Witness Systems, Inc.
Enhanced Agent Capture System Reference
Guide
Draft 1
Witness Systems, Inc.
300 Colonial Center Parkway
Roswell, GA 30076
USA
Enhanced Agent Capture System Reference Guide
Draft: 1
Issued by: eRecorder Team
2017.07.13
Document Information
Document title:
Enhanced Agent Capture System Reference Guide
Document ID:
Enhanced Agent Capture System Reference Guide
Revision:
1
Issued by:
eRecorder Team
Issue Date:
2017.07.13
Status:
Draft
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 Witness Systems, Inc. 2003
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Revision History
Revision
Date
Authors
Description of change
1.0
2003.07.25
Kondal Reddy Gundla
First Draft
2.0
2003.08.08
Kondal Reddy Gundla
3.0
2004.06.29
Kondal Reddy Gundla
Updated with comments. Added
TestMonitorAuthorization
registry
setting details.
Corrected the Avg. Compression
ratio values for Witness and
MSRLE8 compressions.
 Witness Systems, Inc. 2003
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Table of Contents
1. Introduction ......................................................................................................................... 5
2. Configuration Settings ........................................................................................................ 6
2.1
Registry values ............................................................................................................................ 6
2.1.1
Agent Capture Service Registry Values ............................................................................................ 6
2.1.2
Agent Capture Registry Values ......................................................................................................... 7
2.1.3
Registry values for Thin Client support ............................................................................................ 9
3. Fine Tuning Agent Capture .............................................................................................. 12
3.1.1
CaptureMethod ............................................................................................................................... 12
3.1.2
Capture Quality ............................................................................................................................... 12
3.1.3
Compression Method ...................................................................................................................... 12
3.1.4
Compression Quality....................................................................................................................... 12
3.1.5
Color Reduction .............................................................................................................................. 12
4. Suggested Configuration Settings ................................................................................... 13
4.1
4.2
4.3
High-end machine ..................................................................................................................... 13
4.1.1
High Quality Recording .................................................................................................................. 13
4.1.2
Best Performance ............................................................................................................................ 13
Medium-level machine .............................................................................................................. 13
4.2.1
High Quality Recording .................................................................................................................. 13
4.2.2
Best Performance ............................................................................................................................ 13
Low-end machine ...................................................................................................................... 13
4.3.1
High Quality Recording .................................................................................................................. 13
4.3.2
Best Performance ............................................................................................................................ 13
 Witness Systems, Inc. 2003
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1. Introduction
The new Enhanced Agent Capture for eQuality™ Balance 6.4 can be configured to fit most
customer environments. The software can be “fine-tuned” to improve performance for a
particular environment. Many things play an important role, which impact the performance of
WCapW32. CPU speed, system load, available memory, color depth, and screen resolution
directly affect performance. Things that indirectly affect performance include: network
bandwidth, LAN/WAN performance, plus eRecoder Server load.
 Witness Systems, Inc. 2003
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2. Configuration Settings
2.1 Registry values
The Agent Capture registry settings Location: “HKLM\SOFTWARE\Witness Systems\eQuality
Agent\Capture\Current Version”
The Agent Capture uses the following registry settings to provide different features it supports.
Note: The installation program adds some registry settings. Missing registry values can be added
based on the required feature/performance. For missing registry values, Agent Capture uses the
respective default value for each missing registry value.
2.1.1 Agent Capture Service Registry Values
Agent Capture service uses following registry values.
Registry Entry
Description
Type
Default
Value
CaptureRunPath
Agent Capture Installed directory path.
REG_SZ
Capture
Service
module path.
ServiceLogAppend
Specifies whether the Capture service Appends or
Overwrites log files.
REG_DWORD
1
0 - overwrite
1 - append
ServiceLogFilePath
Log file path. Capture Service generates the log files in
this directory.
REG_SZ
“.”
