Postman | An Interceptor Play!

Postman: Knock!! Knock!!
Receiver: Who's there?
Postman: Postman with your delivery.
Receiver: May I have my packet please
Postman: Ohh! I doubt!
               I am sorry you are not authorized. 500 internal server error.  

Receiver: eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee

Volla!! how would you react when you do not get the packet you intend to, just because postman was not able to validate your identity. :(

Now this is what happen postman put restriction over some of the headers. 
Yes we are discussing postman indeed - "The Postman Rest Client"

I got an assignment to test an API through postman which i tested couple of days back with SoapUI. To my shock it was not working on postman. All I could get was "500 - Internal Server Error".

I started wondering the root cause and found that it is the case with some special services with needs session to be alive. I was not able to maintain the session in Postman. 

... Think Think Think ...

I dig out further and found that unfortunately some headers are restricted by Chrome and the XMLHttpRequest specification; cookie is one of those. With version 0.9.6, one can now access the cookies as well as restricted headers via  new Postman Interceptor extension. Chrome message passing API, which helps in communication among chrome app, extension and browser, the postman app can route the request through this extension which could access the cookie. 

You can now test the cookie-based authentication APIs just by granting permission to postman via setting the Postman Interceptor mode "on" as shown below:

Postman interceptor is off by default

 Grant the access by putting it on

Excel | Merging the first row with header

The way Microsoft has developed excel always makes me speechless. Though I am QA by professional, but I always wanted to thank MS Office developer to make such a great piece of art. With every exploration I am being left speechless. 

Today though I discovered very small piece of knowledge, what amazed me was the thought process of the people who work for the betterment of the customer. Thinking as in customer and coming up with smaller smaller idea-tic enhancements after reaching that far is really what I like most in MS Office team. Kudoos to whole team.

Discovery of the day!!
Was going through the test data in excel sheet, where I noticed that first row gets merged in the header as I scroll the data. It left me to restless curious situation.. exploring, exploring and exploring... HOW?... and here I go...

Excel has a feature where in when you convert your data to table form (selecting that you have header provided in the data) sets your header visible throughout the table scrolling. If you scroll while your focus is not on the table area you won't get the table header replaced with column header in excel. Let's move it diagrammatically..

Header merge with the column header when focus is on table area.

Header do not merge with column header when focus is on non-table area.

That's All Folk!!

Console2 | Unable to read Ctrl+C

WinKey+R = Miscrosoft so serious cmd prompt... I am looking for change now.

So I finally ask Google Algo Ginni to give me list of possible option and used a pint of my mind to come up with list of possible solution. Tries hands here and there and finally I am able to present in form of you, the leader none other than Console 2... ta-da

My my what a cmd prompt it is... I am in love with it. I played around it for an hour and kaboom!!

Why Console2 allure me?
Console2 provides number of very creative fanatic options. One can have

• desired transparency level
• can customise the short cut keys
• multiple tabs
• console tab renaming
• menu bar, toolbar, status bar
• easy tab navigation
• and lots and lots more user friendly settings

Console2 totally rocks!!

Being around month or so i am using this, though today i was struck!!
Being a quality analyst, i was working with selenium since dawn. Now was the time to wrap-up my work for the day. and what the heck is it, why I am not able to close the selenium server. I do it every-time, what's wrong with Console2? 

I am struggling for last 15mins to close the server, all vain. Oldie cmd prompt is working perfectly fine and I am able to close the server in console2. Man what's wrong with this? i am sure this could not be a possible bug/. We use Ctrl+C to copy the text and Console2 can't miss this one...Oh yes! did I said 'Ctrl+C for copy'... that's it.

I myself have customized this short-cut for copy in Console2...lolzzzzz. I made the configuration changes again and alas I am able to close my selenium server.

Technology at times could capture your mind so such extend that you yourself get tangled in it.