eValid™ -- The Web Quality Suite Browser-Based Client-Side Functional Testing and Validation Page Timing/Tuning Transaction Monitoring. WebSite Spidering & Analysis and Realistic Server Loading.

Introduction
This page describes several layers of playback "maximum time" guarding. The goal is to prevent eValid playbacks that may stall (for any number of correct reasons) from blocking monitoring functions.

This page is a companion to the Monitoring Agent Recommended Settings page.

These options are outlined below from the "outside in". If you use these the time limits on the outer-most guards ought to be longer than the time limits on the next inner guard. This process assures orderly protection, working from the inside out, with a series of "guards" or monotonically increasing maximum times. In the other direction you would have a sequence of monotonically decreasing maximum time limits, in anticipation that only the innermost ones would be needed.

• Kill Dormant Processes
  The pskill Option can be used to make sure there are no eValid's left over from the prior monitoring cycle. Or, you can program a pskill at the end of the batch command to make SURE there are not eValid's left over that could interfer in future playbacks.

• Scheduler
  The Windows scheduler has an option to "Stop Task if Time Exceeds [ ] Minutes". This limit will defeat halted eValid playbacks that are not killed by the -RT switch. Caution: Be careful to make sure that the total playback time including the "time exceeds" time for the scheduled event is smaller than the schedule interval.

• Batch Command
  The eValid batch command can use the -RT switch to limit total playback time.

• Script Command
  Several independent timer checks are available at playback time.

  • Maximum Page Download
    This value is kept in the registry, and is adjustable via the global Settings. The stored value can be overridden by the current script by using the _PT option in the eValid PlayValue Command.

  • Maximum Synchronization Retry Time
    The stored value can be overridden by the current script by using the _PJ option in the eValid PlayValue Command.

Bracketing Playback Executions
Here is a table that illustrates the various levels of protection against unusual behavior built around a typical eValid scipt playback.

Use pskill option to clear eValid instance before/after monitoring run. Use Windows Scheduler's Time Limit to contain batch run outcome. Use eValid's -RT switch in the batch-mode invocation of eValid. Maximum Page Download Time Setting. Playback Script PlayValue Commands to Adjust Thresholds. Synchronization Retry Time Setting. Alarm Commands Sending Email. OnAlarmGoScript Command to Alternative-Exit Script. OnTimeoutGoScript Command to Alternative-Exit Script. OnErrorGoScript Command to Alternative-Exit Script. ExitNow Command at Script End.