ServiceLogLevel
Logging level:
REG_DWORD
1
REG_DWORD
0
0 - None
1 - Errors
2 - Errors and Warnings
3 - Errors Warnings and Information
Show
Specifies whether the WCapW32.exe window will be
visible or not.
0 - Invisible
1 - Visible
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2.1.2 Agent Capture Registry Values
Agent Capture uses following registry values. Agent Capture executable name is WcapW32.exe.
Registry Entry
Description
Type
Default
Value
AgentLogAppend
Specifies whether the Capture Appends or Overwrites
log files.
REG_DWORD
0
0 - overwrite
1 - append
AgentLogFilePath
Log file path. Capture generates the log files in this
directory.
REG_SZ
“.”
AgentLogLevel
Logging level:
REG_DWORD
1
0 - None
1 - Errors
2 - Errors and Warnings
3 - Errors Warnings and Information
AgentSocketPort
Socket TCP port number to listen on for connection
request from Witness Server.
REG_DWORD
4001
CaptureMethod
(also
known
as
Detection
Method)
Screen capture method:
REG_DWORD
1
REG_DWORD
8
REG_DWORD
1
REG_DWORD
8
REG_DWORD
0
1 - Witness Enhanced
2 - Witness
CaptureQuality
Recording Quality in the range 1 to 10.
10 - Best Quality (Low Performance)
1 - Low Quality (Best Performance)
Note: Recording quality is most evident during Review
of the recorded contact.
CompressionMethod
Compression algorithm to use.
1 - Witness Enhanced
2 - Witness
3 - Microsoft RLE8
4 - JPEG Compression
5 - 5.x Compatible
6 - 6.x Compatible (6.3 and below)
CompressionQuality
Compression Quality in the range 1 to 10
10 - Best compression (Low Performance)
1 - Less Compression (Best Performance)
Note: This setting applicable
‘CompressionMethod’ is 1 or 4.
ColorBlocks
 Witness Systems, Inc. 2003
only
when
Causes Agent Capture to send alternating color blocks
to the Witness Server in lieu of screen updates. Used
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for debugging change detection algorithms.
0 - Off
1 - On
ColorReduction
Reduce the number of colors captured to 256.
REG_DWORD
0
REG_DWORD
0
REG_DWORD
0
REG_DWORD
1
REG_DWORD
0
0 - Off
1 – On
DataEncryption
If this is set to 1, Capture encrypts the data before
sending to Witness Server.
0 - Not Encrypted
1 - Encrypted
Enhanced Resolution
Causes Capture to continuously fake a constant
monitor to artificially utilize CPU and Memory
resources even when a monitor is not in progress.
0 - Off
1 - On
MultPkt
Causes Capture to send all accumulated screen updates
to the Witness server per server poll request.
0 - Off
1 - On
MultThread
This setting is valid only on ‘CaptureMethod’ set to 2
(Witness detection). Capture uses this setting for using
multiple threads or single thread for its operation.
0 - On
1 - Off
MTU
Maximum Transmission Unit indicates the max size, in
bytes, of the transmission packet sent by the Capture to
the Witness server. Valid ranges: 1024 – 128000.
REG_DWORD
16000
SocketReadTimeout
Timeout, in seconds, for the Agent Capture socket read
operation. If no information is received within the
timeout, Agent Capture will close the socket
connection and begin listening for the next connection.
REG_DWORD
30
ServerAuthentication
Used by WCapW32b to indicate whether server
authentication is used or not.
REG_DWORD
0
0 - Not Authenticated
1 - Authenticated
UseDirectX
Used by WCapW32.exe to indicate screen captures
should be performed using DirectX. This option is
valid for Witness Enhanced Capture Method only.
REG_DWORD
0
TestMonitorAuthorization
For optionally enabling/disabling the message box
pop-up for authorization on test monitor using CapTest
application.
REG_DWORD
1
0 – Disable the message box pop-up
 Witness Systems, Inc. 2003
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1 – Enable the message box pop-up
NOTE: This setting is applicable only when running
the CapTest for monitoring the Capture while testing.
