Showing posts with label admin rights. Show all posts
Showing posts with label admin rights. Show all posts

Friday, February 19, 2021

e-EQE 2021: Troubleshooting WISEflow, LockDown Browser, Zendesk

Updated 4 Mar 21
Updated 24 Feb after Mock3
Updated 22 Feb with note about "company computer" and chat window
Updated 19 Feb with WISEflow browser test
These are technical problems and solutions that candidates have had and sent to me that are not covered in the user guide and need to be solved BEFORE the exam. These are likely related to either personal or company restrictions or firewall settings. I have no idea how widespread these problems and if they will work for everybody. Let me know if you want to add. 

Testing your system using Mock1 and Mock3 flows

  • Check your system by following the official Step by Step to the e-EQE: www.epo.org/learning/eqe/e-eqe.html. There is also a Compilation of Information with the official user guides. Check regularly for updates.
  • Check that you can login to WISEflow, download and print the exams from WISEflow, login to Zendesk outside the LockDown Browser, start the LockDown Browser and login to Zendesk within the LockDown Browser.
  • Unfortunately, there is no test portal you can log on to to see if the camera and microphone monitoring are working correctly under LockDown Browser exam conditions. 
    • A testflow is available where you can take an image - see below
Testing your system and camera using test flows
  • After logging in to WISEflow, click on the drop down menu next to your name and select "Edit profile"
  • Click on the "System Requirements":
    • Test Browser - it starts the LockDown Browser in a test mode, checking correct Browser operation and indicating that connection can be made to Secure Websockets.
    • Start Flowlock - a dummy exam window, similar to Main Exam windows is opened so you can try it out
    • Start Flowmulti -  a dummy exam window, similar to Pre-Exam T/F window is opened so you can try it out
  • New: to test your camera, Start Flowlock to start the LockDown Browser. 
    • In the Assignment Options, click on "Appendix material" and "Manage appendices" to open the "Appendix manager" tab.
    • In the "Appendix manager" tab, click on "New appendix", and then "Take an image". This looks like the "Entry image" screen used before each exam / flow.
    • Unfortunately, no microphone test

General Hardware/Software issues
  • Some problems may be due to using a company computer where you don't have full admin rights. For example, blocked urls, a missing chat window in Zendesk, changing IP addresses, automatic virus scans, screensavers that cannot be disabled, updates that cannot be disabled.  
  • If you cannot solve the problems, you may have to switch to a personal laptop or PC, and either log on to the company guest network, and/or do the exam from a different location.
  • In general, only connect the hardware you need, and exit all software/apps except your normal internet browser. Also those running in the background, like backup software and synchronization programs (onedrive, dropbox etc).
  1. USB-hubs, port replicators and docking stations. LockDown Browser disables "suspicious" processes on startup. Some people have had problems starting, and/or disconnection problems. This might be due to using a modern hub with more than one video output. Solution: use a simple USB-hub with only what you need.
  2. VPN. Can lead to slow connections. LockDown Browser cannot handle changes in your IP address. Solution: don't use VPN's.

Camera

  1. Camera turns off during exam. During Mock3, many candidates had problems with the camera turning off after some time during the exam (entry image and initial testing by LockDown Browser were all successful). Cause: <unknown>. Solution (ME): Refresh Browser (either F5 in Windows or click on browser "refresh" icon top-left). Solution (PE): For Pre-Exam, LockDown Browser works differently - you will need to enter flow AND invigilator password after a refresh.
    • your camera and microphone are sampled, and the invigilators have a dashboard with the real time status. If one of them is "zero", you should go to the top of the list, and they may contact you. But it depends on how busy they are. If you notice the camera is off (e.g. LED turns off), report it as soon as possible in Zendesk chat (you likely will not know how long it has been off). For PE, you need invigilator password to refresh, so don't try it - ask Zendesk what to do. For ME, you can try a refresh - if it does not work, you need the invigilator password to exit the LockDown Browser, so ask Zendesk first what to do.

