Front-end protocol logging

GUI protocol exchanges can be logged to a file with the --start-guilog=filename option of fglrun, and replayed with the --run-guilog=filename option.

The --start-guilog/--run-guilog options are used to simulate a program execution by connecting with a front-end, without the program files. Basically, the runtime system connects with the front-end and replays the abstract user interface exchanges.

In order to use the --start-guilog/--run-guilog options, the front-end must be started and listening for direct connections.

The --start-guilog=filename instructs fglrun to start the program and log into filename, all user interface exchanges with the front-end. This option is typically used on site, with the program files.

With the --run-guilog=filename option, the runtime system replays abstract user interface exchanges, as when the program was executed with the --start-guilog option. This step can be done without the program files.

This GUI log feature can be used to set up non-regression tests for front-ends, and to provide a log file to your support center in order to replay a specific application issue. It is typically used to implement tests with the GGC tool. For more details, see the Genero Ghost Client User Guide.

The options take the log file as parameter:

UNIX™ (shell) example:

$ fglrun --start-guilog=mylog.txt myprogram

All user interaction and AUI tree updates will be logged into the mylog.txt file.

The log file can then be replayed with the --run-guilog option, to mimic the user interaction and program, to reproduce potential issues in front-ends:

$ fglrun --run-guilog=mylog.txt myprogram

If the parent program starts other child programs with RUN cmd [WITHOUT WAITING], the parent program and each child program will write into the same log file. When replaying the GUI log file, the runtime system is able to identify parent and child program logs in order to restart individual processes.

$ fglrun --run-guilog=mylog.txt myprogram
enter: one step; c: continue
*** new process
<< 32351 3 i:meta Client{{name "GDC"}{version "3.00.06-152753"}{host  ...
>> 32351 56 o:om 0 {{an 0 UserInterface 0 {{name "guilog"} {text "guilog"} { ...
$
<< 32351 4181 i:event _om 0{}{{ActionEvent 0{{idRef "96"}}}}
*** new process
<< 32355 4186 i:meta Client{{name "GDC"}{version "3.00.06-152753"}{ho ...
>> 32355 4209 o:om 0 {{an 0 UserInterface 0 {{name "guilog"} {text "guilog"} ...
$c
<< 32355 5428 i:event _om 0{}{{ActionEvent 0{{idRef "96"}}}}
>> 32355 5429 o:om 1 {{rn 0}}
*** process terminated
*** process changed
<< 32351 6278 i:event _om 1{}{{ActionEvent 0{{idRef "97"}}}}
>> 32351 6278 o:om 2 {{un 95 {{selection "97"}}} {un 0 {{runtimeStatus "chil ...
>> 32351 6278 o:om 3 {{un 0 {{runtimeStatus "processing"}}}}
>> 32351 6283 o:om 4 {{un 0 {{focus "97"} {runtimeStatus "interactive"}}}}
*** new process
<< 32360 6296 i:meta Client{{name "GDC"}{version "3.00.06-152753-testEN"}{ho ...
>> 32360 6344 o:om 0 {{an 0 UserInterface 0 {{name "guilog"} {text "guilog"} ...
<< 32360 7341 i:event _om 0{}{{ActionEvent 0{{idRef "96"}}}}
>> 32360 7342 o:om 1 {{rn 0}}
*** process terminated
*** process changed
>> 32351 8099 o:om 5 {{rn 0}}
*** process terminated
bye!

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