Internet Explorer window is called from Web Recorder, which defines the Web transaction by recording the browser operations (navigations) performed in that window. You can display the Internet Explorer window by entering only the first URL that you use to navigate to the site that is to be accessed.
Direct entry mode

In this mode, you define the Web transaction by directly entering the series of URLs without navigating from the Internet Explorer window.

The following shows the procedure for defining a Web transaction in each mode. For details about each procedure, see the indicated section.

Figure 4‒2: Procedures for defining a Web transaction

This subsection describes the procedure for defining a Web transaction when you use Web Recorder.

Preparations for defining a Web transaction: Before starting a definition of a Web transaction, you must select the series of processes that are to be defined as the Web transaction. If you use the IE mode, make a note of the first URL to be accessed. If you use the direct entry mode, make a note of all the URLs to be accessed.

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(2) Defining step information

You define as step information the information about each page to be accessed as a stage of the Web transaction. Web Recorder provides two modes, the IE mode and the direct entry mode; the method for defining step information depends on the mode.

IE mode

Step information is recorded automatically when you use browser operations to navigate in the IE window that is displayed in the Web Recorder (main) window.
Direct entry mode

You must enter manually each item of step information for each page that is to be accessed.

The following table lists the step information items, the items that are recorded automatically in the IE mode, and the items that you must set when you use the direct entry mode.

Table 4‒4: List of step information items and required items
Item		IE mode	Direct entry mode
URL		Recorded automatically	Must be set by user
Title		Recorded automatically	--
Frame name		Recorded automatically	--
Character set		--	--
Character set of request information		--	--
Method		Recorded automatically	Must be set by user
Content type		Recorded automatically	--^#6
Message body		Recorded automatically	--^#6
Cookie		--	--
Web authentication	Web authentication	--	--
	Web authentication user name	--^#1	--^#7
	Use of ESP password utility	--	--
	Web authentication password	--^#2	--^#8
Proxy	Proxy setting	--	--
	Proxy host name	--^#3	--^#9
	Proxy port number	--^#3	--^#9
	Proxy authentication	--	--
	Proxy authentication user name	--^#4	--^#10
	Use of ESP password utility	--	--
	Proxy authentication password	--^#5	--^#11
Response determination		--	--
Variable string		--	--

Legend:: --: Not recorded automatically or setting by user is optional
#1: If Web authentication is to be performed, direct entry is required.
#2: If Web authentication is to be performed but the password utility is not used, direct entry is required.
#3: If Use this setting value is selected in the proxy settings, direct entry is required.
#4: Proxy authentication requires direct entry.
#5: If proxy authentication is to be performed but the password utility is not used, direct entry is required.
#6: If the POST method is to be used, this item is required.
#7: If Web authentication is to be performed, this item is required.
#8: If Web authentication is to be performed but the password utility is not used, this item is required.
#9: If Use this setting value is selected in the proxy settings, this item is required.
#10: If proxy authentication is to be performed, this item is required.
#11: If proxy authentication is to be performed but the password utility is not used, this item is required.

The following describes the definition method in each mode.

(a) IE mode

To record step information in the IE mode:

Specify a value for web_rec_browser_mode in the Web Recorder action condition definition file (wr.conf).

For details about the value of web_rec_browser_mode, see web_rec_browser_mode in the Table 8-23 Definition in the Web Recorder section.
From Windows Start menu, choose All Programs, Performance Management, Agent Option for Service Response, then Web Recorder.

The Web Recorder (main) window appears.
From the Transaction menu, choose New.

The Web Recorder Create New Web Transaction window appears.
Specify in Web transaction file name the name of the Web transaction file at the storage destination. Then specify in New Web transaction name a name for the Web transaction to be defined and click the OK button.

Note:

Each Web transaction name in the same Web transaction file must be unique. A name cannot include the vertical bar (|).
In the Web Recorder (main) window, in Address, enter the URL of the first page to be accessed, and then click the Go button.

