CubeIDE & MX in MacOS "assessment mode" - for exam use ?

[phm]

Split from Open-source educational IDE for STM32 – feedback from STM32 users (by @Moussa1492)  for better visibility of this different question

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MacOS has an "assessment mode" which blocks any other apps from running.  

What I need is the CubeIDE and MX that activate this mode, so an exam without using AI would test actual understanding.  

Is this available?

[Andrew Neil]

CubeIDE and MX can be used with no internet connection.

Doesn't this "assessment mode" allow you to specify which apps are included?  -- Edit: it seems not: it seems it has to be a feature built-in to the app - it's not a configuration of the OS.

[phm]

The requirements are

1.  IDE, MX, the PRG and a pdf reader (for the reference manuals and exam instructions) are the only programs that are used; no screen sharing for example and no reason for terminal. 

2.  The only files accessible are the IDE repository and the MX firmware, and the reference manuals and the exam (which is the same document as the open-book lab exercise).

3.  Short setup time and no downloading of apps, repositories or firmware packages since there will be 40 people doing this at once and it would take too long.

It is not a requirement that 1 and 2 be bullet-proof as the test is proctored, but it must block innocent mistakes.

The current plan (changing hourly with inputs) is

1.  Students create a new login which is not an administrator account. 

2.  A USB drive is provided to each student with MX's firmware package and a full IDE with packages, the reference manuals and lab instructions.  WiFi and phones are not available in the room.

3.  When the exam time is up, students show the proctor the blinking LED and the program, they return the USB drive and delete the account they made on their computer.

Do you think this would work??

[Andrew Neil]

Sounds like a job for a Virtual Machine; eg a Docker image ?

[phm]

The student's exam account does not have administrator privileges, because we don't want them to look in their main account for the answers.  But then I get this message from CubeMX 

  /Applications/STMicroelectronics/STM32CubeMX.app/Contents/Resources/db/plugins/boardmanager/boards/B47_Nucleo-L4R5ZI-P_STM32L4R5ZI_Board.ioc Project File is read only

Curiously, MX wants write access inside the Application?  Is this necessary??  I wonder what it's doing.

I looked into docker, but it seems to fail because it can't stop other apps, it's big and 40 people would need to suddenly have it downloaded installed and running, and ST-Link doesn't pass through very well.  do u agree?

[Pavel A.]

If you're looking for development of certain software feature, or add-on, or operating system tool for "assessment mode" - here you can find help.  And here. This isn't specific to STM32 tools.

BTW, students may use other devices (phone, tablet) to work around your efforts.

[phm]

Thanks Pavel.  Looks like assessment mode is aimed at running an exam.  But in this case we want to let them use MX and the IDE so there are more apps that work in concert.  I know I brought it up earlier but now I'm thinking about how to fix the MX desire to have write access to the MX application itself.

I'm going on the assumption that this is unnecessary, probably MX only needs to read the .ioc template file in the app, but is opening it read/write.  It seems MX is written by ST (eg not based on Eclipse).  So I think I need to ask them to fix that?  Would you support my request to ST for that?

Students are asked to leave their phones, tablets and calculators outside of the exam room, and the proctor can cruise around the room observing too.

[Pavel A.]

@phm Of course, you can ask ST to help with their software, as to why CubeMX wants write access to the application files and templates that should be immutable. 

Sorry, I won't support other requests. Running apps in "kiosk" or "exam" mode is outside of focus of this forum, but Apple should have some solutions addressing this need. 

[phm]

Thank you, do you know how to bring the "CubeMX wants write access to the application files and templates which should be immutable" to ST's attention?

Regarding other requests, yes I know I brought up kiosk mode but the problem is better handled a different way, because there are multiple apps that need to work in concert.

[Pavel A.]

IMHO you already have their attention  - but let's help a bit.

@mattias norlander  

@Ghofrane GSOURI @mƎALLEm