It does not have any effect on the Witness Balance
server recording.
Directory path to the “agent.wss” file used by
WCapW32.exe during server authentication and data
encryption.
WSSPath
REG_SZ
“.”
2.1.3 Registry values for Thin Client support
Following additional registry values are applicable only when Agent Capture Service is running
on Thin Client Server.
Registry Entry
Description
Type
Default
Value
AdditionalUserApps
Registry Key for Citrix published applications and Citrix
published
desktops.
This
entry
prevents
WCapWListener.exe and WCapW32.exe from exiting
prematurely.
REG_KEY
blank
REG_DWORD
1
REG_SZ
1,2,3,4,5
REG_SZ
C:\Witnes
s\
Logs\Arch
ive
Entries under this key can be named anything
appropriate; the values should contain the executable
name of the published application with the .exe
extension.
LogArchive
Indicates log files should be archived by the Witness
Capture Service on Thin-Client servers:
0 - No
1 – Yes
LogArchiveDays
Day of week for Witness Capture Service to perform log
archiving.
0-Sun, 1-Mon, 2-Tue, 3-Wed, 4-Thu, 5-Fri, 6-Sat
Eg. “0,1,2,3,…”
LogArchivePath
Path to store archived logs, used by Witness Capture
Service.
Typically: C:\Witness\Logs\Archive
LogArchiveTime
Time of day, in military time, for Witness Capture
Service to begin log archive.
REG_SZ
2300
LogMaxSizeKB
Maximum size, in kilobytes, that Witness Capture
Service allows the logs to grow before archiving.
REG_DWORD
500
PubAppRate
Time interval, in milliseconds, to poll the system for the
presence of the session published application or
published desktop on Citrix thin-client servers.
REG_DWORD
5000
ServiceDelaySession
Enumeration
Time delay, in milliseconds, to allow destruction of
logged-out sessions on Thin-Client servers before the
Witness Capture Service enumerates active sessions.
REG_DWORD
2000
 Witness Systems, Inc. 2003
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ServiceDelayShutdo
wn
Time delay, in milliseconds, to allow the Witness Capture
Service on Thin-Client servers to clean up before shutting
down.
REG_DWORD
500
ServiceDelaySocket
Delivery
Time delay, in milliseconds, before the Witness Capture
Service attempts to deliver the socket descriptor to
WCapW32.exe within a Thin-Client session. This gives
WCapW32 initialization time.
REG_DWORD
500
ServiceDelayWitness
ServerUpdate
Time delay, in milliseconds, between connection attempts
by the Witness Capture Service on Thin-Client servers to
the Witness Server.
REG_DWORD
500
ServiceLogAppend
Specifies whether the Witness Capture service Appends
or Overwrites log files on Thin-Client servers.
REG_DWORD
1
0 - overwrite
1 – append
ServiceLogArchiveL
og
Name of log file for the Witness Capture Service Archive
Log Thread on Thin-Client servers
REG_SZ
WitnessService_L
ogArchive.lo
g
ServiceLogClientCon
nect
Name of log file for the Witness Capture Service Client
Connection Thread on Thin-Client servers.
REG_SZ
WitnessService_Client.lo
g
ServiceLogServerUp
date
Name of log file for the Witness Capture Service Server
Update Thread on Thin-Client servers.
REG_SZ
WitnessService_Server.lo
g
ServiceRetriesSocket
Delivery
Number of times for the Witness Capture Service on
Thin-Client servers to retry sending the socket descriptor
to WcapW32.exe.
REG_DWORD
5
ServiceRetriesWitnes
sServerUpdate
Number of times for the Witness Capture Service on
Thin-Client servers to retry sending the active agent list
to the Witness server.
REG_DWORD
5
ServiceSocketListenP
ort
Witness Capture Service Socket Port Number for ThinClient. Typically 4002.
REG_DWORD
4002
TermSvr
Used to indicate Thin-Client server.
