Jay Harris is Cpt. LoadTest

Steve Yegge blogged an interesting article, yesterday, on (Not) Managing Software Developers. I feel that it is a very interesting article, and definitely worth a read. I agree with most of it, though I do warn you that it should be read with an open mind to prevent feeling “slighted” if you are the managing type.

As the title proclaims, he covers how to (not) manage your developers, advising managing types to be open to new processes and practices, be reflective in a quest for constant self-improvement, and above all to be empathetic–developers are people, too. As his posts often are, his pessimism starts at “We are all bad managers!” to aid in his self-improvement quest, forcing an ego-driven drive to improvement. Again, this is not for everyone, as he already has a few flames in his comments, though perhaps if you are on the flaming side, you may most benefit from his words; everyone should pursue self-improvement if for only to improve their craft.

One modification that I would make is that this is not just for managers. It applies to everyone on the quality assurance team, too. (I am sure it applies to everyone, everywhere, but I only speak of what I know.) We all-to-often attack our developers–even if unintentionally, and if only from their point of view–over bug-ridden code and underperforming applications. Steve’s advice will help everyone have a better understanding of everyone else. Empathy is all too uncommon in our world.

Recently, here at the ranch, we have been experiencing a few issues with Internet Explorer’s javascript functionality. It’s not that IE is doing anything wrong, but rather that it performs unexpectedly. When opening a new window in javascript [window.open()], the height and width dimensions are relative to the size of the canvas / stage / content area (depending on what discipline you are from), all commonly referred to as innerHeight and innerWidth. However, when you execute a resize function in javascript [window.resizeTo()], the height and width dimensions are relative to the size of the entire window, including any chrome, commonly referred to as outerHeight and outerWidth.

Thus, if you create a window (500px x 300px), then resize it to (505px x 305px), the window will actually get smaller, since the chrome adds more than 5 pixels to height and width.

The problem: SCOs (Courseware) can be of any size, depending on the specifications, requirements, and whims of the original clients and developers. To keep courses in their most visual-appealing state, we need to size the content window to precise innerHeight and innerWidth pixel dimensions. Due to our site’s design, the link that launches the Course Shell window has no idea what the size of the SCO is. The Course Shell (LMS) knows how big the SCO is, but it is loaded into the Course Shell window, which is obviously done after the window is created and initially sized. We need a way to size the window to content-dimensions after the window is created.

The catch: Internet Explorer has no native support for innerHeight and innerWidth, let alone a way to resize to those dimensions. Furthermore, the difference between the inner- and outer-dimensions due to window chrome can change from OS to OS and from theme to theme. For example, in Windows XP’s default “bubbly” themes, the title and status bars are much taller than in Windows “Classic” themes. Internet Explorer has no native way to identify the difference in inner- and outer-dimensions, making it difficult to resize to an inner size using an outer size command.

I hacked together some (perhaps mediocre, but still effective) javascript to resize a window to its inner dimensions rather than the outer dimensions, regardless of the amount of chrome that the OS adds.

HTML

<div id="resizeReference"
    style="position: absolute; top: 0px; left: 0px; width: 100%; height: 100%; z-index: -1;">
    &nbsp;
</div>

Javascript

function resizeWindow(iWidth, iHeight){
    var resizeRef = document.getElementById('resizeReference');
    var iOuterWidth = iWidth + 10;
    var iOuterHeight = iHeight + 29;
 
    if (resizeRef) {
        var iPreWidth = resizeRef.offsetWidth;
        var iPreHeight = resizeRef.offsetHeight;
        window.resizeTo(iPreWidth,iPreHeight);
        var iPostWidth = resizeRef.offsetWidth;
        var iPostHeight = resizeRef.offsetHeight;
        iOuterWidth = iWidth + (iPreWidth-iPostWidth);
        iOuterHeight = iHeight + (iPreHeight-iPostHeight);
    }
    window.resizeTo(iOuterWidth, iOuterHeight);
}

The HTML tag creates a hidden DIV whose height and width match the window. This provides innerHeight and innerWidth. The JS takes the dimensions of that DIV and resizes the window to those measured dimensions. Since this transfers the inner-dimensions to the outer-dimensions, this provides the exact size of the window chrome. We can now resize to the input parameter height and width, plus the height and width of window chrome, to give us a resize to inner-dimensions.

Execute resizeWindow no sooner than below the closing Body tag, so that the DIV is rendered.

It is a bit of a hack, but it works for now.

