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JBlitz Professional ships with an inbuilt scheduling utility that you can use to run your tests whenever you need to. Scheduling facilities are handled by the Schedule Manager within JBlitz. This window lets you create new test schedules where one or more test configurations are run at an appointed time, edit existing schedules and review historic schedules that are running or have already run.

When a schedule is due to start, JBlitz will automatically load up the first test configuration in the schedule and begin a test run using that configuration. Once that configuration has completed, the next one in the schedule is loaded up and so on. Test results are automatically saved when each test finishes. Additionally, the scheduler saves summary information about how each test ran in a series of tabs displayed by the Schedule Manager.

Only one set of tests can be scheduled to run at any one time. However, the auto re-test feature of the Schedule Manager allows you to re-schedule your tests upon completion so that regular nightly or weekly tests can be achieved easily.

To ensure your test schedule runs smoothly, please note the following:

• Ensure no test run is ongoing at the time the tests are scheduled to start.
• Check that your test configurations are in a testable state - with a valid host entered and one or more test cases specified.
• You'll want to ensure each test configuration runs for a finite time only. Open the test configuration in JBlitz and use the 'Run Control' tab on the main screen to specify a time limit or similar.
• Make sure there is enough disk space for whatever file based logging might be occurring and for saving the test results for each test configuration.

To create a new test schedule, launch the Schedule Manager (main menu 'Scheduling->Schedule Manager' or click on the clock icon on the main toolbar) and click the 'New Test Schedule' button towards the top right.

Important Note: Because the Schedule Manager is part of the JBlitz application, you will need to ensure that the application itself is running for the schedules to take place. You can either launch JBlitz manually and leave it in an idle state, or you can use a tool such as 'at' or 'cron' to launch JBlitz in time for the schedule to commence.

Prior to version 5.1, test runs could be started automatically using the Auto run on startup preference setting and an external scheduling tool such as 'at' or 'cron' to launch JBlitz at the required time. When this preference setting is selected, JBlitz will begin testing using the current test configuration as soon as it is launched.

You can additionally specify a test configuration for JBlitz to use on startup with the <config_file> command line parameter. By default, JBlitz will use whatever test configuration was previously being used last time round.

The Schedule Manager manages the scheduling functions within JBlitz. This window allows you to:

• Create a new test schedule.

• Modify or cancel an existing schedule that has not yet run.

• Review results from one or more historic schedules that have been run. 

• Automatically re-scheduling tests so that regular daily or weekly tests can be achieved.

At the top of the Schedule Manager window, there is a status area. This displays information about the active test schedule. This is the schedule that is due to be run at some time in the future, or is currently being run. There can only be one test schedule active at any point in time. When a schedule is active, the status area is colored green. The schedule name, commencement time and test configurations to be run are shown. A cancel button is provided to the right to cancel the schedule. When no schedule is active, the status area is colored gray. A button 'New Test Schedule' is provided to the right.

Below the status area, a series of tabs display information about the active test schedule (if any) and historic schedules that have already been run. The tabs are displayed in time order from left (most recent) to right (oldest). A color coding is used to help distinguish between schedule results:

• green tabs - used for displaying the active test schedule. Only the first tab can be shown green.
• blue tabs - the schedule has completed successfully. No errors were encountered by any of the tests in the schedule.
• red tabs - the schedule finished with errors. One or more of the tests encountered an error. The record for the offending test will also be shown in red.

Within each tab, a results table gives quick summary information about the tests run. The test configuration name, test outcome, duration, hits and errors encountered and other information is shown. This information can be exported by using the right mouse popup menu and selecting 'Export...'. You can also view the test result information in more detail by either double-clicking on a record or using the right mouse popup menu and selecting 'Open in JBlitz'.

A right mouse popup menu is available on each tab. Options exist to close the tab (effectively deletes the historic record for that schedule), close all historic tabs (deleting all historic records), and, if the tab is for the active test schedule, to modify the schedule start time or cancel the schedule.

The main menu in the Schedule Manager window also gives access to the main functions (create schedule, cancel schedule) as previously mentioned, but also allows you to:

• Specify the maximum number of tabs to maintain: The number of tabs shown in the window will be capped at the figure selected thus allowing you to reduce clutter from the display of too many tabs.
• Show / hide the main application window. You can hide the main screen in JBlitz. Only the Schedule Manager window will be shown. This is often sufficient when running tests and allows you to de-clutter the screen.

JBlitz will provide some feedback when the scheduled start time for your test schedule approaches. This will help you ensure that no other tests are running before the schedule begins and that you are able to finalize any changes to the current test configuration you are editing (if any).

