This tutorial tells how random variable can generate and pass as a part of a request in JMeter. Suppose, in the load test, there is a requirement to pass a random or different values to a specific parameter in the requests, how this can be achieve. One of the way is to pass different values from .csv file which contain different values and use them in the requests. Second way is to add Random Variable in JMeter, which generates random value at every run for requests.
Setting used in Random Variable are as follows:
Variable name: The name we are going to use to invoke the variable. “ReqCacheKey” in this example.
Output Format: The format for the variable. You can set the desired length of the number. I have set 0000000000 in order to work with a five-digit number. You can also use USER_000.
Minimum and Maximum: The range we want to set for the variable.
Seed: The seed for the random number generator. A seed is the first input that the number generation function receives to start the random generation. Here, it is ${__time()}. This will randomly generate the value like 1256078934, 9863457201
Per Thread: Is important to consider this option. If you set it as True, the threads will share the value. This means that there will be threads with the same value. If you require the variable to be different each time, this could cause problems for us. If you want to always generate a different value, you have to set it as False.
Create a Test Plan in JMeter by following below mentioned steps
Step 1 – Add Thread Group
Select Test Plan on the tree
Add Thread Group
To add Thread Group: Right click on the “Test Plan” and add a new thread group: Add -> Threads (Users) -> Thread Group
In the Thread Group control panel, enter Thread Properties as follows:
Number of Threads: 1 – Number of users connects to the target website
Loop Count: Infinite – Number of time to execute testing
Ramp-Up Period: 1
Duration: 5 sec
Step 2 – Adding JMeter elements
The JMeter element used here is HTTP Request Sampler. In HTTP Request Control Panel, the Path field indicates which URL request you want to send
Add HTTP Request Sampler
To add: Right-click on Thread Group and select: Add -> Sampler -> HTTP Request
Below mentioned are the values used in HTTP Request to perform the test
Name – HTTP Request
Server Name or IP – localhost
Port – 8010
Method – POST
Path – /demo/helloworld
Step 3 – Add Random Variable
To add: Right-click on Thread Group and select: Add -> Config Element-> Random Variable
Sample Request shown below. cacheKey variable is parameterized. ReqCacheKey in Random Variable will generate the random values, which will passed to parameter cacheKey present in the request body
Seed is ${__time()}. This generates the value randomly like 1256078934, 9863457201. If I keep Seed as blank, then when the tests run multiple time, it has the same set of random values (repetitive values), we don’t want same repetitive values, so seed is not blank
Step 4 – Adding Listeners to Test Plan
Listeners – They shows the results of the test execution. They can show results in a different format such as a tree, table, graph or log file
We are adding View Result Tree listener
View Result Tree – View Result Tree show results of the user request in basic HTML format
To add: Right click Test Plan, Add -> Listener -> View Result Tree
Step 5 – Save the Test Plan
To Save: Click File Select -> Save Test Plan as ->Give name of the Test Plan. It will be saved as .jmx format
Step 6 – Run the Test Plan
Click on Green Triangle as shown at the top to run the test
Step 7 – View the Execution Status
Click on View Result Tree to see the status of Run. Successful request will be of Green color in the Text Section
In the below image, we can see that cacheKey value is 1917449705 which is generated by Random Variable
QA Automation Expert 
What I love about your blogs that you provide very detailed description with images which make it very helpful to understand…great work
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Thanks Terry. Please check other blogs too
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