Help us to help you! Continuous documentation updates for Web performance and load testing
Using our continuous publishing model, which is generally done on a monthly basis, we do our best to update the documentation based on bug fixes and customer feedback. Since Visual Studio 2010 shipped in April, we have updated the docs using this model. You can have direct impact on the docs by using the button 
on the MSDN library toolbar and telling us both what you like and dislike. Think of it in this way... I can act as your ambassador to the team by taking your comments and chat with the developers, testers and managers within the product unit to try and resolve them. I can't promise I'll get everything resolved, but I'll do what I can as I have a real passion for doing this type of thing.
Here is what I have done for the Visual Studio Ultimate product and testing documentation since we shipped:
June Updates
In June, I added a new topic based directly from customer feedback that asked for information on the protocols and ports that are used for the test controller so he could properly configure it around his firewall. The topic is Configuring a Test Controller and Test Agent Across a Firewall. I also made several minor updates based on customer feedback in both the Visual Studio 2010 and Visual Studio 2008 content.
July updates
I had some extra time to focus on customer feedback issues for the July update. All the topics in the following table are based on customer feedback that the team has received over time.
| New topic | URL |
| How to: Specify the Maximum Size for the Log File | https://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ff829315.aspx |
| Troubleshooting Network Emulation in Load Tests | https://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ff817099.aspx |
| Walkthrough: Adding a Loop to a Web Performance Test | https://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ff820570.aspx |
| How to: Run a Load Test Containing Web Performance Tests that Collects ASP.NET Profiler Data | https://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ff805009.aspx |
| How to: Manually Create a Load Test Performance Report Using Microsoft Word | https://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ff805009.aspx |
In additon to the new topics, I also accomplished the following, which I hope will benefit you:
Updated topics: |
Added information on ClassInitialize and TestInitialize attributes: |
Anatomy of a Unit Test |
Added C# and Visual Basic code snips displaying accessors |
Unit Tests for Private, Internal, and Friend Methods |
Added screenshots and information for using SQLExpress |
How to: Select a Load Test Results Repository |
Added codes snip for using "Tag Inner Text" validation rule and added links to validation and extraction walkthrough |
Using Validation and Extraction Rules in Web Performance Tests |
Added note regarding IIS application pool credentials (closed PU bug) |
How to: Collect IntelliTrace Data to Help Debug Difficult Issues |
Added Tip note suggesting the use of the ColorWebApp ASP.NET sample created in the walkthrough to experiment with |
How to: Create a Coded Web Performance Test |
Cleaned up art - numbering sequence |
Running Unit Tests on Multiple Machines Using a Test Controller and Test Agents |
Walkthrough: Using a Test Controller and Test Agents in a Load Test |
Using Test Controllers and Test Agents with Load Tests |
Configuring Test Controllers and Test Agents for Load Testing |
Reported bug - waiting on resolution |
How to: Specify Test Agents to Use in Load Test Scenarios |
Fixed confusion over "Performance session" vs. "ASP.NET Profiler adapter" & added links |
How to: Start a Performance Session on a Web Application from the Web Performance Test Editor |
Load Test Analyzer Overview |
Added Links to the following topics |
Added link to new related walkthrough topic |
Adding Loop and Branch Logic to Web Requests in Web Performance Tests |
Added links to the various walkthrough topics on binding to db, csv and XML data sources. |
Binding a Data Source to a Web Performance Test |
Added links to "Binding a Data Source to a Web Performance Test" |
Walkthrough: Adding Data Binding to a Web Performance Test |
Walkthrough: Adding Data Binding to a Web Performance Test (CSV File) |
Walkthrough: Adding Data Binding to a Web Performance Test (XML File) |
Added link to new walkthrough on using a loop condition in a Web performance test |
Web Performance Test Walkthroughs |
What's New for Web Performance and Load Testing |
How to: Add Loops to Web Performance Tests Requests |
Added information on DLL version error work-around |
How to: Create a Load Test Plug-In |
How to: Create a Recorder Plug-In |
How to: Create a Request-Level Plug-In |
How to: Create a Web Performance Test Plug-In |
Added link to new topic "How to: Run a Load Test Containing Web Performance Tests that Collects ASP.NET Profiler Data" |
How to: Configure ASP.NET Profiler for Load Tests Using Test Settings |
How to: Create a Test Setting for a Distributed Load Test |
Added link to new topic "Troubleshooting Network Emulation in Load Tests" |
How to: Add Networks Using the Load Test Editor |
Specifying Virtual Network Types in a Load Test Scenario |
Troubleshooting Load and Web Performance Tests |
Troubleshooting Load Tests |
Running Load Tests |
Added link to new topic "How to: Specify the Maximum Size for the Log File" |
Modifying Load Test Logging Settings |
Added link to new topic "How to: Manually Create a Load Test Performance Report Using Microsoft Word" |
Reporting Load Tests Results for Test Comparisons or Trend Analysis |
How to: Create Load Test Performance Reports Using Microsoft Excel |
August Updates
How to: Install the Required Software to Create a Video
- Updated the existing topic on installing the encoder used to record video sessions. The topic describes the steps required to install the new Expression Encoder 4.0 diagnostic data adapter which is replacing the Windows Media Encoder diagnostic data adapter. This is critical because the Windows Media Encoder is no longer supported and any new video links and video recordings contained in a work item bug that are filed from an instance of Microsoft Test Manager with the new diagnostic adapter installed, will not function when accessed from a machine that does not have the new diagnostic data adapter installed.
How to Record a Video of Your Desktop as You Run Tests Using Test Settings
- Updated the existing topic on recording the desktop while performing a test demonstrating the configuration changes due to using the new Expression Encoder 4.0 diagnostic data adapter.
Test Controller and Test Agent Requirements
- New topic that covers the hardware and software requirements for test controllers and test agents with tables that provide guidance based on the number of virtual users and other requirement considerations.
- New topic that describes how to edit the associated XML configuration files for test controllers and test agents in situations where the machine has more than one network adapter card. This helps to resolve the following error:
o Error 8110. Can not connect to the specified controller computer or access the controller object .
How to Specify Timeout Periods for Test Controllers and Test Agents
- New topic that provides information on editing the associated XML files for test controllers and test agents to modify key timeout values. The various timeout settings are covered in tables with the XML key name, descriptions and the value settings. This information is helpful when resolving errors and issues caused by timeouts. For example, the test controller’s key name AgentConnectionTimeoutInSeconds is used to specify the Number of seconds to wait for agent ping request before connection is considered lost.
September Updates
For September, my focus was on some coded UI testing topics:
Walkthrough: Creating, Editing and Maintaining a Coded UI Test
- New walkthrough which demonstrates creating a simple WPF application and creating a coded UI test for it. The Coded UI test is altered to demonstrate some common editing and maintenance issues. The alterations include refactoring of a control and using the UITestControl.ControlWaitForEnabled() method to force the test to wait on a control to be enabled before proceeding to the next step in the test.
Making Coded UI Tests Wait For Specific Events During Playback
- New topic that provides information on all the various UITestControl.WaitForControlXXX() methods that you can use to avoid common coded UI test playback issues.
How to: Add UI Controls and Validation Code Using the Coded UI Test Builder
- Updated the topic with screenshots to help clarify the steps used with the Coded UI Test Builder tool.