[comp.sys.sun] Simulating Users on Sun 3/60 running X Windows

joshua@athertn.atherton.com (Sleaze Hack) (12/15/88)

sun!athsys!jim@decwrl.dec.com (Jim Becker) writes:
>I have the task of determining how to capture a user session on the Sun
>(mouse & keyboard events) and then replay it automatically.  The purpose
>of this is to create test scripts that can be used for Q/A.

Part of the answer to this may be XDR, Sun's data representation standard
for RPC.  You could use XDR to store all the complicated Event structures
into a file, and then read them back later.  Something like this:

        In Record Mode                      In Play Mode

  user ---> XEvent ---> program              XEvent ---> program
               ||                               /\
               XDR                              ||
               ||                               XDR
               \/                               ||
              file                             file

Obviously, you would have to replace XEvent with your own version, but
that would not be to difficult.  WARNING: I have not done this, and
therefore do not know if it will actually work.  The last time I played
with X was X10r4, so things may have changed.

I anyone gets something like this to work, please email me, since our QA
group will be fighting the same battle soon.  Better yet, post the new
version of XEvent to comp.sources.x.  XDR is documented in the red section
of the Sun documentation, and is publicly available.

Josh
--------
Addresses:
joshua@atherton.com OR         
sun!athertn!joshua  OR                 
{backbone}!{decwrl!hpda}!athertn!joshua  work:(408)734-9822 home:(415)968-3718

paul@philabs.philips.com (Paul Matz) (12/16/88)

sun!athsys!jim@decwrl.dec.com (Jim Becker) writes:
> I have the task of determining how to capture a user session on the Sun
> (mouse & keyboard events) and then replay it automatically.  The purpose
> of this is to create test scripts that can be used for Q/A.

NeWS has a feature that captures all mouse and keyboard input.  It sounds
like just what you are looking for.  Version 1.1, and it is called
journalling.  The user interface controller works just like a tape
recorder.  Try it, you'll like it!

	Paul Matz
	PPG Biomedical Systems
	Pleasantville, NY.
	914-741-4685
	ppgbms!paul

jim@decwrl.dec.com (Jim Becker) (12/30/88)

joshua@athertn.atherton.com (Sleaze Hack):
> sun!athsys!jim@decwrl.dec.com (Jim Becker) writes: 
>>I have the task of determining how to capture a user session on the Sun
>>(mouse & keyboard events) and then replay it automatically.  The purpose
>>of this is to create test scripts that can be used for Q/A.

Since my initial post (of a month ago) I have implemented the
functionality needed for the X11R2 ddx/sun server. This source code will
be posted to the X group after a breif betatest period.

Thanks for all you comments and help everyone who responded!

-Jim Becker