The clock icon in the top right corner of the main screen will begin to flash. This occurs for approximately ten seconds before the scheduled start time. Additionally, the clock icon displayed on the tab for the active test schedule within the Schedule Manager will flash. The initial test will be highlighted in purple within the results table.

Click the clock icon on the main application toolbar, use the main menu 'Scheduling->Schedule Manager...' or hit Ctrl+Shift+D.  The Schedule Manager window is shown. A single Schedule Manager window is maintained for the whole application.

New test schedules are created in JBlitz using the Create Test Schedule dialog. To show the Create Test Schedule dialog, open the Schedule Manager window and click on the 'New Test Schedule' button to the right of the status panel. Alternatively, select Scheduling->New Test Schedule...' from the main menu in JBlitz. When you create a new test schedule in JBlitz, you'll need to specify the following information: Name. The name which JBlitz uses to refer to the schedule. Type in a descriptive name for your schedule. A default name is provided. Start. The time at which to begin running the tests. This can be any time from now until 7 days from now. A 24 hour clock is used where 00:00 is midnight. Pause. An optional pause time (in seconds) between each test that comprises the schedule. Tests. The sequence of test configurations that represent the tests to are to be run. The order in which the tests are listed is the order in which the tests are run. Click 'Add' to select one or more test configuration files to include. Click 'Remove' to remove any unwanted tests and click 'Move Up' and 'Move Down' to alter the sequence.

Creating a new test schedule

Click 'Create' to activate the schedule. At this point:

• The Schedule Manager will install the schedule as the active test schedule.
• The status area of the Schedule Manager will be updated to show the schedule details.
• A new tab will be created at the left hand side of the Schedule Manager window. It will display a clock icon and show the schedule name and start time in green. Below, the tests that comprise the schedule will be shown in a table (one line for each).
• The JBlitz main screen will show a clock icon at the top right indicating that a test schedule has been activated. Hover the mouse over this icon to see details of when the schedule will be run. Double-click on the icon to show the Schedule Manager.

A couple of points of note:

 

1) Only one schedule can be active at any one point in time. Hence, if a schedule has already been created and is due to commence sometime in the future, this schedule must first be canceled before a new schedule can be created.

 

2) You might be wondering how you can specify the test duration. Well, you can't explicitly define the duration for the schedule. You have to define the duration within each test configuration that is included. Specifying a duration for a test configuration is normally done using the 'Run Control' tab on the main screen.

Note: the evaluation version of JBlitz restricts test schedules to contain at most one test configuration. In the retail version, schedules can contain as many configurations as you require.

To modify the tests that make up a test schedule, go to the Schedule Manager and use the right mouse popup menu from the schedule's results table. Options are available to add a new test configuration to the schedule or to remove the selected test configuration.

Only the active test schedule can be modified in this way, and then only if it is still pending (ie not being run). The active schedule is the leftmost tab, shown in green and with a clock icon on the tab.

Only the active test schedule can be modified in this way, and then only if it is still pending (ie not being run). The active schedule is the leftmost tab, shown in green and with a clock icon on the tab.

To cancel a test schedule, go to the Schedule Manager and click the 'Cancel Active Test Schedule' button to the right of the status area. Alternatively, select the main menu option 'Schedule->Cancel Active Test Schedule'.

As with modifying the schedule, you can only cancel a schedule if it is the active test schedule.

A summary of each schedule's test results is available from the schedule's results table. The results table is shown at the bottom of the Schedule Manager window in as part of the tab for that schedule. Select the tab for the schedule of interest. For each test that makes up the schedule, the start time, end time, duration, hit and error count and some other statistics are shown.

You can drill down into the full results for any given test within a schedule by double-clicking on the record for that test shown within the results table. This 'opens' the test configuration and results into JBlitz allowing you to review all aspects of the results in the normal way. See the test results and analysis tools chapter for more information.

Remember that each test configuration records test results to an associated results file. This means that, if you rerun tests, the new results will overwrite any old results. Hence the results recorded for an historic test schedule may be lost if the schedule is rerun. If you want to avoid this, consider copying the results files sideways to back them up after each test schedule has completed.

Test schedules may be repeatedly run using the auto re-test feature. Select 'Schedule->Auto Re-Test Options' from the main Schedule Manager menu.

Auto-rescheduling		Tick the Enable automatic re-testing check-box and select the frequency which can vary from 6 hourly to fortnightly. JBlitz implements auto re-testing by automatically creating a new schedule each time the current schedule completes. The start time is set to the start time of the completed schedule plus the frequency interval. If the newly computed start time is in the past, the new schedule runs immediately. In this way, test schedules are recreated to run at regular intervals until re-testing is turned off.