Multi-Browser Support for DéjàClick

By default, DéjàClick runs transactions in the Mozilla Firefox browser on our monitoring servers, however, some web pages are designed or optimized for use with Microsoft's Internet Explorer web browser. To meet the needs of those users, DéjàClick provides the additional flexibility to run transactions on Internet Explorer (IE). The script is recorded using Firefox, but can be uploaded to certain monitoring locations running Internet Explorer. In addition, the script can be run on Internet Explorer with Test On Demand.

Overview

Familiarity with AlertSite's DéjàClick transaction recording tool and the AlertSite Console is strongly recommended for using this guide. If you don't have the DéjàClick toolbar in your Firefox browser, go to the DéjàClick Downloads page to download the DéjàClick add-on and additional modules (TrueScreen and ImageMagick). If you have never used DéjàClick before, please go to the DéjàClick Quick Start Guide. After you have become comfortable with recording DéjàClick transactions, you'll be able to move on to this more advanced feature. To learn more about the AlertSite Console, go to AlertSite Quick Start Guide.

Future Enhancements

The following is the list of properties not supported in the current version of Multi-Browser DéjàClick (V2.4.1.X):

• TrueScreen (Flash)
• Multiple Windows
• Dialog and Pop-ups
• Image and JavaScript Validation
• ContentViews
• InSite Monitoring
• Mobile Devices
• DejaNotes
• Encryption
• Location Change, Content Change, and Network Activity Hints
• Complete web page capture

These properties are set to be enhancements in future releases of the browser extension.

Browser Selection

The Upload and Test On Demand dialogs accommodate IE by including a dropdown menu for Browser Type. After recording and replaying your script on Firefox, click the Test On Demand icon in the DéjàClick toolbar. The Test On Demand dialog box will be displayed with two dropdowns, Browser: and Locations:, as shown below:

By default, Mozilla Firefox is displayed in the Browser: list. Click the dropdown box to display Internet Explorer. The list of locations will change depending on the selected browser type, displaying those Monitoring Locations that support running transactions over IE. After selecting a location, the Test button will be activated. Click Test to run the transaction on your selected location. Note the icon in the Test On Demand progress screen denoting the selected browser type:

Once the script has been verified that it will run successfully on the IE DéjàClick server, AlertSite customers can upload the script to their account. Click on the Remote Services icon in the DéjàClick toolbar and select Upload Recording from the dropdown menu. In the Upload dialog that's presented, fill in all the fields as needed, selecting the desired browser type from the Browser: dropdown:

If your account is configured with default monitoring locations that are not IE-compatible and you upload a script to the IE browser type, the monitoring locations will be determined at random. The same will be done if you have only IE locations set as your default locations and you upload a script to the Firefox browser. To change default locations, navigate to Account→Manage Account in your Console and click on the Locations button in the upper right. The Type column displays the icon(s) for each location's supported browser type.

AlertSite Console Interaction

In order to make it easier to see at a glance which browser type is being used for each transaction, the AlertSite Console has been modified to display icons in selected areas. The icons are:

Firefox:
Internet Explorer:

Dashboard

The Console Dashboard Device tab displays icons in the Type column to show different device types (website, secure website, name server, transaction, etc.). For transaction devices, the appropriate icon for the browser type used to monitor the device is shown:

Dashboard Grid:

Reports

Most of the individual device reports display the browser type icon next to the device name:

• Transaction Detail
• Hourly Summary
• Daily Summary
• Regional Breakdown
• Statistics by Hour of Day
• Transaction Step
• Transaction Step Summary
• Page Objects
• Notifications Detail (for individual transaction)

Report Heading for Firefox Device:

Report Heading for Internet Explorer Device:

Test On Demand

Monitored IE transactions can be selected for Test On Demand in the the Site Diagnostics page under Support in the Control Menu. When an IE transaction is selected for test, the Locations dropdown is automatically populated with the list of IE-only locations. The Test On Demand progress screen will display the icon for the transaction browser type, same as when running Test On Demand from the DéjàClick toolbar.

Custom Notifications

Several alert notification methods can be customized to include a Browser Type variable. Customizable notification templates are:

• Site error via email (text format)
• Site error via AIM
• Site error via wireless email
• Site error clear via email (text format)
• Site error clear via AIM
• Site error clear via wireless email
• Website change via email (text format)
• Website change via AIM
• Website change via wireless email

The two variable names are:

• $BROWSER_TYPE_LONG - Long description of the browser type
• $BROWSER_TYPE_SHORT - Short description of the browser type

To add either of these variables to a notification template

• Log into your Console
• Navigate to Notifiers in the Control Menu
• Click the Manage Notification Templates button in the upper right
• Select any of the customizable templates listed above from the Message Type dropdown
  • Click VIEW available variables for a dialog of Template Variable Descriptions
• Modify the Subject or Body of the message by entering the desired Browser Type variable (long or short) and optional text.
  For example:
  Under Type: $TYPEPORT, add
  Browser: $BROWSER_TYPE_LONG
• Click Save Custom Template

When a notifier configured to use any of the methods listed above receives an alert, the additional line displaying the Browser Type will appear in the notification body. For example:

The following site failed one or more recent status tests:

Site: Amazon site
URL:  
IP Address: 216.137.33.241
Type: DejaClick Device
Browser Type: Mozilla Firefox
Last Status: 5 - Round Robin -- Keyword verification error within returned page
HTTP Status: HTTP/1.0 200 OK

Last Checked: 2011-10-05 23:46:03
Consecutive errors: 1

[...]

Once you have customized your templates, if you don't have any notifiers configured with the custom template, add a notifier using that notification method (field labeled Send a(n) in the Manage Notifier screen).

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