Live Debug lets you interact with a test while it is running on our machines. This means you can quickly diagnose test failures or modify tests in the clean execution environments. See also How to Debug a Failing Test Case. We recommend Live Debug as the most robust method to update a test case.
To diagnose tests, you may set breakpoints to stop the test at certain points, or you may simply wait for the step to fail. On a failure or a breakpoint, the test will automatically pause for 10 minutes. You may always add on time before the test automatically resumes playback.
Because you are interacting directly with our servers, we let you use Architect during your test to make workflow changes when the test is paused due to a breakpoint or failure. Architect will not show up when manually pausing the test.
Currently Live Debug is not available for executing Page Objects.
Note: Live Debug is only available in chrome. Additionally, tests may run more slowly during a Live Debug or Live Execution run than a background run.
Starting a Live Debug Session
Live Debug is only supported in Chrome so Architect is able to launch for test edits. When viewing the Chrome test results on the Test Detail Page, you may select the Debug Execution icon as shown:
This starts the test in Live Debug mode. Once a Live Debug test has started, you will be notified if that test has reached a breakpoint or hit a failing step with an in-app notification: 
The test automatically pauses for 10 minutes in these scenarios allowing you to multi-task as you wait for an execution to reach a stopping point.
Playback Options
While the test is running, you have the option to pause the test at any moment.
When Paused, the test will automatically resume after 10 minutes. You have the option to add additional time. You may also Resume, Restart, or Stop the test. After a reasonable length, the machine will automatically shut down if paused for too long.
You may always leave the Live Debug window and return to is allowing you to multi task in the system. To return to an active test, simply access the Slider View as normal by clicking on the Thumbnail from the Test Detail Page.
Setting Breakpoints
Just like a development IDE, we support Breakpoints, allowing the test to manually be paused at certain locations. There are two ways to add a breakpoint to a test case. In both cases you can set and unset a breakpoint.
1. Add a breakpoint to any step on the Test Details page by hovering near the step number and clicking the red dot.
2. Add a breakpoint to any step while watching the Live Debug execution in real-time when the test is paused by clicking the dot.
Editing Tests
1. When you want to change the workflow of a test by adding new actions, simply set a breakpoint where you'd like to add the actions. Alternatively, when the test fails, the test will automatically stop on the failed steps when running in Live Debug mode so that you can add actions.
2. When the test stops, Architect will automatically open on the step after the breakpoint or pause. From here, simply click record icon and start adding actions. Once you click save, the new actions will be inserted into the test just after the breakpoint or paused step. If the test has stopped and you do not want to modify the test, you may simply click the Architect icon in the browser header to hide architect.
3. Resume the test at a particular step, or simply click resume in the header navigation. If resuming on a previous step, make sure to start on actions where the site is in the same state that you are currently viewing, or start at PageInit actions in order to successfully resume the test in a similar way that the test would run without interventions.
Live Debug Controls
- Resume Test
- Breakpoint
- Time remaining before the test resumes playback automatically
- Resume, Restart, or Stop test
- Stop the test and fail all the subsequent steps
- Explanation as to why the test has stopped
- Architect icon used to close Architect
Helpful Hint for Using Live Debug
For the quickest launch of Live Debug tests, let us pick the region in which to run the virtual machine for you. Generally speaking, it will be run in a US region unless specified as we have the greatest pool of resources available there.
Updating Your Region
- Open the Test Settings drop-down menu in the upper-right of the Functional Tests screen, Select Edit Test Settings.
- In the Test Settings Window, open the Advanced Tab.
- If the Region field displays "Select Region", you're all set! Your test will automatically be set up to run in the region with greatest capacity.
If the Region field displays a specific region (and your test is not dependent upon a specific location), Open the drop-down menu and select "Select Region".
- Select Save Changes.
Diagnosing Tests Using Live Debug
If you're trying to figure out why a test isn't working, it can be very helpful to use Live Debug in order to see exactly how your site behaves on the clean virtual machine.
You have full browser control giving you the ability to view network calls, page source, and more. If you've determined that an error is occurring due to the test selecting the wrong element, or incorrectly interacting with that element, see How to Debug a Failing Test Case for more details.
