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Working with Session Variables
There are two main methods of incorporating session variables
into site pages:
to incorporate session variables into URI
to use request parameter to transmit session variable
WAPT supports both methods:
using functions "URI from Form" and "URI from link"
using functions "Hidden" and "Parameter from URL"
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Session variable is a part of URI
Functions "URI from Form" and "URI from link" cannot be used to define
URI directly. You should create a variable based on one of these functions
on the previous page and then use the variable to define URI.
URI from link - $HRef Syntax:
VarName=$HRef({text})
Searches for the link with specified text in HTML code of response to
the CURRENT request and returns the URI from this link.
Note:
If the link uses relative path, you should add the missing part of URI
manually (see Example 2).
Example 1 (full path):
HTML code of response contains: <A HREF="/scdp/page;jsessionid=u8kzzgzsr2">Preparing
test scenario</a>
If you create a variable JSesID equal to $href(Preparing
test scenario), you will obtain the actual URI with a new value
of jsessionid. In this example, the variable will get
the following value:
/scdp/page;jsessionid=u8kzzgzsr2
and you can set URI in the subsequent request to use the value of JSesID
variable.
Example 2 (relative path):
HTML code of response contains: <A HREF="/page;jsessionid=u8kzzgzsr2">Preparing
test scenario</a>
The only difference is that you should use /scdp&$href(Preparing test scenario)
instead of $href(Preparing test scenario).
URI from Form - $Action
Syntax:
VarName=$Action({index})
Searches for the form in response to the previous request and returns
URI from the action attribute.
Index defines which occurrence of the form should be used (multiple forms
on the page). 0 stands for random occurrence.
Note: If the link uses relative path, you should add the missing part of URI manually.
Example:
HTML code of response contains: <FORM NAME="search" METHOD= "GET"ACTION="/cgi-bin/search.pl;SessionID=9071C43790244953739594949120B6C8">
<INPUT TYPE="text" NAME="text" VALUE="" MAXLENGTH=80>
<INPUT TYPE="submit" VALUE="Start search">
and this is the first form on the page.
If you create a variable URI_session equal to $action(1),
you will obtain the actual URI from this form with an actual
value of SessionID. In this example, URI_session
variable will get the following value:
/cgi-bin/search.pl;SessionID=9071C43790244953739594949120B6C8 and you can set URI in the subsequent request to use the value of URI_session
variable.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Session variable is a request parameter
Functions $UrlParam and $Hidden can
be used directly or using variables. Examples below show the direct usage
of these functions.
Parameter from URL -
$UrlParam
Searches HTML code of the PREVIOUS page for GET or POST request that contains
the specified parameter and returns its value.
Syntax:
ParamName=$UrlParam({name},{index})
Index defines which occurrence of the specified parameter should be
used (multiple forms with the same parameter). 0 stands for random occurrence.
Example 1: HTML code of response contains: <A HREF="http://myserver/view?SessionID=FCHHAB02DF¶m=test111"></a>
The use of Myparam=$UrlParam(SessionID) in the next
request will result in the actual value of Myparam=FCHHAB02DF.
Example 2:
You need to automate a simple scenario of navigating through a certain
site using respective HTTP requests:
1. User registration: http://myserver/register?User=Alex&Pass=qwerty
(a POST request)
2. After registration, the user is redirected to the
main category which displays links to all resources of the site. At this stage,
the SessionID
session variable is generated. The user selects the Main category by
clicking the respective link: http://myserver/view?SessionID=FCHHAB02DF&Category=main
3. The user selects a link to particular resource: http://myserver/view?SessionID=FCHHAB02DF&Category=main&Item=67
During recording, WAPT records this sequence
of HTTP requests, but the static value of SessionID would not be used
to playback this sequence during test run. After sending the second
request an error will occur. The reason is that we try to use the old
value of SessionID.
You should set SessionID parameter to $UrlParam(SessionID) and thus solve
problems related to SessionID.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Hidden - $Hidden
Returns the value of hidden parameter from HTML code of response to the
PREVIOUS request.
Syntax:
ParamName=$Hidden({name},{index})
Index defines which occurrence of the specified parameter should be used
(multiple forms with the same parameter). 0 stands for random occurrence.
The function searches for an element containing <....
name="{name}" value="{value}"> using the specified {name}.
The found {value} will be used. Hidden input elements in HTML forms can be used, for example,
to include session dependent values in request.
Example:
Response to the previous HTTP request contains a form with the set of
hidden elements:
