Snapshots

TruClient generates snapshots of interactive steps during recording and replay of a script. This topic describes how to work with snapshots.

About snapshots

TruClient generates snapshots during recording (on IE browsers only) and replay (all browsers) according to the snapshot generation settings.

You can configure snapshot generation during recording and replay by clicking the General Settings button and selecting the Interactive Options tab. For details, see Configure TruClient general settings.

TruClient can also generate snapshots during load mode according to your specifications in the Runtime Settings.

The following table summarizes snapshot behaviors:

Mode Snapshot generation Snapshot location Snapshots folder structure
During Record

Snapshots are created in memory.

 N/A N/A
Stop Record N/A

(IE only) Snapshots are saved under the snapshots folder.

 N/A
Save script in Interactive Mode N/A

Snapshots are saved under the snapshots folder.

Record folder
During Interactive Replay

Snapshots are created for Play From This Step and Play Until This Step.

Snapshots are not created for Play this step and Play selected step.

  1. When starting replay, TruClient deletes the Result\Interactive folder.

  2. The Result\Interactive folder is created only if there is at least one snapshot to create (for any action or Library). Snapshots are created in one of the following folders according to the location of the step:

    • Results\Interactive\<browser name>\<block Id>\ I<interation number for replay block>(init and end block do not have iterations)\<action name>\

      where:

      <browser name> can be IE, TruClient Browswer, or Chromium

      <block Id> can be IB, RB, or EB (init, replay, or end block)

      Example:

      results\interactive\Chromium\RB\I1\Action

    • ResultModInteractive\<LibName> - for steps located in the library

  3. When Always generate snapshot is selected in settings, all snapshots are saved.

  4. When Snapshot on Error is selected in settings, only the snapshot of the step with error is generated. It is generated with the suffix -error.png. In addition, the following actions are performed:

    1. TruClient duplicates the PNG file created by default and places it in one of the following folders naming it t[X].png:

      • Result\Interactive\IterationInit – for steps located in the Init action.
      • Result\Interactive\IterationX - for steps located in the Action action.
      • Result\Interactive\IterationEnd – for steps located in the End action.

    2. TruClient also creates a t[X].inf file pointing it to the t[X].png file.

Note: This is performed in Interactive replay even though it has no use in the Interactive snapshot viewer.

Replay folder

 
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Configure snapshot generation

You can configure snapshot generation for both interactive replay mode and load replay mode.

  1. To configure snapshot generation for interactive replay mode: In TruClient development window, select the button to open the General Setting dialog box, select the Interactive Options tab, and then select Snapshot generation.

    To configure snapshot generation for load replay mode: In Vugen, select Runtime Settings > Other > General.

    Note: If you use TruClient Standalone, select the button to open the General Setting dialog box. Select the Interactive Options tab to configure snapshot generation for interactive replay mode. Select the Runtime Setting tab for load replay mode.

  2. Select the options.

    SettingOptions Description
    Replay snapshot generation
    • Never: Never generate snapshots during replay.
    • On error: Generate snapshots when an error occurs during replay.

    • On error and on demand: Generate snapshots on steps with errors or on "Take Snapshot" steps during replay. This is the default value for load replay mode.

    • Always: Always generate snapshots for every step during replay. This is the default value for interactive replay mode.
    Include browser name on snapshotWhether or not to include browser name in the snapshots. Browser name can be IE, TruClient Browser, or Chromium.
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Create snapshots on demand

Wherever you want to create snapshots, add the "Take Snapshot" steps to your script.

  1. Prerequisite: Make sure you select On error and on demand for the Replay snapshot generation setting. See Configure snapshot generation.
  2. Click the Step button in the TruClient menu toolbar to open the Steps box.
  3. In the Functions tab, select the Generic Browser Action step, and drag it to the desired location in the script.
  4. Click the open or close icon to the right-side of the step to open the Step Editor.
  5. Open the Step details. In the Action field, select Take Snapshot.

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View a snapshot

  • Double-click a snapshot in the TruClient Development window to display it in a new browser tab.

  • You can view snapshots in the TruClient snapshot viewer.

    Click the button in the Development window. The snapshot viewer displays the snapshot in the right pane and adds the following elements:

    Previous/Next. Navigates to the snapshot for the previous or next step. The corresponding step is highlighted in the script.

    UI ElementDescription
    RecordingDisplays snapshots that were taken for a specific step during recording.
    Interactive ReplayDisplays snapshots that were taken for a specific step during interactive replay.
    Iteration

    Displays snapshots for a specific iteration during interactive replay mode.

    Load Mode Replay

    Displays snapshots that were taken for a specific step during load mode replay.

    Play Slide ShowDisplays snapshots as a slide show.
    Stop Slide ShowStops the slide show.

    View

    UI ElementDescription
    Single

    Displays the snapshot for a single step.

    Compare Splits the screen so you can compare snapshots from different modes. Use the Snapshot View buttons in each pane to select which snapshots to view. Click the Synch button to synchronize scrolling between the panes. The snapshot error icon indicates that the snapshot is not current for the step.
    ThumbnailDisplays the snapshots in thumbnails view.

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See also: