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Browser-Based, Client-Side, Functional Testing & Validation,
Load & Performance Tuning, Page Timing, Website Analysis,
and Rich Internet Application Monitoring.

eValid -- LoadTest Usage Hints
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When running LoadTest *.evl scenarios remember that you are launching each ".evs" script in its own browser. Because there is no limit to the number of browsers one can open with eValid's LoadTest License, it is easy to "over-tax" system resources due to the default settings that Windows and IE5.5 or later, set on your machine. Be sure to check the Machine Capacity Notes for additional details.

These system settings, Virtual-Memory and Desktop-Heap, are both able to be re-configured to aid in successful playbacks of LoadTest scenarios.

Because LoadTest scenarios do not permit the use of cache, you must make sure that the script you run will operate successfully without cache. This can be checked easily by turning off all cache functions and confirming script operation in the foreground.

Remember to copy down or make a backup file of default system settings to aid you in the need for re-establishing default settings and or in case of electrical or system failures due to weather or other electrical conditions that are not in your control. Also note that the instructions to set Virtual-Memory and DeskTop-Heap settings were made using the following PC configuration:


[CPU] > Pentium III 700 MHz,
[System Memory] > 512 MB 100Mhz SDRAM,
[OS] > Windows 2000

Special Microsoft Patches for Certain Problems

There are some HotFix modifications that deal with special problems that some versions of eValid may have when executing on some versions of Windows 2000. All HotFix information is available direct from Microsoft. In certain cases these HotFixes may already be included in one or more Service Packs so their use may not be necessary.

Virtual Memory and DeskTop Heap Settings

The actual number you have to set Virtual-Memory and or Desktop-Heap settings to, may vary due to hardware, OS, and LoadTest configurations. The following instructions help you to locate and change machine default settings to accommodate what Windows and the desktop may need to successfully run more than 20 width, browsers in parallel, in a LoadTest scenario. We recommend at least [128 MB RAM] to consider running a LoadTest over 20 in width, parallel. You may have to tweak the virtual memory and desktop heap settings differently according to "your" machine's and OS's needs. Note: The more RAM, system memory, your machine has, the better.

INSTRUCTIONS TO SET virtual memory (based on 128MB):

1. Right Click [My Computer]
2. Select: [Advanced] > [Performance] > [Change]
3. Set Initial Size(MB): 572
4. Maximum Size(MB): 574
5. Click [Set] > [OK]
6. Reboot machine to take effect.

INSTRUCTIONS TO SET desktop heap:

1. Select {Start Menu] > [Run] then type regedit and click [OK] button.
2. In the registry editor select:
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE] > [System] > [CurrentControlSet] > [Control] > [SessionManager] > [SubSystems]
3. Right click [Windows]
4. In the pop up menu select [Modify]
5. In the editable dialog-box copy and paste the long string into a text file using Notepad or some text editor to save the setting as a backup.
6. In the editable dialog-box use the arrow key to scroll to the part of the string that reads: SharedSection=1024,3072,512
Note: the three numbers above, 1024, 3072, 512 may vary from machine to machine. Be sure to just change the second one, 3072 or whatever number is in its place to the numbers mentioned below, or tweak the number that favors your machine and LoadTest needs.
7. Change the 3072 to 8192 for up to 100 parallel playbacks or set it to 16384 to 32768 for up to > 100 parallel playbacks.
Note: You have to have enough system memory, RAM, to satisfy the requirements of the previous setting(s).
8. Reboot machine to take effect.
Note: You will have to try different settings using the above method(s) as each machine, hardware, and OS, is different in its requirements.