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Generating a HAR file for troubleshooting
Generating a HAR file for troubleshooting

When troubleshooting complex issues, it's sometimes necessary for our team to obtain additional info, this guide shows how to get that info.

James Dodd avatar
Written by James Dodd
Updated over 3 years ago

When an issue occurs, we will sometimes need information about the network requests that are generated in your browser. A Databowl team member may request that you record a HAR file, or a log of network requests, while that issue is occurring and then provide that to them for further analysis.

Note: Keep in mind that HAR files contain sensitive data, including content of the pages you downloaded while recording and your cookies. This allows anyone with the HAR file to impersonate your account and all the information that you submitted while recording (personal details, passwords, credit card numbers, etc.).

Below are some instructions about how you can easily generate a HAR file using different browsers.

To generate the HAR file for Chrome

  1. Open Google Chrome and go to the page where the issue is occurring.

  2. Look for the Vertical Dots and select More Tools > Developer Tools.

  3. From the panel opened, select the Network tab.

  4. Look for a round red Record button in the upper left corner of the tab, and make sure it is red. If it is grey, click it once to start recording.

  5. Check the box Preserve log.

  6. Click the Clear button ( a circle with a line through ) to clear out any existing logs from the Network tab.

  7. Reproduce the issue that you were experiencing before, while the network requests are being recorded.

  8. Once you have reproduced the issue, in Chrome, click Download. Then save the file to your computer: Save as HAR with Content

  9. Zip up the HAR file and attach it to your support chat.

To generate the HAR file for Firefox

  1. Open Firefox and go to the page where you are experiencing trouble.

  2. Select the Firefox menu (three horizontal parallel lines) at the top-right of your browser window, then select Web Developer > Network.

  3. The Developer Network Tools opens as a docked panel at the side or bottom of Firefox. Click the Network tab.

  4. The recording auto-starts when you start performing actions in the browser.

  5. Once you have reproduced the issue and you see that all of the actions have been generated in the Developer Network Panel (should just take a few seconds), right-click anywhere under the File column, and click on Save all as Har.

  6. Save the HAR file somewhere convenient.

  7. Zip up the HAR file and attach it to your support chat.

To generate the HAR file for Internet Explorer

Note: Internet Explorer is no longer a Databowl supported browser.

  1. Open Internet Explorer and go to the page where the issue is occurring.

  2. Press F12 on your keyboard (or click the gear icon > F12 Developer Tools)

  3. Click the Network tab.

  4. Reproduce the issue that you were experiencing before, while the network requests are being recorded.

  5. Once done click the Save button.

  6. Give the trace a filename and click the Save button which will save it as a .har file or .xml file.

  7. Zip up the HAR file and attach it to your support chat.

To generate the HAR file for Safari

Before generating the HAR file, make sure you can see the Develop menu in Safari. If it is not there, follow the instructions under Use the developer tools in the Develop menu in Safari on Mac.

  1. Open the Develop menu and select Show Web Inspector.

  2. Click the Network tab and complete the activity that is causing issues.

  3. Click the Export icon on the far right of the network tab and save the HAR file.

  4. Send us the file via your support ticket.

To generate the HAR file for Edge

Edge natively produces HAR files. For more instructions, see the instructions from the Microsoft website.

  1. Open the Network tool in F12 developer tools.

  2. Reproduce the issue.

  3. Export captured traffic as a HAR (CTRL + S).

  4. Zip up the HAR file and attach it to your support chat.

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