“He’s a big pig. You can be a big pig, too.” ~Timon

Turns out that Flash isn’t the murderous killer with the 9-inch chef’s knife. It’s just a big pig. Flash, within this Scorm course, was passing Scorm data to an external JavaScript function. JS was opening an ActiveX XmlHttpRequest object to send the Scorm data to the service via a WebService call (think AJAX). However, Flash was requiring that this be a synchronous call (so much for AJAX). W3C regulates [Hypertext Transfer Protocol — HTTP/1.1 RFC 2616 Section 8.1.4] that “a single-user client should not maintain more than 2 connections with any server or proxy.” Flash is busy downloading external assets, so both connections were taken, and it then says “go and make a synchronous XML call.” XmlHttpRequest object doesn’t like making a synchronous call when there are no available connections to the server; it bugs out and the browser freezes.

Hopefully things will be better with Internet Explorer 7. It is slated to no longer use the ActiveX version of XmlHttpRequest object, but rather the XmlRequest object that Mozilla uses. Perhaps this one will handle itself a little better.

Flash movies with multiple external assets can cause the browser to lock up if external Flash assets (videos, images, voice-overs, etc, that are not stored within the SWF) are unmanaged or managed improperly. I’ll use a Scorm-compliant course as an example; the example course navigates from screen using inline Back and Next buttons, and each screen loads unique external animation and voice-over to deliver the lesson topic.

The browser freezes when:
• The user skips lesson information by clicking “Next” in rapid succession (assets are not downloaded to local cache before progressing to next screen)
• The user re-enters a course for which they have a previously saved Scorm-bookmark, and quickly navigate to where they left off, either by menu navigation or by rapidly clicking “Next” (assets are not downloaded to local cache before progressing to next screen)
• The user rapidly clicks “Back” through screens that they did not experience in their entirety (assets were not fully downloaded and stored in local cache)
• The user navigates to other areas of the course through menu navigation before they have experienced the current screen in its entirety (assets are not downloaded to local cache before proceeding)
  The recurrence is exacerbated by:
  • Slower connection speeds (it takes longer to download a single asset)
  • Larger file sizes on external Flash assets (it takes longer to download a single asset)
  • Having multiple external Flash assets on a single screen (it takes longer to download a single asset)

The course does not freeze when:
• The user linearly navigates through the course, experiencing each screen in its entirety before progressing to the next screen or area. (assets are allowed to fully download and store in local cache before proceeding to next screen)
• The user skips lesson information by clicking “Next” in rapid succession through courses that they have previously visited in this session and experienced in their entirety (assets are already in local cache)
• The user rapidly clicks “Back” through screens that they did experience in their entirety in this session (assets are already in local cache)
• The user navigates to other areas of the course through menu navigation after they have experienced the current screen in its entirety (assets are allowed to fully download and store in local cache before proceeding to next screen)

When a user navigates from Screen #1 to Screen #2, any outstanding, incomplete asset downloads from Screen #1 should be stopped before beginning Screen #2 asset downloads. Failure to do so may cause the browser’s request queue to overflow, and freeze the browser window.

Such is the case when assets are not properly managed: when a user navigates from Screen #1 to Screen #2, the Screen #1 assets continue to download with the #2 assets. Likewise, when the user navigates from Screen #2 to Screen #3, assets from Screens #1, #2, and #3 are all downloading. When Flash is downloading enough concurrent assets, a request queue overflows, freezing the browser.

IMPORTANT: Users clicking Next rapidly is not the only cause of this issue. Rapid Next is just the easiest way to recreate it. The important point is that users are clicking next faster than Flash can download the other assets. In other words, navigation is adding assets to the download queue faster than Flash can download them, and the queue is filling up.

A sample browser-freezing scenario:
(Ex: Unmanaged external assets. User rapidly clicks next.)
1. User launches course. Flash switches to Screen #1 and begins downloading Screen #1 voice-over and Screen #1 animation. If applicable: HTML, Non-flash images, stylesheets, etc all download.
   (2 assets downloading)
2. User quickly hits Next. Flash switches to Screen #2. Does not sever Screen #1 asset connections. Begins downloading Screen #2 VO and Animation. If applicable: HTML, Non-flash images, stylesheets, etc all download, but do so slower.
   (4 assets downloading)
3. User quickly hits Next. Flash switches to Screen #3. Does not sever Screen #2 asset connections. Begins downloading Screen #3 VO and Animation. If applicable: HTML, Non-flash images, stylesheets, etc all download, but do so slower.
   (6 assets downloading)
4. …
5. User repeatedly hits Next. Flash navigates through appropriate screens, downloading new assets but never severing previous asset connections.
   (Many assets downloading)
• Browser request queue overflow.
• If applicable: HTML, non-flash images, stylesheets, etc, DO NOT download.
• Browser freezes.

