Polling requests

Polling is a mechanism used by the Push technology whereby a request is sent by the client to the server at regular intervals. In return, the server updates the status of connected client. Between two polling requests, the server stores the updates sent to the client in its memory until the next polling request is received.

NeoLoad uses a special request to represent a polling request in User Paths.

NeoLoad handles long polling in the same way as polling.

Note: To be able to handle polling requests, you will need to purchase the optional Push module. This module is included in the demo version of NeoLoad.

Polling request specificities

In NeoLoad, all the polling requests in a recording are represented by a single polling request. In addition to the normal parameters for a standard request, a polling request:

• is a multi-response request

• is a Push message Container

• contains a rule to calculate the response time

Multi-response requests

At the end of a recording using a Push framework, NeoLoad creates a copy of the recorded User Path. This copy is modified so that the polling requests can be handled correctly. For more information, see Push frameworks. A single, special request replaces all the polling requests captured in the recording containing all the responses received for each polling request. In a polling request Advanced section, the Recorded response tab shows a list of all the responses received.

This list allows viewing all the responses received. When a response is selected, its content is displayed on the right. The search field allows searching for text contained in the responses. When the search text is entered, the response list is filtered to leave only those responses containing the searched-for text. Furthermore, each occurrence of the text is underlined; the next / previous buttons allow browsing the occurrences.

During playback, the variable extractors and assertions placed on the request are executed for each response received.

Push message Container

When a polling request is used in a User Path, numerous updates are received from the server in the responses to the request. NeoLoad provides an easy way to carry out actions according to the server responses.

For more information about Push message handling, see Push messages.

Response time calculation

The request defines the way the response time to each of the request Push messages is calculated.

For more information about calculating Push message response times, see Push messages response times

Create a polling request

Normally, polling requests are created automatically by NeoLoad. At the end of the recording, NeoLoad automatically detects the polling requests and groups them into a single request. For more information, see Polling.

You may create a polling request manually in the interface by right-clicking on a request Container and selecting Insert as child > Push Action > <Framework> request.