Support extraction modules

Support extraction modules (Extractors) are used to obtain additional data from headers of requests and responses, from the data content, from SQL queries, or (for example) from forms. The obtained data can then be used in filters in configuring an application, a group of transactions, and so on.

An example of typical use is username extraction from the login form. The extracted name can then be set in the Username identification panel in the application configuration.

You can insert a new extractor module configuration using the + button at the top.

• Name – the name of the extractor.

• Active – activation of the extractor. An active extractor cannot be edited. Before editing, set Active to NO and save the configuration. For activation set the field to YES.

• Type – the setting which the data will be extracted from.

  • Form decoder – extraction of data from forms.

  • HTTP request content – extraction of data from the contents of HTTP requests.

  • HTTP response content – extraction of data from the contents of HTTP responses.

  • HTTP header – extraction of data from headers.

  • HTTP error – detection of error pages

  • SQL query – extraction of data from SQL queries

• Custom field number – a total of five fields can be used to save extracted results from. Use this option to configure to which of these fields to extract the value from.

• Custom field name – use this option to configure the field name, which is a name used for field identification later in the configuration.

• All servers — whether the extractor is to be active for all monitored servers, or only for some.

• Operation – the type of operation applied to the resulting value (a regular or simple expression, see heading Extraction filter of chapter Filter Settings).

• Value – an expression applied to the resulting value.

Specific cases of use of the Operation and Value fields are described in other chapters.

To save a new extractor, you must set up a filter to determine what data the extractor is to be used for. Filters are edited using the Edit filters button.

It is also possible to configure translations of extracted values. This means that an extracted value will be replaced by a translated value based on the specified rules.

Form decoder

The form decoder saves all text fields from submitted forms to a specified custom field.

The custom field format is:

name1 = value1

name2 = value2

etc.

• Name – the name of the field in the form

• Value – the entered value

Example:

• Operation: simple expression

• Value: email=*

• Results: jane@doe.com, john@brown.com, and so on.

HTTP content

The result of extraction is saved to the custom field using a regular expression or a simple expression stated in the Value field. For example:

• Operation: simple expression

• Value: <h1 id="section">*</h1>

• Results: About us, Contact, Products, and so on.

If extraction is used with a regular expression, the ^ matches the beginning of the HTTP content, and the $ character matches the end of the HTTP content, so it is not the beginning and end of the individual lines.

HTTP header

The value from the header of the request or response is saved in the custom field based on the configured Header field name. Also, the expression in the Value field is applied to this value. For example:

• Header field: Cookie

• Operation: simple expression

• Value: username=*;

• Results: george, jack, michael, and so on.

HTTP error

The result of the extraction is saved to the custom field using a regular expression or a simple expression stated in the Value field. If the extraction result is not empty, then the page is handled as an Error page. For example:

• Operation: simple expression

• Value: <h1 id="error">*</h1>

• Results: Item not found, …

The result can be text or a number. If the result is numeric, activate the Numeric value field.

SQL query

The result of extraction from a complete SQL query is saved into the custom field using a regular expression or a simple expression stated in the Value field.