Creating a Formatter (encode/decode)
What is a ‘Formatter’?
Formatters (encode/decode) extend NeoLoad to be able to pre-process the outbound and inbound traffic in your test.
Using the Data Format Extension API your custom encode/decode logic will transform the inbound responses to readable structures (typically JSON or XML) in the NeoLoad request editor.
Conversely, outbound requests defined with details (such as data, tokens, etc) in these readable structures will be encoded into the appropriate binary or otherwise format.
Getting Started
The first thing you should do is check to see if the type of formatter you think you want to create already exist in our Integrations. If so, you should try that out and if changes need to be made, work with the Moderators of that project to factor in changes or new work you’d like to add.
If it doesn’t already exist, congratulations, you are the first one to get started in on the work! In that case, it would be beneficial to read up as much as possible on how to author a formatter first.
Technical Prerequisites
Since NeoLoad is Java based and many of the examples use Eclipse IDE, you should be familiar with programming in Java. This does not prevent you from using the IDE of your choice, but then you will need to adapt the concepts in the official examples to that of your own IDE (such as including dependencies, packaging your JAR file, etc.)
You will need:
- Java programming experience
- A Java IDE (examples use Eclipse w/ Maven)
- NeoLoad Desktop (GUI) installed and licensed
Testing Your Formatter
Make sure you thoroughly test and document the capabilities AND limitations of your new project, not only in the visible descriptions, but also in your Git repo where you plan to store the codebase.
Also make sure that all proprietary info, secrets, and non-approved content is removed from your contribution, otherwise the Connect Core Team will not accept it to the Neotys-Connect organization as a public repo.
Heavy-handed documentation is always a good thing. You may also want to write a companion Tutorial and link to your Neotys-Connect repo so people know how and why to use your project.
Once You’re Ready to Publish
Once you’re done, firstly, congratulations! That is a milestone you should be proud of. The next step is to get it published to this site.
If you found the same or similar project and are contributing to an existing Git repo, refer to that projects Contribution Guidelines and work with the project Moderators to get the right access. You can always fork an existing Neotys-Connect repo, make your changes in your copy, then issue a pull request back to the original repo as well.
If this is a new project and you have pushed your changes to a Git repo you own under your own Github account, all you would need to do is Transfer Ownership to the ‘Neotys-Connect’ organization.
Once received, the Connect Core Team will review it and either provide you feedback or accept it and make you a Moderator of your repo once hosted in Neotys-Connect.
Also feel free to reach out to our Connect Core Team afterwards.
Non-DIY Method (send us your project)
If the above seems too daunting for you, that’s okay too. It’s better for your contribution to see the light of day than to be stuck somewhere it doesn’t do anyone else good. Feel free to send your contributions to our Connect Core Team .
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