How to generate a ".har" file

Background: 

When troubleshooting a non-trivial website issue, it is sometimes necessary for our Client Services team to obtain additional information about your browser communication. You may be asked record and provide a .har file. This file contains additional information about the network requests that are sent and received by your browser. Your browser can generate such file by recording content, timeline and status of HTTP/HTTPS requests and responses while the issue occurs.

In this article we explain how to generate a .har file. Please click on the browser that you use in the list below:

 

To generate the HAR file for Google Chrome:

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

2. Press CRTL +SHIFT + I on your keyboard. Alternatively, click on the Chrome menu icon (three vertical dots at the top-right of your browser window) and select More Tools > Developer Tools

3. The Developers Tools opens as a docked panel at the side or bottom of Chrome. Select the tab Network (Figure 1.)

Figure 1.

4. Look for a round Record button in the upper left corner of the Developer Tools toolbar and make sure it is red. If it is grey, click it once to start recording or just press CTRL+E (Figure 2.)

Figure 2.

5. Activate the checkbox Preserve log (Figure 3.)

Figure 3.

6. Click the Clear button to clear out any existing logs. The Clear button has a stop icon and is located on the right of the Record button (Figure 4.)

Figure 4.

7. Reproduce the issue you are experiencing while the network requests are being recorded.

8. Once you have reproduced the issue, right-click anywhere on the list of recorded network requests, select Save all as HAR with Content, and save the file to a location of your preference on your computer (e.g. on your Desktop).

9. From the IBKR Client Portal, go to the Message Center and create a new Web Ticket (or use an existing one when applicable)

10. Within the Web Ticket, attach the .har file previously generated.  In case the IBKR Client Services has provided you with a reference ticker number or representative name, please add this information to the ticket body.

11. Submit the Web Ticket

 

To generate the HAR file for Firefox:

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

2. Press F12 on your keyboard. Alternatively click the Firefox menu icon (three horizontal parallel lines at the top-right of your browser window), then select Web Developer > Network

3. The Developers Network Tools opens as a docked panel at the side or bottom of Firefox. Select the tab Network (Figure 5.)

Figure 5.

4. Activate the checkbox Persists logs (Figure 6.)

Figure 6.

5. Reproduce the issue you are experiencing. The recording of the network request starts automatically.

6. Once you have reproduced the issue, right-click anywhere on the list of recorded requests and select Save All As HAR

7. Save the file to a location of your preference on your computer (e.g. on your Desktop)

8. From the IBKR Client Portal, go to the Message Center and create a Web Ticket (or use an existing one when applicable)

9. Within the Web Ticket, attach the .har file previously generated.  In case the IBKR Client Services has provided you with a reference ticker number or representative name, please add this information to the ticket body

10. Submit the Web Ticket

 

To generate the HAR file for Microsoft Edge:

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

2. Press F12 on your keyboard. Alternatively click the Edge menu icon (three horizontal dots at the top-right of your browser window), then select More Tools > Developers Tools

3. Click the Network tab (Figure 10.)

Figure 10.

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

5. Once done click the floppy disk icon (Export as HAR) or press CTRL+S (Figure 11.)

Figure 11.

6. Provide a filename and a location of your preference on your computer (e.g. on the Desktop). Then click the Save button

7. From the IBKR Client Portal, go to the "Message Center" and create a Web Ticket (or use an existing one when applicable)

8. Within the Web Ticket, attach the .har file previously generated.  In case the IBKR Client Services has provided you with a reference ticker number or representative name, please add this information to the ticket body.

9. Submit the Web Ticket

 

To generate the HAR file for Safari:

Note: Before generating the HAR file, make sure you can see the Develop menu in Safari. If you do not see this menu, click on the menu Safari, choose Preferences, go to the tab Advanced and activate the checkbox next to Show Develop menu in menu bar

1. Open the Develop menu and select Show Web Inspector or press CMD+ALT+I

2. Click the Network tab (Figure 12.)

Figure 12.

3. Activate the checkbox Preserve log (Figure 13.)

Figure 13.

4. Click on the icon Export (or press CMD+S), provide a filename and a location of your preference on your computer (e.g. on the Desktop) and save the .har file

5. From the IBKR Client Portal, go to the "Message Center" and create a Web Ticket (or use an existing one when applicable)

6. Within the Web Ticket, attach the web archive file previously generated.  In case the IBKR Client Services has provided you with a reference ticker number or representative name, please add this information to the ticket body.

7. Submit the Web Ticket