Difference between WinINet and Socket Level

    The Windows Internet (WinInet) application programming interface (API) enables applications to interact with Gopher, FTP, and HTTP protocols to access Internet resources. As standards evolve, these functions handle the changes in underlying protocols, enabling them to maintain consistent behavior. More information can be found at Microsoft.

      Whereas for Socket Level, it is a proprietary API that Mercury/HP LoadRunner implements. So what does it mean by setting the recording level in Port Mapping of the Recording Options and replay for RTS (Runtime Settings)?

      By configuring Vugen record at WinINet level, simply means to instruct Vugen to record using the WinINet API. Vice versa, by configuring the Socket level, you are instructing Vugen to record using the proprietary API. By default, it is Socket level.

      For replay, the principle applies were WinINet will be replaying using WinINet API else it will be replaying via the default Socket level API. There is a small description of "What is "WinINet instead of Sockets" for" at the support website that reiterates the above but worth taking a look. A valid account will be required to login to access the article.

When do you configure WinINet or Socket? 

 

    Sometimes web applications may be designed in WinINet while sometimes it does not require WinINet as often and Socket level will be sufficient. This is a little tricky here but it will most probably end up trial-and-error. When an application fail in recording, you can try by switching between the two modes. Whereas when the application fails in replay, try switching the modes also.

     For replay failure, you can try the suggested solution in Protocols: Working with Web (HTTP/HTML) where there is a section on the switching of the replay mode.

     Take note that IE browser API may change over time due to the upgrade of versions (e.g. IE 6 to IE 7) which may inherently cause the replay to be successful or fail.