The page corresponding to the URL entered in the IE window is displayed.
In the IE window, perform browser operations to navigate to the desired page.

The step information for each accessed URL is recorded automatically, and each URL that is accessed is added to URL list.
If necessary, customize step information and set scopes.

For details about customizing step information, see (3) Customizing step information; for details about setting scopes, see (4) Setting a scope.
If necessary, set measurement conditions.

For details about setting measurement conditions, see (6) Setting a transaction.
From the Transaction menu, choose Save.

The Web transaction file is saved in the following folder:

installation-folder\agtv\probe\webtrans

Notes:

You should note the following points when you use the IE mode:

Your navigation operations in the IE window depend on the Internet Explorer settings on the machine where PFM - Agent for Service Response is installed. This means that if an application that affects Internet Explorer operations is running at the same time the Web transaction is being defined, the Web Recorder also picks up and records those effects.
On the page displayed in the IE window, a script that controls the window itself (for instance, to resize it) may not function normally. A script that opens a new window to display a page cannot be executed. In this case, the window is displayed in the same format as the IE window, and normal window components such as menus in Internet Explorer are not displayed. Even when a new window is opened from the IE window, you can continue recording the step information using that window.

(b) In direct entry mode

To define step information in the direct entry mode:

Specify a value for web_rec_browser_mode in the Web Recorder action condition definition file (wr.conf).

For details about the value of web_rec_browser_mode, see web_rec_browser_mode in the Table 8-23 Definition in the Web Recorder section.
From the Windows Start menu, choose, in the following order, All Programs, Performance Management, Agent Option for Service Response, and then Web Recorder.

The Web Recorder (main) window appears.
From the Transaction menu, choose New.

The Web Recorder Create New Web Transaction window appears.
Specify in Web transaction file name the name of the Web transaction file at the storage destination. Then specify in New Web transaction name a name for the Web transaction to be defined and click the OK button.

Note:

Each Web transaction name in the same Web transaction file must be unique. A name cannot include the vertical bar (|).
In the Web Recorder (main) window, from the Edit menu, choose Add Last.

The Properties window appears.
In URL, enter the URL of the next page to be accessed, and set each item as required.

In the Properties window, set the measurement conditions for the step. For details about the settings, see 7.2.7 Properties window.
Click the OK button.

The URL of the set step information is added at the end of URL list.
Repeat Nos. 4 through 6 for each step to set information about all the pages that are to be accessed by the Web transaction.
If necessary, customize step information and set scopes.

For details about customizing step information, see (3) Customizing step information; for details about setting scopes, see (4) Setting a scope.
If necessary, set measurement conditions.

For details about setting measurement conditions, see (6) Setting a transaction.
From the Transaction menu, choose Save.

The Web transaction file is saved in the following folder:

installation-folder\agtv\probe\webtrans

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(3) Customizing step information

This subsection describes how to customize step information recorded in the IE mode or defined in the direct entry mode (customizing means inserting, adding, changing, or deleting a step).

(a) Inserting a step

To insert a new step:

In the Web Recorder (main) window, from URL list, select the line where the information for the new step information is to be inserted, and from the Edit menu, choose Insert.

The Properties window appears.
In URL, enter the URL of the page to be accessed, and set each item as required.

In the Properties window, set the measurement conditions for the step. For details about the settings, see 7.2.7 Properties window.
Click the OK button.

The URL of the new step is inserted in the specified location in URL list.

(b) Adding a step

To add a step (at the end of the list of steps):

In the Web Recorder (main) window, from the Edit menu, choose Add Last.

The Properties window appears.
In URL, enter the URL of the page to be accessed, and set each item as required.

In the Properties window, set measurement conditions for the step. For details about the settings, see 7.2.7 Properties window.
Click the OK button.

The URL of the new step is added at the end of URL list.

(c) Changing a step's information

To change the settings for a step (changing a step's information):

In the Web Recorder (main) window, from URL list, select the URL of the step that you wish to edit, and from the Edit menu, choose Property.

