Browser developer tools provide diagnostic information that can help investigate issues in the BoldDesk web application. The Console tab shows browser-side errors, the Network tab shows requests and responses exchanged with the server, and a HAR file records browser network activity for further analysis.

This article explains when to collect each type of diagnostic information and how to access the Console, Network, and HAR export options in supported browsers.

Collect Browser Diagnostic Information When Reporting an Issue

When reporting an issue that occurs in the BoldDesk web application, provide browser diagnostic information when requested by BoldDesk Support. This information helps identify browser-side errors, failed network requests, unexpected server responses, and performance issues.

Before collecting the diagnostic information, record the following details:

• The BoldDesk page or module where the issue occurred.
• The steps required to reproduce the issue.
• The expected result.
• The actual result.
• The date and time when the issue occurred, including the time zone.
• The affected agent, customer, ticket, chat, article, or record ID, when applicable.
• The browser name and version.
• Whether the issue occurs consistently or intermittently.
• A screenshot or screen recording showing the issue, when applicable.

When to Capture Console Logs

Capture the Console logs when:

• A page does not load correctly.
• A button, menu, form, or other interface action does not work.
• An unexpected error appears in the browser.
• The page becomes blank or unresponsive.
• A client-side script error is suspected.
• BoldDesk Support specifically requests Console logs.

Reproduce the issue while the Console tab is open, then capture the complete error message and any related entries displayed in red.

When to Capture Network Request Details

Capture the Network request details when:

• An action fails after selecting a button or submitting a form.
• A ticket, reply, note, chat, or other record is not created or updated.
• A file upload or download fails.
• A page loads indefinitely.
• An API request returns an error.
• Data displayed in BoldDesk is missing, delayed, or incorrect.
• BoldDesk Support requests the request payload or response details.

Open the Network tab before reproducing the issue. After the issue occurs, identify the failed request, which is commonly displayed in red, and review the following information:

• Request URL
• Request method
• Status code
• Request payload
• Response or preview
• Error message
• Request timing

Share only the information requested by BoldDesk Support.

When to Capture a HAR File

Capture a HAR file when:

• The issue involves multiple network requests.
• The relevant failed request cannot be identified easily.
• The problem occurs during page loading, authentication, navigation, file handling, or a multi-step workflow.
• The issue is intermittent and must be captured while it occurs.
• BoldDesk Support requests a complete browser network trace.

Open the Network tab and enable Preserve log before reproducing the issue. This keeps the recorded requests available when the page reloads or redirects.

After reproducing the issue, export the HAR file and share it through the secure method specified by BoldDesk Support.

Console Tab

To access the console tab in a web browser, follow these general steps:

Chrome

1. Right-click anywhere on a webpage.

2. Select Inspect or Inspect Element from the context menu.

3. In the opened DevTools, navigate to the Console tab.

   
   

Shortcuts to access the Dev tools

Use the following keyboard shortcuts to access the Dev tools:

Network Tab - Payload Data

If the issue reoccurs multiple times, open the network tab and repeat the action that caused the issue to get the payload data using the below steps:

Chrome

1. Right-click on the page and select Inspect or Inspect Element.

2. Go to the Network tab.

3. Perform the action that sends the payload (e.g., submit a form/ clicking an action button).

4. Locate the relevant network request in the list (usually displayed in red for failed requests) and click on it

5. Navigate to the payload tab as shown in the following screenshot.

   

HAR File

A HAR (HTTP Archive) file is a JSON formatted log of a web browser’s interactions with a web server. It is useful for troubleshooting and analyzing performance issues. This article will guide you through the process of downloading a HAR file from your browser.

How to Generate HAR Files

1. Open the web page where you want to download the HAR file.

2. Right-click on the page and select Inspect. This will open the browser’s developer tools.

   

3. In the developer tools, click on the Network tab.

   

4. Select the Preserve/Persist Logs and All options. This ensures that the log is not cleared when you navigate to a new page or refresh the current page.

   • To preserve log in Chrome,

     

   • To persist logs in Firefox,

     

5. Perform the actions on the web page that you want to capture in the HAR file.

6. Once you have completed the actions, click on the Export HAR option in the developer tools. This will prompt you to save the HAR file to your computer.

   • In Chrome,

     

   • In Firefox,

     

7. After downloading the HAR file, you can share it with others to investigate and analyze the issue further.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. What information should I provide when reporting a browser-related issue?
   Provide the page or module, reproduction steps, expected and actual results, failure date and time with the time zone, browser name and version, affected record ID, and a screenshot or screen recording when applicable.

2. Should I capture the Console logs or the Network logs?
   Capture Console logs for browser-side script and interface errors. Capture Network logs when a request, response, upload, download, page load, or record update fails. BoldDesk Support may request both.

3. When should I provide a HAR file?
   Provide a HAR file when the issue involves several network requests, occurs during a multi-step workflow, is difficult to reproduce, or when BoldDesk Support requests a complete network trace.

4. Should I open DevTools before reproducing the issue?
   Yes. Open the Console or Network tab before reproducing the issue so that the browser records the relevant errors and requests.

5. Why should I enable Preserve log?
   Preserve log prevents Network entries from being cleared when the page refreshes, redirects, or navigates to another page. The existing HAR instructions already require preserving or persisting logs for this reason.

6. Can a HAR file contain sensitive information?
   Yes. A HAR file may contain request and response data, authentication tokens, cookies, and other session information. Review it carefully and share it only through the secure method requested by BoldDesk Support.

7. What should I do if the issue occurs intermittently?
   Keep DevTools open with Preserve log enabled and reproduce the normal workflow until the issue occurs. Export the HAR file immediately after the failure and record the exact time of occurrence.

8. Should I share all Network requests?
   No. If BoldDesk Support asks for one failed request, share only the requested request URL, status, payload, response, and related timing information. Export the complete HAR file only when a broader trace is necessary.