dr-exam-log

Cross-platform active window and browser tab transition logger.

Primary target: exam monitoring with one command.

Command

After publish, users run:

npx dr-exam-log

What Gets Logged

• App switches (VS Code, File Explorer, etc.)
• Browser tab switches by tab title
• Browser URL when available
• Timestamped transitions in this format:

timestamp | current_state ----> next_state

Default output file:

• Windows: %USERPROFILE%\\Downloads\\proctor_state_transitions.log
• Linux/macOS: $HOME/Downloads/proctor_state_transitions.log (fallback if folder missing)

Usage

Basic:

npx dr-exam-log

Custom interval:

npx dr-exam-log --interval-seconds 0.5

Custom output path:

npx dr-exam-log --output "C:\Users\Public\Downloads\faculty_exam_log.log"

Help:

npx dr-exam-log --help

Local Development

From this folder:

npm install npm run check node ./bin/dr-exam-log.js --interval-seconds 1

Publish (One-Time)

1. Create npm account and login: npm login
2. Ensure package name is still free: npm view dr-exam-log
3. Publish: npm publish --access public

After this, anyone can run:

npx dr-exam-log

Notes About Browser URL Detection

• Windows: URL capture uses active-window info plus foreground window automation fallback.
• Linux: active window detection works best on X11. Wayland often blocks active-window introspection.
• macOS: tab URL visibility depends on OS permissions and browser support.

When URL is blocked by OS/browser policy, tab title is still logged where available.

Faculty Quick Test Flow

1. Open terminal.
2. Run: npx dr-exam-log
3. Switch between browser tabs (ChatGPT, Gemini, Google, YouTube, etc.) and other apps.
4. Stop with Ctrl+C.
5. Open Downloads and check proctor_state_transitions.log.