The Properties window appears.
Change the settings.

For details about the settings in the Properties window, see 7.2.7 Properties window.
Click the OK button.

If you have changed the URL, the URL displayed in URL list is now changed.

(d) Deleting a step

To delete a step:

In the Web Recorder (main) window, from URL list, select the URL of the step that you wish to delete, and from the Edit menu, choose Delete.

The URL of the step selected in URL list is deleted.

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(4) Setting a scope

To monitor any desired sequence of page transitions, you set the applicable range of page transitions as the start and end of a scope. This subsection describes how to set the start and end of a scope, and how to delete a scope.

(a) Setting the start of a scope

To set the start of a scope:

In the Web Recorder (main) window, from URL list, select the URL that is to be the start of the scope.
Click the Start Scope button.

The Select Scope window appears. In this window, Scope list displays the names of scopes (1 through 8) for which no start point has been set yet.
From the Scope list, select the name of the scope for which the selected URL is to be set as the start point.
Click the OK button.

START scope-name is displayed in front of the URL selected from URL list.

(b) Setting the end of a scope

To set the end of a scope:

In the Web Recorder (main) window, from URL list, select the URL that is to be the end of the scope.
Click the End Scope button.

The Select Scope window appears. In this window, Scope list displays the names of scopes (1 through 8) for which no end point has been set yet.
From the Scope list, select the name of the scope for which the selected URL is to be set as the end point.
Click the OK button.

END scope-name is displayed in front of the URL selected from URL list.

(c) Deleting a scope

To delete a scope:

In the Web Recorder (main) window, from URL list, select the start (START scope-name) or end (END scope-name) of the scope that you want to delete.
From the Scope menu, choose Delete Scope.

A dialog box appears asking you to confirm your intention to make a deletion in the scope whose start point or end point was selected.
To delete the entire scope whose start point or end point was selected, choose the Yes button. To delete only the selected start or end point, choose the No button.

Clicking the Yes button deletes both the start point and end point of the selected scope. Clicking the No button deletes only the selected point (start point or end point) of the selected scope.

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(5) Displaying and editing an existing Web transaction definition

To display and edit an existing Web transaction definition:

From the Windows Start menu, choose, in the following order, All Programs, Performance Management, Agent Option for Service Response, and then Web Recorder.

The Web Recorder (main) window appears.
From the Transaction menu, choose Open.

The Select Web Transaction window appears.
From List of Web transaction files and List of Web transactions, select the Web transaction file name and Web transaction name that you want to display or edit, then click the OK button.

In the Web Recorder (main) window, each item of existing step information is displayed. To edit displayed step information, see the applicable procedure in (3) Customizing step information.
To save the edited Web transaction definition, from the Transaction menu, choose Save. To save it as a different Web transaction definition or as a separate file, from the Transaction menu, choose Save As.

When you choose Save As, specify Web transaction file name and New Web transaction name.

The Web transaction file is saved in the following folder:

installation-folder\agtv\probe\webtrans

Note:

Each Web transaction name in the same Web transaction file must be unique. A name cannot include the vertical bar (|).

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(6) Setting a transaction

To set measurement conditions for the entire Web transaction:

In the Web Recorder (main) window, from the Transaction menu, choose Set Transaction.

The Set Web Transaction Conditions window appears.
Set the necessary items.

The Set Web Transaction Conditions window has the following four tabs:
- Transaction tab
- Request Info tab
- Default Proxy tab
- SSL Authentication tab
For details about the Set Web Transaction Conditions window, see 7.2.6 Set Web Transaction Conditions window.
Click the OK button.

Supplement:: The settings on the Default Proxy page become the default proxy settings for each step's information as it is specified on the Proxy page of the Properties window. If the proxy settings are omitted in the definition of step information for a step, the values specified on the Default Proxy page of the Set Web Transaction Conditions window are used. If the proxy settings have been set for a step, those settings take effect.

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