Parameter list issue in HP Load Generator

Question

I have a VUGen script that uses a parameter list of type=File with Select Next Row = Unique and Update value on = Once. This file (UsernameAndPassword.dat) is located in a Shared Folder. When I run the Performance Test with more that 1 VUser, all the VUsers keep only the first record of that parameter. I mean, all the VUsers run with the same user/password values, i.e.:

parameter list

username,password  
john,12345   
caty,67890   
alfred,09876   
greg,54321  


Vusers 1: john,12345   
Vusers 2: john,12345   
Vusers 3: john,12345  

etc.

However, if I use an internal parameter list (type=file, and so on like above), when I run the test, each VUser obtains a different value of username. For internal parameter list, I mean the file .dat is wrapped in the script.

How can I read the external file sequentially like an internal parameter list?

Answer 1

A file is a file is a file. When you start your virtual user your parameter file, whether it is sent with your script or referenced on a common drive, will be pulled into RAM on you load generator. This is why you can't write to a parameter file during a test and have the values available for use, because the file which is in use is actually in RAM.

Have you tried setting your block size manually to 1, then update once?

Check the software version of your load generator to the major.minor(patch) level. All sorts of henky things occur when the controller and the load generators are out of sync on a version level.