Using eValid to Tune Web Pages

We have had a number of users ask us how to improve the performance of their web pages?

Usually that means that they have some page that is slow or sluggish and they want to know the features of the page that are causing the problem. And, that requires being able to look at pages as they load and see what is going on.

There is a way to do this very simply with eValid, described in our Using Paused Playback to Study Page Timing data.

In a nutshell what this amounts to is to (a) set the timing level for eValid's EventLog to "Detailed," (b) run a script with a Breakpoint command to have eValid "Pause" with the browser active, and then (c) study the details about all of the page components to find where a performance problem lies.

This process builds intuition very quickly, because the detailed timing data reports every page component's size, download speed, and order of completion. Try this on a big website like CNN.com and you'll be able to see the nearly 200 page elements that make up what you see in the finally-composed and rendered browser face.

Try the same on a page that is done with AJAX and you can see the page components that are updated after the original page load is complete.

Users with this kind of detail don't have much trouble finding the "big offenders" in their pages.

Examples of Google Docs Testing

We have been updating our worked examples to include application of the structural testing commands in eValid to some of the popular types of applications --ones that are good examples of "difficult to test" web applications.

We have recently completed two examples that deal with different aspects of Google Docs:

• Spreadsheets
  Here the issue is whether you can easily create a new spreadsheet, or open an existing one, manipulate it easily, and validate results. You can see the results at this page: Testing Google Docs -- Spreadsheet Option.
  
  
• Text Documents
  In this case the issue is similar, but now the job is just to be able to perform basic actions on a Google Docs document. Our example can be seen here: Testing Google Docs -- Document Option.
  

What ties these two examples together is that the basic script was created "from life" using eValid's recording capability. From that recording we modified some of the passages to use the pure-structural commands that manipulate the DOM to produce the right playback effects.

Interesting Posts to the eValid Forum

Here is a selection of interesting recent queries and responses in the eValid User Forum:

• How To Find The Broken Link (Forum: Site Analysis)
  
• Using eValid on a GWT Application (Forum: AJAX Applications)
  
• Automated Build Testing (Forum: General Topics)
  
• What's the story on 'time to first byte'? (Forum: Application Monitoring)
  
• Monitoring/Functional Testing Script with SAP Applications (Forum: Application Monitoring)
  

We invite eValid users to create an account on the eValid User Forum and post queries or responses.

Windows 7 (W7) Operation With eValid Confirmed

We're pleased to report that eValid runs fine on Microsoft's new Windows 7 (W7).

We brought up a copy of W7, installed IE 8, and installed eValid V9 and ran our entire internal test suite. New W7 users can have confidence that eValid can readily test web applications that run on Microsoft's newest OS.

eValid Being Used At Lousiana State University For Course on Web Analytics

eValid is pleased to be able to provide copies of eValid to Lousiana State University, Department of Information Systems and Decision Sciences for use in a course on Web Analytics (ISDS 4118) that Prof. James R. Van Scotter being offered for the first time this Fall.

One goal of this course is to have diagnose web site design and usability problems and recommend improvements to the web site owners. Students will use eValid to create sitemaps, calculate web site metrics, and perform other analytic functions. The results will be used to examine website navigation design issues, identify broken or incorrect links, and pinpoint slow-loading pages and investigate other performance related issues.

Prof. Van Scotter's class will be organized into 6-7 groups and each group will be comparing 4-5 websites.

Useful Factoids About eValid Site Analysis

Recently we've had a number of companies show very strong interest in eValid's ability to scan websites. As users may know, such scans are done entirely from the user's point of view, using eValid's unique client-side InBrowser technology.

Some recurring questions come up, however, because the eValid method is so unlike any of other several non-client-side, non-browser based scanning technologies. The fact that the eValid scanner is built into a browser sometimes
blurs users' understanding of what's going on.

Here's a short Explanation of Key Facts about Site Analysis that aims to answer some of the most common questions users have about eValid's site analysis (spider). If you have more questions please don't hesitate to ask!

Webinar: Structural Testing for AJAX/Web 2.0

Run Functional/Regression Tests on Complex, Dynamic AJAX for Web 2.0 Applications
Extremely Robust Tests Are Based on Structural Page Features

Thursday, 22 October 2009 — 2:00 PM Eastern Time / 11:00 AM Pacific Time

When web applications change in subtle ways, your functional/loading/monitoring tests may begin to fail if your test scripts are brittle.

New eValid capabilities make it possible to prevent test failures due to non-consequential changes to your web application. Using Index/Motion commands you can develop an Algorithmic/Structural tests that can handle any AJAX or Web 2.0 application -- even when page structure and details (but not essential intent and effect) -- change substantially.

Learn how to achieve greater productivity with smaller budgets, maximize your IT investments, and get more work done in less time with less energy.

Build reliable, robust AJAX/Web 2.0 tests once -- and you won't have to worry about them again.

Webinar Outline

• Introduction to eValid's Architecture.
  
• Functional Test Creation: "What you see and do, is what eValid records, is what eValid reproduces".
  
• Methodology Overview: Record From Life, Adapt From Page Facts
  
• Index/Motion (Algorithmic/Structural) Command Summary
  
• Typical Script Passages: "Recorded From Life" and Structural Versions
  
• Script Enhancement for AJAX/Web 2.0: Bullet-Proofing Your Playback
  
• Practical Experience & Recommendations

Speaker Edward Miller, eValid's Chief Architect
Moderator Rita Bral, VP Corporate Communications, Software Research, Inc.

You are cordially invited to attend this free Webinar. REGISTER NOW!