#111 SEB Config File for Mac and Windows

[Mahesh Kumar]

Dear Support Team,

I am planning to conduct exams with Safe Exam Browser. I am using Moodle 3.8. There are multitude of issue that I am facing.

I am creating a configuration file on Windows Platform using SEB v. 2.4, with using Browser Keys and Config Keys.

The issue I am facing is when I create a configuration file on a Windows Platform, the students using Windows Platform along with SEB v. 2.4 are able to attempt the exam. However, when the same configuration file is accessed by users using a Macbook or Mac OS they are not able to attempt it and gives a note that same version needs to be used.

Secondly, when I only use the config keys in Moodle 3.8 Quiz, users using a different version of SEB (other than version 2.4) on Windows are also not able to attempt the exam.

I would like to know is there a way in which I can create a configuration file on Windows using SEB version 3.1 and that same file can be accessed by users both Windows and MacOS, while using the configuration key. Currently I have to create two files on two different operating systems (Mac and Windows)

By config keys I understand this: If config keys are used in Moodle quiz then it should work on all platforms given the same configuration file is used.

Any help on this would be appreciated.

[SEB Support]

One SEB configuration file can definitely be used for all platforms. But if you need special settings, currently only the upcoming version 2.3 for macOS offers all options (also for iOS and Windows) in its Preferences window. You can nevertheless create a config file in the Windows SEB Config Tool and open the same file in the Mac version, set the Mac options, save and use this same file for both Windows and Mac. Only the Config Key, using the new SEB plugin in Moodle 3.8 (which is already contained in Moodle 3.9 or newer) is the same for all platforms, if you intend to use the Browser Exam Key (BEK), you always have to copy-paste the separate BEK from every SEB version you intend to use (you can copy several BEK into Moodle settings, put each on a separate line in the field in quiz settings).

A few things to consider:

• Make sure to start with a freshly generated SEB config file (start with default settings and make your changes to that) with a current SEB version. Some very old SEB versions created some wrong settings keys (for example allowWLAN instead of the correct key allowWlan). If you base your current config file on some files generated by an old SEB version (this also applies to some of our sample config files from demo.safeexambrowser.org/exams or safeexambrowser.org/testing), it might still contain such a wrong key. If a config file contains both the keys allowWLAN and allowWlan, the Config Key will not be calculated correctly in new SEB versions.
• Make sure to use the latest SEB versions, as older versions had issues with generating the correct Config Key with some SEB config files. We just discovered another Config Key issue in the current macOS version 2.2.2 (related to the preset settings for prohibitedProcesses, which are different in the Windows and Mac versions). This issue is fixed in version SEB 2.3 for macOS, so please test your fresh settings with the release candidate version SEB 2.3RC for Mac (github.com).
• SEB 2.4.1 is reportedly not always working correctly with the new SEB deeper integration plugin in Moodle 3.9 (or 3.8 if installing the plugin manually there). The new SEB support was officially only tested with SEB 3.x for Window.

[Mahesh Kumar]

Thank you for the detailed reply.

I have installed the Mac RC version. However when I click on SEB and it opens ut dies not show the menu from where we can go to preferences and other options

[Mahesh Kumar]

Hi,

So I used the Mac RC version and created a configuration file from scratch. Pasted both the browser and config keys in Moodle quiz. The files worked on a Macbook, but still same error on Windows (You need to use an approve version)

Is there any way in which we can create a config file on Windows or a Mac and a single configuration file be used on both platforms (while using keys; for keeping it secure)?

Thank you,
Mahesh

[Daniel Schneider]

The Preferences window can also be opened with the same key shortcut as in every macOS applications, command - , (comma key). Also there is the new feature in version 2.3 which is described in the release notes on GitHub:

• Preferences window can be opened by holding the option/alt key when starting SEB (also when dropping a SEB configuration file onto the SEB icon).

You're doing something wrong "Pasted both the browser and config keys in Moodle quiz" Config Keys cannot be pasted into Moodle, that cannot work. Read the SEB documtentation on moodle.org thoroughly and ask in the Moodle forums.

[Daniel Schneider]

Did you ever read this section in the SEB manual: https://safeexambrowser.org/macosx/mac_usermanual_en.html#moodle

There are also links to the Moodle documentation.

[Mahesh Kumar]

The version keys are working as expected .

I'll try that, but there are no relevant resources available or mention of using config keys with Moodle quizzes.

Thanks Daniel.