Schedule actions

A scenario schedule contains a series of actions that instruct the scenario when to start running a Vuser group, how to initialize Vusers, when to start and stop running Vusers, and how long to run an action.

You set these actions from the Edit Action dialog box. For details, see Edit Action dialog box.

The following sections describe the available schedule actions.

Start Group

The Start Group action defines when to start running a Vuser group.

Options
Description
Start immediately after the scenario begins
(Default)
Start running the Vuser group as soon as the scenario starts running.
Start <00:00:00> (HH:MM:SS) after the scenario begins
After the scenario starts running, wait the specified time (in hours, minutes, and seconds) before running the Vuser group.
Start when group <group name> finishes
Start running the Vuser group immediately after the Vuser group specified in this option has finished running.

Note:  

  • The Start Group action is available for group schedules only, and always appears as each group's first schedule action.

  • The Start Group action is always followed by the Initialize action.

  • The Start Group action cannot be deleted.

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Initialize

The Initialize action instructs LoadRunner Professional to prepare the Vusers so that they are in the Ready state and can run.

Options
Description
Initialize all Vusers simultaneously

LoadRunner Professional initializes all the Vusers together before running them.

Note: Selecting this option loads all of the Vuser scripts before beginning to run them. If your scripts are very large and you expect the loading time to be lengthy, select this option.

Initialize XX Vusers every <00:00:00> (HH:MM:SS)

LoadRunner Professional initializes the specified number of Vusers gradually, according to the specified time interval (in hours, minutes, and seconds), before running them.

Initialize each Vuser just before it runs
(Default)

LoadRunner Professional initializes each Vuser just before it starts running.

Note: This option is not available for group schedules when the Wait for all groups to initialize option is selected. For details, see Scenario Schedule pane.

Note:  

  • The Initialize action appears in the Actions grid for all schedule types.

  • The Initialize action cannot be deleted.

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Start Vusers

The Start Vusers action instructs LoadRunner Professional to start running Vusers.

Options
Description
Start XX Vusers: Simultaneously
(Default)

Runs the specified number of Vusers simultaneously.
Start XX Vusers: YY Vusers every <00:00:00> (HH:MM:SS)

Runs the specified number of Vusers (XX) gradually. That is, LoadRunner Professional runs YY Vusers, and waits the specified time (in hours, minutes, and seconds) before running another YY Vusers.

Note:

  • LoadRunner Professional starts running Vusers only when they have reached the Ready state.

  • In a basic schedule, LoadRunner Professional always runs all the Vusers, whether simultaneously or gradually. In a real-world schedule, you can select how many Vusers to start running.

  • While a scenario is running, you can add Vuser groups/scripts to participate in the scenario. When starting the Vusers gradually, if you add a Vuser group to the scenario after all the original Vusers have already started running, the new group starts running immediately.

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Duration

The Duration action instructs LoadRunner Professional to continue running the scenario in the current state, for the specified amount of time.

Options
Description
Run until completion

The scenario runs until all the Vusers have finished running.

Note: In real-world schedules, this option is available after the first Start Vusers action only, and if selected, causes all subsequent actions to be deleted.
Run for XX days and <00:00:00> (HH:MM:SS)

The scenario runs in its current state for the specified amount of time (in days, hours, minutes, and seconds) before continuing with the next action.

Default: 5 minutes.

Note: In a real-world schedule, if you select this option, and this Duration action is not followed by any other action, the scenario continues to run indefinitely.
Run indefinitely
(Basic schedule only)

The scenario runs indefinitely.

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Stop Vusers

The Stop Vusers action instructs LoadRunner Professional to stop running Vusers.

Options
Description
Stop XX Vusers: Simultaneously
(Default)

Stop running the specified number of Vusers at the same time.
Stop XX Vuser: YY Vusers every <00:00:00> (HH:MM:SS)

Stop running the specified number of Vusers gradually. That is, LoadRunner Professional stops YY Vusers, and waits the specified time (in hours, minutes, and seconds) before stopping another YY Vusers, until all XX Vusers have stopped running.

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