eValid™ -- Automated Web Quality Solution Browser-Based, Client-Side, Functional Testing & Validation, Load & Performance Tuning, Page Timing, Website Analysis, and Rich Internet Application Monitoring.

General Introduction
The Site Analysis feature of eValid is a powerful testing and QA engine that can analyze local or remote WebSites entirely from the perspective of the user, i.e. using the unique eValid InBrowser Technology.

Mapping A WebSite ( Site Analysis Process Diagram )
SiteMaps of a URL always involve an initial URL -- the starting point of the mapping process. From the starting URL the eValid SiteMap engine downloads the initial page and then each page it points to, and each page each of them point to, etc. This is a recursive descent of the sub-WebSite that starts at the initial URL. Searches can take from several minutes to many hours, depending on the complexity of the WebSite and the eValid SiteMap engine always produces a detailed and complete SiteMap -- unless you interrupt the process or start it with constraints.

Site Analysis Access and Control
Access to the eValid Site Analysis engine is direct from the eValid GUI Pulldown.

Control of how the eValid SiteMap engine performs its search from the eValid Site Analysis Preferences GUI. See the Preferences Detailed Description.

Selection of filters is done from the eValid Site Analysis Filters GUI. See the Site Analysis Filters Description.

Starting and Stopping the SiteMap Engine
You use the Site Analysis > Start Analysis pulldown to start the search. You can pause, resume, or stop the search as follows:

Start the search, or resume the search if you have Paused.
Pause the search.
Stop the search and look at the SiteMap reports using the Site Analysis Complete selection GUI.

Limiting A WebSite Search
If you wish you can limit the search you make by constraining the search process to a specified :

Search Depth. For example, you may want only the two layers of the WebSite at and below the starting URL.

Search Time. For example, you may not want to spend more than 15 minutes in the search.

Search Page Count. For example, you may wish to limit the search to 1,000 pages. Blocked URL List. You can also specify a list of URL patterns that are NOT to be searched. These patterns serve to define a set of URLs to be excluded from the search, as described in the Blocked URLs File.

You'll probably want to experiment with these selections to find the combinations that work best for your needs. See also the Detailed Search Process Explanation.

Choosing Type of Links
Normally you search a WebSite for All Links, but you have the option of choosing to limit the search you do by:

Extensions. For example, you might only search for html, htm extensions. Or, you can edit in your own list of acceptable extensions.

Protocols. For example, you might only search for http, ftp protocol. Or, you can edit in your own list of acceptable protocols.

You'll probably need to experiment with these selections to find the combinations that work best for your needs. See also the Detailed Search Process Explanation.

Choosing Mode of Analysis
You can run your SiteMap analysis in the foreground or in the background, as selected from the eValid Site Analysis Preferences GUI.

Full Browser Mode. In this mode you see every page and every page component in the eValid browser as it is downloaded and timed.

Background Mode (Normal). The eValid browser will do the search as thoroughly as possible, from a minimized browser. It won't download images.

Background Mode (Quick). The eValid browser will do the search as quickly as possible, from a minimized browser. It won't download every page, and won't download images.

There are some differences in how the SiteMap engine behaves in these three modes, explained in detail in Site Analysis Execution Modes.

Choosing Filter Reports To Generate
If you choose to you can have the SiteMap perform page by page analyses along the way. Filters Detailed Explanation.

The reports you can generate include:

Slow Loading Pages. Generates a list of pages that load slower than a specified time limit. Pages are sorted in reverse order of download time. Example Report.

Large Pages. Generates a list of pages that exceed a specified byte-count size. Pages are sorted in reverse order of size. Example Report.

Broken Links. Generates a list of links that are broken or unavailable and, when possible, indicates the kind of error that caused the problem (e.g. 404 error, etc.). Example Report.

Off-Site Pages. Creates a list of pages that are "off site" relative to the URL on which the SiteMap search is based. Example Report.

Pages That Match A Search Criteria. In this case, the eValid SiteMap engine identifies pages that satisfy a search criteria that you specify, e.g. that the page has a particular pattern or string on the page. Example Report.

Reviewing Your Reports
Every time the eValid Site Analysis engine runs it creates a number of Site Analysis Reports.

Status Report. This report is updated continuously as the SiteMap is being constructed with an on-screen eValid Site Analysis Update report. It has metrics that indicate the amount of search work completed and the amount remaining. This report is shown even when the eValid SiteMap engine is running in the background.

SiteMap Report. When the WebSite mapping process ends you're given the choice of which kind of SiteMap to see, using the Site Analysis Complete selection. The Complete SiteMap report is a complete record of the pages analyzed and the links visited. The Unique SiteMap report is a list of just the page visited.

Filter Reports. These reports (based on the choice of filter you made, if any) are updated continuously as the SiteMap option executes. These reports are shown in restricted browser windows and when appropriate URLs are "live".

Capacity Limitations
The eValid SiteMap engine builds a table of links in your machine's memory as it analyzes a WebSite. If you have more than ~5,000 URLs and/or ~250,000 links you may notice a performance degradation. This is because, as efficient as the link tables are, a large number will necessarily run slower.

To overcome this add RAM to your machine, or reduce the size of the search by working only on a "sub-WebSite", or set size limits in the eValid SiteMap Preferences window. We have found that a useful target maximum of ~500 URLs and ~25,000 links is a good compromise between speed and overall readability of the reports.