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Overview

Dashcam provides automatic video recording and log aggregation for your tests. It captures screen recordings, application logs, and test execution details that can be reviewed later.

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Basic Usage

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With Presets

Most presets automatically include Dashcam: 
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);
});

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Manual Setup

For more control, create a Dashcam instance directly: 
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);

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Constructor

Create a new Dashcam instance: 
new Dashcam(client, options)

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Parameters

​
client
TestDriver
required
TestDriver client instance
​
options
object
Configuration options

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Methods

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auth()

Authenticate with Dashcam service: 
await dashcam.auth(apiKey)
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apiKey
string
Override the API key set in constructor
Returns: Promise<void> Example: 
await dashcam.auth('your-api-key');

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start()

Start recording: 
await dashcam.start()
Returns: Promise<void> Example: 
await dashcam.start();
console.log('Recording started');

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stop()

Stop recording and retrieve replay URL: 
await dashcam.stop()
Returns: Promise<string|null> - Replay URL if available Example: 
const url = await dashcam.stop();
if (url) {
  console.log('Watch replay:', url);
} else {
  console.log('No replay URL available');
}

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addFileLog()

Track a log file in the recording: 
await dashcam.addFileLog(path, name)
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path
string
required
Path to the log file
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name
string
required
Display name for the log in Dashcam
Returns: Promise<void> Example: 
// Linux/Mac
await dashcam.addFileLog('/tmp/app.log', 'Application Log');

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

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addApplicationLog()

Track application-specific logs: 
await dashcam.addApplicationLog(application, name)
​
application
string
required
Application name to track
​
name
string
required
Display name for the log
Returns: Promise<void> Example: 
await dashcam.addApplicationLog('Google Chrome', 'Browser Logs');

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addWebLog()

Track web request logs by URL pattern: 
await dashcam.addWebLog(pattern, name)
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pattern
string
required
URL pattern to match (e.g., "*example.com*")
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name
string
required
Display name for the log
Returns: Promise<void> Example: 
await dashcam.addWebLog('*example.com*', 'Web Logs');

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addLog()

Generic method to add any type of log: 
await dashcam.addLog(config)
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config
object
required
Log configuration
Returns: Promise<void> Example: 
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*'
});

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isRecording()

Check if currently recording: 
await dashcam.isRecording()
Returns: Promise<boolean> - True if recording is active Example: 
if (await dashcam.isRecording()) {
  console.log('Recording in progress');
}

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Properties

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recording

Current recording state: 
dashcam.recording // boolean

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apiKey

Configured API key: 
dashcam.apiKey // string

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client

Associated TestDriver client: 
dashcam.client // TestDriver instance

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Complete Examples

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Basic Recording

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();
});

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With Log Tracking

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();
});

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Auto-start Configuration

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();
});

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Using with Presets

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);
});

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Disabling Dashcam in Presets

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());
});

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Platform Differences

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Windows

On Windows, Dashcam uses PowerShell commands and installs via npm: 
// Windows-specific paths
await dashcam.addFileLog(
  'C:\\Users\\testdriver\\Documents\\testdriver.log',
  'TestDriver Log'
);

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Linux/Mac

On Linux/Mac, Dashcam uses shell commands: 
// Unix-specific paths
await dashcam.addFileLog('/tmp/testdriver.log', 'TestDriver Log');