Q: Our survey link opens a login page first. Do I have to wait before I can log in?
No. When a page is not a survey page, SurveyTester normally waits a few seconds, because many survey systems render their first question with a delay (loading spinners, JavaScript apps). During that time the page is blocked so nothing is clicked too early.
A login page is different: it will never turn into a survey page by itself. SurveyTester recognizes a login page by its visible password field and releases it immediately in a manual test. Log in as usual; as soon as the first survey page appears, SurveyTester continues the test run.
What SurveyTester does with login pages
- A login page is never recorded as a test run step: no screenshot, no stored page content.
- This also protects you if you forget to end a test session and use the same browser for something else, for example online banking: SurveyTester does not keep a copy of such pages.
Other pages before the survey: "Waiting for a survey page"
Some surveys show more pages before the first question, for example a portal start page or a project selection. While SurveyTester waits for such a page to become a survey page, a message at the top of the page says Waiting for a survey page… with a running seconds counter and a Cancel button.
- If the survey is just loading, wait: the message disappears as soon as the first question is there.
- If the page will never become a survey page (a start page with links, a menu), click Cancel. The page is released at once and you can use its buttons and links. SurveyTester continues with the next page you open.
Some of these pages are already known to SurveyTester and are released without any waiting, for example the screens of Voxco CATI Interviewer Web (Testing Voxco CATI surveys).
SurveyBots
A SurveyBot cannot log in. If a bot run reaches a login page, the run waits and then ends as usual. Use a survey link that does not need a login for SurveyBot runs.