Cookies

Overview

Cookies enable Web servers to store and retrieve state information on the client computer. A server, when submitting an HTTP object, may also send a "cookie", a state object that the client will store for a specified amount of time. The cookie includes a description that defines a range of URLs for which it is valid. The next time a client reconnects from within this range of URLs, the contents of the cookie will be submitted to the server in addition to the request. Cookies may either be persistent or non-persistent. Persistent cookies are stored in a cookie database on the client computer and are deleted only after a specified expiration date occurs. Non-persistent cookies are maintained only during a single Web browser session and are deleted when the client Web application is closed. To create as realistic a simulation as possible, only persistent cookies are recorded (and thus replayed) by the Internet Recorder.

Cookie Database Functions

For information about cookie database functions, see Cookie functions. Before you use these functions, you should be familiar with cookies as outlined at http://www.w3.org/Protocols/rfc2109/rfc2109 .

Important Notes

Keep in mind the following when you work with cookies with Silk Performer:

• The Silk Performer cookie database is non-persistent and therefore only exists while a test is running.
• Each virtual user has a cookie database of its own and therefore the contents of the cookie database varies from virtual user to virtual user.
• Although cookies are generally created at server side, you can simulate already existing cookies using the WebCookieSet function.