Testdriver:Dashcam

Overview

Dashcam makes automatic video recordings. It also collects the logs for your tests. It captures screen recordings, application logs, and test details. You can review them later.

Basic Usage

With Presets

Most presets include Dashcam automatically:

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import { test } from 'vitest';
import { chrome } from 'testdriverai/presets';

test('my test', async (context) => {
  const { testdriver, dashcam } = await chrome(context, {
    url: 'https://example.com'
  });
  
  // Test executes with recording automatically
  await testdriver.find('login button').then(el => el.click());
  
  // Dashcam URL available after test
  console.log('Replay:', dashcam.url);
});

Manual Setup

For more control, make a Dashcam instance directly:

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import TestDriver from 'testdriverai';
import Dashcam from 'testdriverai/lib/core/Dashcam.js';

const client = await TestDriver.create({ os: 'linux' });
const dashcam = new Dashcam(client, {
  apiKey: process.env.DASHCAM_API_KEY
});

await dashcam.auth();
await dashcam.start();

// Run your tests

const url = await dashcam.stop();
console.log('Replay URL:', url);

Constructor

Create a new Dashcam instance:

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new Dashcam(client, options)

Parameters

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<ParamField path="autoStart" type="boolean" default={false}>
  Automatically start recording after authentication
</ParamField>

<ParamField path="logs" type="array" default={[]}>
  Log configurations to add automatically
</ParamField>

Methods

auth()

Authenticate with Dashcam service:

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await dashcam.auth(apiKey)

Returns: Promise<void>

Example:

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await dashcam.auth('your-api-key');

start()

Start recording:

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await dashcam.start()

Returns: Promise<void>

Example:

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await dashcam.start();
console.log('Recording started');

stop()

Stop recording and retrieve replay URL:

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await dashcam.stop()

Returns: Promise<string|null> - Replay URL if available

Example:

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const url = await dashcam.stop();
if (url) {
  console.log('Watch replay:', url);
} else {
  console.log('No replay URL available');
}

addFileLog()

Track a log file in the recording:

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await dashcam.addFileLog(path, name)

Returns: Promise<void>

Example:

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// Linux/Mac
await dashcam.addFileLog('/tmp/app.log', 'Application Log');

// Windows
await dashcam.addFileLog('C:\\logs\\app.log', 'Application Log');

addApplicationLog()

Track application-specific logs:

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await dashcam.addApplicationLog(application, name)

Returns: Promise<void>

Example:

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await dashcam.addApplicationLog('Google Chrome', 'Browser Logs');

addWebLog()

Track web request logs by URL pattern:

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await dashcam.addWebLog(pattern, name)

Returns: Promise<void>

Example:

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await dashcam.addWebLog('*example.com*', 'Web Logs');

addLog()

Generic method to add any type of log:

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await dashcam.addLog(config)

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<ParamField path="type" type="string" required>
  Log type: `'file'`, `'application'`, or `'web'`
</ParamField>

<ParamField path="path" type="string">
  File path (required for type='file')
</ParamField>

<ParamField path="application" type="string">
  Application name (required for type='application')
</ParamField>

<ParamField path="pattern" type="string">
  URL pattern to match (required for type='web', e.g., `"*example.com*"`)
</ParamField>

Returns: Promise<void>

Example:

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await dashcam.addLog({
  name: 'Test Output',
  type: 'file',
  path: '/tmp/test.log'
});

await dashcam.addLog({
  name: 'Chrome Logs',
  type: 'application',
  application: 'Google Chrome'
});

await dashcam.addLog({
  name: 'Web Logs',
  type: 'web',
  pattern: '*example.com*'
});

isRecording()

Check if currently recording:

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await dashcam.isRecording()

Returns: Promise<boolean> - True if recording is active

Example:

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if (await dashcam.isRecording()) {
  console.log('Recording in progress');
}

Properties

recording

Current recording state:

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dashcam.recording // boolean

apiKey

Configured API key:

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dashcam.apiKey // string

client

Associated TestDriver client:

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dashcam.client // TestDriver instance

Complete Examples

Basic Recording

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import { test } from 'vitest';
import TestDriver from 'testdriverai';
import Dashcam from 'testdriverai/lib/core/Dashcam.js';

test('record test execution', async () => {
  const client = await TestDriver.create({ os: 'linux' });
  const dashcam = new Dashcam(client);
  
  await dashcam.auth();
  await dashcam.start();
  
  // Run your test
  await client.find('button').then(el => el.click());
  
  const url = await dashcam.stop();
  console.log('Replay:', url);
  
  await client.cleanup();
});

With Log Tracking

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test('record with logs', async () => {
  const client = await TestDriver.create({ os: 'linux' });
  const dashcam = new Dashcam(client);
  
  await dashcam.auth();
  
  // Add log files before starting
  await dashcam.addFileLog('/tmp/testdriver.log', 'TestDriver Log');
  await dashcam.addFileLog('/tmp/app.log', 'Application Log');
  
  await dashcam.start();
  
  // Test execution
  await client.find('login button').then(el => el.click());
  
  const url = await dashcam.stop();
  console.log('Replay with logs:', url);
  
  await client.cleanup();
});

Auto-start Configuration

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test('auto-start recording', async () => {
  const client = await TestDriver.create({ os: 'linux' });
  const dashcam = new Dashcam(client, {
    autoStart: true,
    logs: [
      {
        name: 'App Log',
        type: 'file',
        path: '/tmp/app.log'
      }
    ]
  });
  
  await dashcam.auth(); // Automatically starts recording
  
  // Test execution
  await client.find('submit button').then(el => el.click());
  
  const url = await dashcam.stop();
  console.log('Replay:', url);
  
  await client.cleanup();
});

Using with Presets

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import { chrome } from 'testdriverai/presets';

test('preset with dashcam', async (context) => {
  const { testdriver, dashcam } = await chrome(context, {
    url: 'https://example.com',
    dashcam: true // Enabled by default
  });
  
  // Test runs with automatic recording
  await testdriver.find('button').then(el => el.click());
  
  // URL automatically available
  console.log('Replay:', dashcam.url);
});

Disabling Dashcam in Presets

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test('without dashcam', async (context) => {
  const { testdriver } = await chrome(context, {
    url: 'https://example.com',
    dashcam: false // Disable recording
  });
  
  // Test runs without recording (faster)
  await testdriver.find('button').then(el => el.click());
});

Platform Differences

Windows

On Windows, Dashcam uses PowerShell commands and installs via npm:

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// Windows-specific paths
await dashcam.addFileLog(
  'C:\\Users\\testdriver\\Documents\\testdriver.log',
  'TestDriver Log'
);

Linux/Mac

On Linux/Mac, Dashcam uses shell commands:

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// Unix-specific paths
await dashcam.addFileLog('/tmp/testdriver.log', 'TestDriver Log');