[question] Is there a way to pass Azure variables to a Jmeter property variable?

[harveydecapiataxsystems]

I used to run Jmeter using the command line non gui mode and passing the needed property variables from there to have configurable test plans instead of having multiple jmx scripts.

jmeter -JnoThreads=2 -JrampUp=1 -n -t sample.jmx

I simply passed the number of threads value and ramp up values.

Is there a way to replicate that? Or do I need to update the pipeline settings?

If I need to do updating on the pipeline, can you provide examples?

[allantargino]

Hi @harveydecapiataxsystems,

I believe there are some ways to implement this. One possible one is to:

1. Create variables (JMETER_NO_THREADS and JMETER_RAMP_UP) on variables file:
   https://github.com/Azure-Samples/jmeter-aci-terraform/blob/master/terraform/variables.tf

Something like:

variable "JMETER_NO_THREADS " {
  type    = number
  default = 2
}

variable "JMETER_RAMP_UP" {
  type    = number
  default = 1
}

Then, you can use those parameters at:

jmeter-aci-terraform/terraform/main.tf

Line 156 in 2584ef3

"cd /jmeter; /entrypoint.sh -n -J server.rmi.ssl.disable=true -t ${var.JMETER_JMX_FILE} -l ${var.JMETER_RESULTS_FILE} -e -o ${var.JMETER_DASHBOARD_FOLDER} -R ${join(",", "${azurerm_container_group.jmeter_workers.*.ip_address}")}",

Something like:

 "cd /jmeter; /entrypoint.sh -n -J noThreads=${var.JMETER_NO_THREADS} -J rampUp=${var.JMETER_RAMP_UP}  -J server.rmi.ssl.disable=true -t ${var.JMETER_JMX_FILE} -l ${var.JMETER_RESULTS_FILE} -e -o ${var.JMETER_DASHBOARD_FOLDER} -R ${join(",", "${azurerm_container_group.jmeter_workers.*.ip_address}")}", 

Then, when triggering the pipeline, you would replace values for both JMETER_NO_THREADS and JMETER_RAMP_UP variables.

[harveydecapiataxsystems]

@allantargino This really helps. Thank you! So I've configured everything and add jmeter arguments on the main.tf file but it seems like the script will not run and so does error producing the report.
I believe I have the same issue as here: https://stackoverflow.com/questions/44237184/jmeter-execution-on-remote-system-does-not-work

This is a different issue that I'm facing now but I think you have an idea on why the script is not running. Thanks for your help!

Here's the error:
2020-07-23 07:23:23,366 ERROR o.a.j.JMeter: Error generating the report java.lang.NullPointerException: null at org.apache.jmeter.report.dashboard.JsonExporter.createStatistic(JsonExporter.java:121) ~[ApacheJMeter_core.jar:5.1.1 r1855137] at org.apache.jmeter.report.dashboard.JsonExporter.export(JsonExporter.java:71) ~[ApacheJMeter_core.jar:5.1.1 r1855137] at org.apache.jmeter.report.dashboard.ReportGenerator.exportData(ReportGenerator.java:381) ~[ApacheJMeter_core.jar:5.1.1 r1855137] at org.apache.jmeter.report.dashboard.ReportGenerator.generate(ReportGenerator.java:262) ~[ApacheJMeter_core.jar:5.1.1 r1855137] at org.apache.jmeter.JMeter$ListenToTest.generateReport(JMeter.java:1324) ~[ApacheJMeter_core.jar:5.1.1 r1855137] at org.apache.jmeter.JMeter$ListenToTest.run(JMeter.java:1308) [ApacheJMeter_core.jar:5.1.1 r1855137] at java.lang.Thread.run(Thread.java:748) [?:1.8.0_222]

[harveydecapiataxsystems]

@allantargino The error on my previous comment is because of jmeter not finding the csv files needed to login on the application.
Based on one of the answers here. https://stackoverflow.com/questions/14160241/jmeter-remote-run-and-csv-files#:~:text=For%20distributed%20testing%2C%20the%20CSV,has%20the%20same%20directory%20structure.

Relative file names are resolved with respect to the path of the active test plan.
For distributed testing, the CSV file must be stored on the server host system in the
correct relative directory to where the jmeter server is started.
Absolute file names are also supported, but note that they are unlikely to work in remote
mode, unless the remote server has the same directory structure.

So are there any ways we can store the needed CSV file in the server host system in such a way, the file is relative to the jmeter scipt (active test plan)?

[Mahesh-MSFT]

@allantargino - I am getting an error

Non HTTP response code: java.net.SocketException/Non HTTP response message: Invalid argument or cannot assign requested address

As you suggested, I have updated main.tf to pass HOST as a property as shown below.

commands = [
      "/bin/sh",
      "-c",
      "cd /jmeter; /entrypoint.sh -n -J server.rmi.ssl.disable=true -t ${var.JMETER_JMX_FILE} -J host=${var.JMETER_JMX_HOST_PARAM} -l ${var.JMETER_RESULTS_FILE} -e -o ${var.JMETER_DASHBOARD_FOLDER} -R ${join(",", "${azurerm_container_group.jmeter_workers.*.ip_address}")}",
    ]

I assign value and start pipeline as below.

$JMETER_JMX_HOST_PARAM="azure.microsoft.com"
az pipelines run --name $PIPELINE_NAME_JMETER `
    --variables TF_VAR_JMETER_JMX_FILE=$JMETER_JMX_FILE `
            TF_VAR_JMETER_JMX_HOST_PARAM=$JMETER_JMX_HOST_PARAM `
            TF_VAR_JMETER_WORKERS_COUNT=$JMETER_WORKERS_COUNT   

I map this property value to Host variable in my Test Plan-->User Defined Variables.

I can see that the host entry is passed correctly to jmeter controller.

jmeter args=-n -J server.rmi.ssl.disable=true -t test2.jmx -J host=azure.microsoft.com -l results.jtl -e -o dashboard -R 10.0.0.4

Everything works if I use the same host entry in JMX file and run test without passing HOST property.

What I may be missing?

[Mahesh-MSFT]

Answering my own question - it turns out that I was not mapping variables with properties in right way.

I needed to pass default value for every property in my test plan before assigning it to a variable.

host = ${__P(host,azure.microsoft.com)}

Its working after that.

[allantargino]

Hi @harveydecapiataxsystems,
If you place your csv files at jmeter directory, the whole directory is mounted on every JMeter worker (at /jmeter directory). So if you use this location, you should be fine.

[allantargino]

Hi @Mahesh-MSFT,
I am so sorry it took so long to check this thread, I'm glad you figured it out!

[harveydecapiataxsystems]

@allantargino Yes, I have placed all the necessary csv files in the jmeter folder where the script also resides. It's now working. Thank you!