WISEflow

  1. Not able to download and print exams. Possible cause (1): <unknown, but it is likely that the url is blocked by the firewall>. Solution: <find it in the WISEflow page source code or with a network monitor, and whitelist the url and/or domain in firewall>
    • To find url's, load regular browser as normal and disconnect the internet. Click on the link and you should see the url it was trying to access. Documents currently come from https://europe-files.wiseflow.net
      • So whitelist traffic from *.wiseflow.net
  • Added 4 Mar 21: possible cause (2): on systems where the links have worked before, they may not appear before the exam as intended. Helpdesk: ".. participant’s computer has changed its external IP addresses from when they last refreshed the page in WISEflow (flow overview)". Refreshing only the flow page (where the download links are visible) is not enough. Solution (1) from helpdesk: Reload (Refresh in browser or CTRL F5) of flow overview page in WISEflow
    • Solution (2) from participant (if (1) does not work): logout and back in to WISEflow

Zendesk Chat

  • After starting LockDown Browser, you must manually start Zendesk Chat through External Resources. Remain logged in through the whole exam. It is also accessible from a normal browser by going to epo.zendesk.com
    • apparently, the chat widget will only appear if there is an invigilator logged in at the time
  • Official troubleshooting: support.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/360022362053-Zendesk-Chat-system-requirements#topic_jt2_hqv_m4b
    • only uses ports 80 and 443, which should be open on all firewalls
    • whitelist traffic from *.zopim.com on the firewall
    • relies on Amazon for services. Check whether Amazon IPs are blocked. 
  1. No chat window in bottom right after logging in to epo.zendesk.com (only logo). Cause: firewall is blocking urls. Solution: whitelist three URLs (unsure which one worked). Source: Irina Bagyan: ^https?://([A-Za-z0-9.-]*\.)?zendesk\.com/ and ^https?://([A-Za-z0-9.-]*\.)?zdassets\.com/ and  ^https?://([A-Za-z0-9.-]*\.)?zopim\.com/
        LockDown Browser (by Respondus)
        1. Browser freezes or crashes due to user input. Possible cause: certain keys and combinations that attempt to switch between windows/applications are forbidden. Solution: Mechanically disable the keys involved - either insert a piece of plastic or remove the keys.
        2. Browser freezes or crashes due to trackpad input. Possible cause: certain gestures and finger combinations that attempt to switch between windows/applications are forbidden. Solution: disable all gestures in the trackpad settings and use an external mouse with a scroll wheel.
        3. Browser freezes or crashes with no warning. Possible cause: Some computers change their IP address while you still working. Solution: <not sure>
        4. Browser freezes or crashes when new tab is opened. Possible cause: Too many open tabs crashes the browser. It is related to screen width, but for most people seems to be max. 10. Solution: don't open too many tabs (Zendesk chat and external resources will open their own tabs as well)
        5. Main tab in LockDown Browser is blank. Possible cause: firewall blocking traffic. Solution: see official troubleshooting above. At least whitelist traffic to *.wiseflow.net. Someone who had an internet failure noted that the Browser retrieves exam content from https://europe.wiseflow.net/participant/flowlock/display.php#
        External Resources (EPO site)
        • Also possible to access official EPO legal texts within LockDown Browser. A separate tab is opened when you click on EPO legal texts on dropdown menu.
        • You should see www.epo.org/law-practice/legal-texts.html, and be able to browse to any page within www.epo.org domain, including OJEPO, EPO EPC Guidelines, EPO PCT Guidelines, Euro-PCT Guide, Case Law (only if looking for specific case - you can waste a lot of time reading this)
        • At bottom right of page is link to Advanced Website Search, which allows limiting the scope of the html search to specific documents: www.epo.org/search.html
        1. Not able to access legal texts. Possible cause: firewall is blocking urls. Solution: whitelist complete www.epo.org domain 
        2. Not able to open pdfs of legal texts. Possible cause: large pdfs cannot be opened in LockDown Browser. Solution: brows using html or use html search www.epo.org/search.html
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