Under a non-freezing scenario:
(Ex: Managed external assets and/or User proceeds slowly through course)
1. User launches course. Flash switches to Screen #1 and begins downloading Screen #1 voice-over and Screen #1 animation. If applicable: HTML, Non-flash images, stylesheets, etc all download with no degradation.
   (2 assets downloading)
2. User hits Next. Flash switches to Screen #2. Severs Screen #1 asset connections. Begins downloading Screen #2 VO and Animation. If applicable: HTML, Non-flash images, stylesheets, etc all download with no degradation.
   (2 assets downloading)
3. User hits Next. Flash switches to Screen #3. Severs Screen #2 asset connections. Begins downloading Screen #3 VO and Animation. If applicable: HTML, Non-flash images, stylesheets, etc all download with no degradation.
   (2 assets downloading)
4. …
5. User hits Next. Flash navigates through appropriate screens, downloading new assets. Previous asset connections are severed.
   (2 assets downloading)
• No Browser request queue overflow occurs

Example Code that causes the problem:
narrator = createClassObject(MediaDisplay, “My_VoiceOver”);
narrator.setMedia(”/Assets/MyVoiceOver.mp3″, “MP3″);

// … code omitted …
// … do some stuff …
// … do some stuff …
// … code omitted …

// commented out code
// destroyObject(”My_VoiceOver”);

The code above creates a new object that loads and plays an MP3. However, (because the line of code is commented out) the object is never destroyed and continues to download. If this function is called repeatedly, each time against a different voice-over file, the queue will overflow and the browser will freeze. The same will occur wherever destroyObject (or similar command) is not called.
To fix the code in the above scenario, destroyObject must be uncommented, allowing the object to be destroyed, thus stopping the MP3 download.

Note: This is not the only code scenario that would create this browser-freezing problem. There are many possible commands and variations.

Yesterday I finally got one: A Microsoft Natural Ergonomic Keyboard 4000. During a lunch run with Dennis to BestBuy, I broke down and bought one for work. You can buy it from Amazon for US$49.99.

First thoughts:

• The extra keys are where they are supposed to be! Finally, a keyboard that is not mangled. The arrow keys are in an inverted T. The Insert/Delete keys are in a 3×2 configuration. You can finally sell that old Natural Pro that is turning green or yellow on your desk.
• It is quiet. The keys do not click like many of the old Dell keyboards that we have lying around work.
• It feels good. The shape and dimensions fit me nicely. However, it has been a while since I used a natural keyboard, so it will take a bit to get back in to the groove. In addition, the palm rest is padded!
• I like the “Favorites” keys. There are 5 reprogrammable “Favorites” keys along the top. I set them do our different VS solutions.
• Some of the buttons are stiff. They spacebar, particularly, is stiff. I am hoping that I just have to break it in.
• No way to reprogram the “nipple.” The Zoom-slider, or “nipple” as we have come to call it, isn’t reprogrammable, yet. Right now, it zooms in apps like IE of Office. It would be much nicer if I could remap it to be a scroller. Someone needs to find a way!
• The keyboard riser had to go. A riser that comes built on raises the front of they keyboard by an inch or so. I’m the guy who pops out the legs on the back of the keyboard to tilt it toward me, so this riser had to go right away. Luckily, it pops right off.

This is a nice keyboard. If my computer at home did not have a keyboard built in to it (or if I actually used my desktop), I would buy one for there, too. I hope that a future version of IntelliType Pro allows the nipple to be reprogrammed. Then this would be the perfect keyboard.

NAnt hates .Net’s resource files, or .resx. Don’t get me wrong–it handles them just fine–but large quantities of resx will really bog it down.

Visual Studio loves resx. The IDE will automatically create a resource file for you when you open pages and controls in the ‘designer’ view. Back when we still used Visual SourceSafe as our SCM, Visual Studio happily checked the file in and forgot about it. Now, our 500+ page application has 500+ resource files. Most of these 500+ resource files contain zero resources, making them useless, pointless, and a detriment to the build.

This morning I went through the build log, noting every resx that contained zero resources, and deleted all of these useless files.

The compile time dropped by 5 minutes.