REG_DWORD
0
REG_DWORD
0
REG_SZ
C:\Witnes
s
0 - Not Terminal Server
1 - Terminal Server
UseAgentID
Used by the Witness Capture Service for Thin-Client
servers, determines whether device host names or agent
logon Id’s are used to locate Thin-Client sessions:
0 - Device Host Name
1 - Agent Logon ID
WCapWListenerPath
Path to WCapWListener.exe on NT40 Thin-Client
servers not required for Window 2000. Typically:
 Witness Systems, Inc. 2003
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C:\Witness
WitnessServerList
Comma-separated list of the Witness server names to be
serviced by the Witness Capture Service on Thin-Client
servers.
REG_SZ
Blank
WitnessServerPort
Witness Server Socket Port Number for the Witness
Capture Service to communicate. Typically: 3003.
REG_DWORD
3003
 Witness Systems, Inc. 2003
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3. Fine Tuning Agent Capture
Changing the values of the following registry values will affect the Agent Capture performance,
recording quality and network bandwidth.
Giving the appropriate registry values based on the Agent Machine Configuration; Agent Capture
can be utilized in efficient way.
3.1.1 CaptureMethod
Witness Enhanced – is a good screen change detection method. It uses more CPU. Playback will
be fine, no tiling behavior.
Witness – It is good in terms of CPU utilization (uses less). If screen changes are more, then
Playback will have tiling behavior.
3.1.2 Capture Quality
10 – gives the best recording quality and improves playback quality. Uses more CPU.
1 – gives low recording quality. Uses less CPU.
3.1.3 Compression Method
Following table lists the supported compression methods and their metrics.
Compression Method
Avg. Compression
Ratio
Best when capturing
Loss of quality
Witness Compression
8:1
TBD
TBD
Microsoft RLE8 Compression
2:1
TBD
TBD
Witness Enhanced Compression
40:1
TBD
TBD
JPEG Compression
40:1
Pictures.
Yes
3.1.4 Compression Quality
Applicable only when ‘Witness Enhanced Compression’ or ‘JPEG Compression’ is used.
10 – Produces the best compression quality and small packets. It uses slightly more CPU.
1 – Produces the low quality compression. Gives good performance.
3.1.5 Color Reduction
When it is enabled, the captured desktop bitmap data will be converted to 8-bit color pixel data.
As the Agent Machine Desktop uses more colors (16-bit, 24-bit, 32-bit), more lose in data quality
when data converted to 8-bit color data. Fewer colors will be displayed on Playback.
It produces small packets and uses less network bandwidth.
It is more suitable when Agent is using notepad, word, outlook and Onyx etc. kind of
applications, as these applications will produce less color data.
 Witness Systems, Inc. 2003
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4. Suggested Configuration Settings
4.1 High-end machine
Good configuration machine in terms of CPU speed and RAM etc.
4.1.1 High Quality Recording
Set the following registry settings to the specified values for high quality recording.
CaptureMethod = 1
CaptureQuality = 10
4.1.2 Best Performance
Set the following registry settings to the specified values for better performance. This may
produce the low quality recording.
CaptureMethod = 1
CaptureQuality = 5
CompressionMethod = 1
4.2 Medium-level machine
Medium configuration machine in terms of CPU speed and RAM etc.
4.2.1 High Quality Recording
Set the following registry settings to the specified values for high quality recording.
CaptureMethod = 1
CaptureQuality = 8
4.2.2 Best Performance
Set the following registry settings to the specified values for better performance. This may
produce the low quality recording.
CaptureMethod = 1
CaptureQuality = 5
CompressionMethod = 1
4.3 Low-end machine
Low configuration machine in terms of CPU speed and RAM etc.
4.3.1 High Quality Recording
Set the following registry settings to the specified values for high quality recording.
CaptureMethod = 1
CaptureQuality = 6
4.3.2 Best Performance
Set the following registry settings to the specified values for better performance. This may
produce the low quality recording.
CaptureMethod = 2
CaptureQuality = 5
CompressionMethod = 1
 Witness Systems, Inc. 2003
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