QPR TaskRecorder

QPR TaskRecorder is a desktop application, that records actions done by the user. The actions can be for example mouse clicks, key presses, UI elements focusing, button clicks, selections and text input.

QPR TaskRecorder installation

QPR TaskRecorder is a desktop application for Windows operating systems

1. Download the QPR TaskRecorder in the downloads section.
2. Extract the zip package to a suitable location, for example: C:\Program Files\QPR TaskRecorder.
3. Configure the QPR TaskRecorder

QPR TaskRecorder configuration

QPR TaskRecorder has configuration file appsettings.json containing the following settings:

• OutputFile: The CSV file containing the recorded events.
• LogFile: Application log file of QPR TaskRecorder. When set, the application logging is enabled.

Using QPR TaskRecorder

QPR TaskRecorder can be started simply by double-clicking the TaskRecorder.exe file.

The main dialog of QPR TaskRecorder contains a table of all currently open applications. You can choose which applications are recorded from the checkboxes. Each application is listed only ones, and when checked, all running instances of the application are recorded. E.g. there may several Word files open at the same time and all are recorded.

When open, QPR TaskRecorder is all the time active and records the selected applications. If there is an error situation, e.g., the CSV file is reserved by another application, the Status field shows the situation

Adding annotations

User can add manual annotations during the task recording, to help analyzing the recorded UI events. An annotation is added by writing the annotation text to the Annonation textbox and clicking the Save annotation button.

Recorded UI events

QPR TaskRecorder is able to record the following types of UI events:

Column name	Description
FOCUS_ENTER	Event is recorded for the new focused control when focus changes.
FOCUS_LEAVE	Event is recorded for the previously focused control when focus changes.
WM_LBUTTONDOWN	Event is recorded when the left mouse button goes down.
WM_LBUTTONUP	Event is recorded when the left mouse button goes up.
WM_RBUTTONDOWN	Event is recorded when the right mouse button goes down.
WM_RBUTTONUP	Event is recorded when the right mouse button goes up.
WM_KEYDOWN	Event is recorded when user presses a key on the keyboard. If the focused control is a password control, these types of events are not recorded.
USER_ANNOTATION	User annotation event occurs when user creates an annotation event using the QPR TaskRecorder user interface.
CONFIGURATION	Configuration change event occurs when user changes the recorded applications.

Recorded tasks CSV

The user actions are recorded to a CSV file, that is stored to the user own Documents (by default when no other location is set) or a some other location user has specified. The default name of the CSV file is taskrecorder.csv. The CSV file can be uploaded to QPR ProcessAnalyzer for the analysis like any CSV file.

The CSV file has the following columns:

Column name	Description
TimeStamp	This information is stored for all types of events.
UserName	GUID identifying the user performing the tasks. GUID is used instead of real user name to anonymize the real user. QPR TaskRecorder generates this GUID if it hasn't previously been done for this installation. This information is stored for all types of events.
SessionId	GUID identifying the recording session, which starts when QPR TaskRecorder starts and ends when QPR TaskRecorder is closed. This information is stored for all types of events.
EventType	This information is stored for all types of events.
MouseX	For the mouse events, horizontal position of the mouse cursor, i.e. distance from the left border of the screen.
MouseY	For the mouse events, vertical position of the mouse cursor, i.e. distance from the top border of the screen.
KeyCode
Key	For the WM_KEYDOWN events, the virtual key code of the pressed key.
ModifierKeys	For the WM_KEYDOWN events, the modifier keys pressed at the time of the key press (shift, ctrl, alt, windows).
ProcessName	Name of the application (executable file name).
ClassName	Class of the UI control.
ControlType	Type of the UI control.
Name	Name of the UI control.
Value	Value or text of the UI control.
LabelName	Name of the UI control label.
ElementX	Horizontal position of the interacted UI control, i.e. distance between the left border of the UI control from the left border of the screen.
ElementY	Vertical position of the interacted UI control, i.e. distance between the top border of the UI control from the top border of the screen.
ElementWidth	Width of the interacted UI control.
ElementHeight	Height of the interacted UI control.
ElementHierarchy	Control hierarchy of the current application. The value is stored as JSON.
ElapsedTime

Anonymized user id

User performing the tasks is identified by an anonymized user id, so persons analyzing the task log cannot identify the actual user based on the user id. When QPR TaskRecorder starts, it checks if the settings file exists in the user's application data folder, and the settings file contains user id. If the user id does not exist, a new GUID is created and saved to the user settings file.

QPR TaskRecorder logging

QPR TaskRecorder is able to write a logfile of its operation. Note that the logfile is different than the recorded UI events. The location of the log file is set in the QPR TaskRecorder configuration file. If no log file location is set, no logging is done. The log file contain information about QPR TaskRecorder application functionality and application errors.