Moral of the story: Be weary of Visual Studio. With regards to resx, VS is a malware program that’s just filling your hard drive with junk. If you use resx, great, but if you don’t, delete them all. NAnt will love you for it.

An old lady calls the power company, and tells them that the power is out. The tech on the other end says “The power is on here. It must be your fault.”

I’m experiencing some very severe technical problems with my site. Please bear with me.

The site was down most of yesterday. WordPress was having trouble accessing my database server. I could access the database from remote administration tools, as well as through the control panel from my host. My site could access the database some of the time, but not reliably and not consistantly.

One of the technical support personnel, “Doug,” was convinced that the problem lay in my code. However, if the problem was with my connection strings, why would it connect even some of the time? Shouldn’t it not connect at all. Doug was very assanine; I think I was inturrupting his afternoon break and he was a bit put off.

The second tech I spoke with, whose name I don’t remember, was convinced I had used up my 20 available database connections. He said that the problem lay with my pconnect commands. 1) PHP’s pconnect is designed to reuse opened connections, so if that was the case, then WordPress should have been able to reuse one of those existing connections. 2) WordPress is the only code on my site right now, and it doesn’t use pconnect. Again, another case of “it’s your code.” Furthermore, genious tech #2, when he was trying to drop the non-existant connections to the database, instead dropped the database. Everything was gone.

The third tech I spoke with, “Dennis,” was actually helpful. He did the extra work to restore my database from the previous night’s backup, so I only lost a day of data. He also put a Brinkster (my host) approved database test page on my site, and tried to access it. Lo-and-behold, he couldn’t access the database. Imagine that. And, since this was a Brinkster-approved page, he couldn’t blame the code. So, Dennis did a little research. It turns out that the routing tables for one of the web servers in the farm I am on had an incorrect IP address for the database server in question.

Huh. I guess it wasn’t my code. Not that I thought that it was, considering the site has worked fine for 8 months now on the present code, and the code hasn’t changed.

Update: Everything should be working now. The database was restored last night. The IP address issue has been resolved. I’ve corrected the header problem (caused by a space in one of the php files). Everything seems to be wworking correctly again.

I never understood the point of manual test scripts. They annoy me. I view them as nothing more than a candidate for automation. I have never come across a manual script that wouldn’t be better used as an automation script, which of course violates the inherent nature of them being manual test scripts. The only value to manual test scripts is to give them to clients, so that they can run through the new app you just created for them and feel comfortable about the application (and learn about the app as they run through the scripts).

Jonathan Kohl presents the perfect argument about why manual test cases should be extinct. Everyone should read this. Developers should read it, clients should read it, testers should read this, and, most definitely, project managers should read this.

Most bugs will never be found by a manual script. They only illustrate the “conventional” click-path for completing a task, and the developer should have already went through this during their own testing; there is high probability that this path will already work. End-users are never going to follow this path, anyway; they will do something that you entirely don’t expect. They will hit the ‘Back’ button when you didn’t plan for it, or double-click the ‘Submit’ button when you didn’t handle it, or bookmark the third step in a five-step wizard. Scenarios like these will never be tested in a manual script, but could be tested if so much of the industry wasn’t convinced that scripts are the holy grail, and will be tested by any tester worth his salt.

CruiseControl .Net 1.0 has been released. download | release notes

This is a must upgrade for anyone running v0.9 or earlier. There are many updates that I am excited about, most notably the overhaul to CCTray (the client-side build monitoring tool that sits in your system tray). Our developers have had to use Firefox’s CC.Net monitor extension to monitor multiple builds, simultaneously. No more.

We will be upgrading within the next week.

MSIExec error code 1605 has been a thorn in my side for quite a while. When an MSI was command-line deployed by one user (manually deployed by me in the middle of the day), it couldn’t be uninstalled by another (automation during the nightly) due to the “Just Me” default. If I installed it through using the UI, and installed it for use by “Everyone”, then the nightly would build just fine. I needed a way to run an “Everyone” install from the command line, but Google wasn’t helping me out. Unfortunately, Microsoft does not seem to have a lot of documentation on this functionality, either.

It further frustrated me this morning when my nightlies were failing again, but only on one server. Of course, I manually deployed the package to this same server to a few days ago. I tried Google again, and this time hit pay dirt. Executing it with ALLUSERS=2 in the command line makes it available for everyone. Apparently, it forces an “Everyone” install for the UI, too.

Finally I can pull the thorn out.

MSIExec /i mypackage .msi … ALLUSERS=2