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Introduction

Summary: eValid's Timer Alarm provides a method for triggering time-based alarms during script playback.

There is a fully worked Timer Alarm Example .

Usage: eValid's Timer Alarm is used to evaluate the elapsed script playback time against preset alarm points entered into a script. If the specified time threshold is reached two actions will happen:

1. Based on the Timer Alarm settings, one of three script control actions will take place:
   • Stop: eValid will stop the currently running script.

   • Pause: eValid will pause the script and wait for instructions by the user before resuming playback. To resume playback use the sequence: Playback > Control Playback > Resume or press F8.

   • Continue: eValid will continue playing back the script.

2. Next, eValid will pass an Email address to a URL as well as other variables pertaining to the currently running script.

   This has many applications, the simplest being a server-side script that sends out an Email with information about the Timer Alarm. Other applications (depending on the programming of the server-side script) include logging to text files and/or databases.

   NOTE: The server-side scripts that perform the alarm functions listed above are not provided with eValid. However, eValid has provided an available Email-sending CGI script located on our WebServer that you can use for your Email alarm notices if you like. Click here for more information.

Programming a Timer Alarm

A Timer Alarm can only be added when eValid is in recording mode. Once you have reached the point in the script where you would like to check a time threshold using the Timer Alarm...

1. Select Record > Timer > Set Alarm. This will bring up the Set Alarm dialog.

2. Settings:
   • Limit (HH:MM:SS): Threshold Time. Specify the time that the playback must exceed at this point to generate an alarm.

   • Text: Enter identification information about this specific alarm. This is passed to the server-side alarm script that resides on the WebServer.

   • URL: Location of the server-side alarm script. Click here for more information.

     NOTE: If this field is blank NO URL will be invoked when an alarm situation is detected. This means that there will be no notification outside of the local Error Logs of the occurrence of an alarm.

     eValid has provided a default CGI script which can be used freely:

         http://www.e-valid.com/Cgi-Bin/evalid.alarm.cgi

   • Email: Email addresses that the server-side alarm script should send the Email alarm notification to.

   • On Alarm: Select one of three actions:
     • Stop: On alarm, eValid will stop the currently running script.

     • Pause: On alarm, eValid will pause the script. To resume playback use the sequence: Playback > Control Playback > Resume or press F8.

     • Continue: On alarm, eValid will continue playing back the script.

3. Once the options have been filled out, click Accept to add the Timer Alarm to your script.

WebServer Alarm Script

About the Example/Default CGI Alarm Script: The script provided by eValid is located at:

<http://www.e-valid.com/Cgi-Bin/evalid.alarm.cgi>

This CGI script will send Email to the recipient(s) listed in the Email field of the Set Alarm dialog.

NOTE: The Email addresses must be separated by a comma and a space. For example, "john@mycompany.com, bob@mycompany.com" (without quotes).

Creating your own server-side alarm script: eValid uses the standard GET method through HTTP to transfer information to the server-side alarm script.

If you have access to a server-side scripting language that will parse variables through the WebServer, you can create your own alarm script. Some common server-side scripting languages are PERL, ColdFusion, ASP and PHP. Actual programming of the server-side alarm script is beyond the scope of this document.

Variables: The following variables are passed to the server-side alarm script:

• TIME_STAMP: This contains the time that the alarm occurred.
• MESSAGE: Contents of the Text field on the Set Alarm dialog.
• PROJECT: The current project.
• GROUP: The current group.
• TEST: The current test.
• EMAIL: Contents of the Email field on the Set Alarm dialog.

NOTE: The variables listed are all UPPER CASE.