Node Webkit / Electron Get apps running in background - node.js

Is it possible to fetch list of apps running in the background using nodewebkit or electron ?
I want to make an app for rendering secure videos ... so I want to make sure that apps like screen grab or screen recording isn't running in the background

There are is a package for that:
https://www.npmjs.com/package/ps-node
However
I will suggest that this is a poor solution for blocking screen capture. Trying to pursue this further will end up in a cat and mouse like game trying to block avenues of capture.
Its trivial to start an application with a different name to get past your list
or if trying to block by comparing executable hashes building the application with a different compiler can change the hash.
If you are ok with not having absolute security and making more of a best effort then i suggest you should explore, in addition to the above, using operating system support for blocking screencapture such as:
https://code.msdn.microsoft.com/windowsapps/Disable-screen-capture-00efe630

Related

Is there a way to automatically test interactive command line (console) Linux app?

I am one of the developers of a console two-pane file manager for Linux (this is a port of Far Manager, called far2l), the application interface resembles Midnight Commander. I am faced with the need to implement automated testing. Can you please tell me which application or framework can be used for this?
I need the ability to write some scripts containing a sequence of keystrokes that will be transmitted to the console application (the ability to specify delays between emulated keystrokes also needed), as well as the ability to automatically analyze application interface drawn in the console, for example, for the presence of certain strings. And some kind of a framework to run a number of such tests automatically and generate testing reports.
Most console application testing tools I could find (like "cram", "cli-unit", "aruba", or "exactly") unfortunately don't seem to be designed specifically for testing interactive applications.

Generate background process with CLI to control it

To give context, I'm building an IoT project that requires me to monitor some sensor inputs. These include Temperature, Fluid Flow and Momentary Button switching. The program has to monitor, report and control other output functions based on those inputs but is also managed by a web-based front-end. What I have been trying to do is have a program that runs in the background but can be controlled via shell commands.
My goal is to be able to do the following on a command line (bash):
pi#localhost> monitor start
sensors are now being monitored!
pi#localhost> monitor status
Temp: 43C
Flow: 12L/min
My current solution has been to create two separate programs, one that sits in the background, and the other is just a light-weight CLI. The background process listens to a bi-directional Linux Socket File which the CLI uses to send it commands. It then sends responses back through said socket file for the CLI to then process/display. This has given me many headaches but seemed the better option compared to using network sockets or mapped memory. I just have occasional problems with the socket file access when my program is improperly terminated which then requires me to "clean" the directory by manually deleting the socket file.
I'm also hoping to have the program insure there is only ever one instance of the monitor program running at any given time. I currently achieve this by capturing my pid and saving it to a file which I can look for when my program is starting. If the file exists, I self terminate with error. I really don't like this approach as it just feels too hacky for me.
So my question: Is there a better way to build a background process that can be easily controlled via command line? or is my current solution likely the best available?
Thanks in advance for any suggestions!

Interactive website for linux server

creation of a website through which can access Linux server and where can execute some operations like executing scripts, firing up some commands. need some expert guidance with some concepts.just guide me how can i achieve through, i have goggled a lot unable to get the proper concepts or methods. or is it even possible.
Have you considered using something along the lines of VNC or SSH? As JNevill pointed out, either of these methods would be infinitely more secure. Also, consider using something like cron for scheduled jobs.
However, sometimes a webpage for running a program on a server may be acceptable. e.g. IoT project. To do this, you would setup an API page using a back-end language like PHP (recommended if you're using Linux). In the back-end language you would check your user credentials, and then run the command.
Some guidelines in doing this:
Never allow commands to be entered on the webpage, only allow tasks to be completed using controlled inputs like buttons, selectboxes and sliders. i.e. a button to get an Arduino to close your garage door, or a slider to dim/brighten a light bulb, or a button to start a program to index something, etc.
None of these "command buttons" should ever do anything harmful. i.e. delete a folder or file.

Node server GUI frontend

Well, we all know about headless servers. Actually, probably the vast majority of servers out there are headless.
As usual (it seems), my situation asked for quite something else. Basically, the proposed architecture looks more or less like:
The app server (node.js) is situated on a physical machine physically connected to two screens.
Between this machine and the 'net there are all sorts of regular networking layers. Please keep in mind that one of the main reasons for this setup is physical portability: ie, the client gets the necessary hardware as the product. The server itself relies on CDN for static files etc.
Each monitor/screen needs to show something different, produced by the same node server.
For now this server will probably run on Windows, but given a concept (which is what my question is after), I can change the code to run on the target platform. Well, depending on my code, this could even be done automatically.
So, my actual question. Node is quite flexible in that it can be run by anything - even custom made software (C++, Delphi, even GM). Just shell_exec('node server.js') and we're off.
But the screens themselves need to be quite dynamic. So node needs to influence both screens in some way. A few options I'm considering:
A custom app which creates two resizable, featureless windows with an embedded chromium browser to be controlled by the node server somehow (how node react with these browsers?)
A custom app which, according to node CLI output, updates the two screens' UI. Since I need something flashy as the UI, this app would be created in something like GameMaker, or a similar engine.
PS: Just in case you're asking; the physical connection opposed to a network one (eg; web-based GUI frontend) is by design.
I'd just wire up the result/monitoring screens as regular HTML pages. In your Node app, create a second HTTP server (on a non-standard port, firewalled from the public) that serves up the monitoring page.
Use socket.io to to send the realtime data to the monitoring page, which can make everything look pretty. Fire it up in a full-screen instance of Chrome.
This approach completely frees you from any kind of platform dependency, and decouples the monitoring app from the server app. It leaves you the latitude to run the monitoring app on a separate box if necessary.

Target domain of node.js

I am just wondering how node.js is compared to other frameworks. Is it possible to develop rich internet applications using node.js? How is it compared to java NIO?
In short I am looking for the target domain of Node.js
not sure why there are people voting to close this question when I think it's perfectly viable, Node.JS is a new server side framework that is still undergoing heavy development.
to answer your question may be a little difficult for myself as I know nothing of Java, but I know a little about Node and use it on a regular basis whilst it's under development.
Node JS is basically a framework built up of several components that are built for speed, such as Google's Javascript Engine (V8), it was originally designed for Google Chrome but released as an Open Source project.
Many developers have taken V8 and placed it on the server, combining it with custom libraries integrated into V8 to allow File I/O and network access.
So what is Node.JS
Node JS is basically Googles V8 javascript engine as the language platform, Mixed in with Lib Event, which is a technique of using 1 thread to perform multiple tasks by creating Events from the kernel.
The primary usage of Node it's it's networking functionality, Ryan has contributed a really powerful HTTP Library that has helped it take of with Web Services, which is what it's main intention is for.
Why do I use NodeJS
I like Node JS simply because it's easy, fast and very modular, being able to supply information such as Files, Images, Text to a web browser directly from the Servers Memory (RAM) in under 10 lines simply helps understand the power behind it.
For instance, Nearly every web-browser makes a request for favicon.ico, which is usually ~10KB, Now if i had 100 Requests per second and every request was requesting my favicon, my hard drive would have to locate that file, blocking all other reads in the mean time.
I can just load the data, store it within a variable and send it to every client much much faster then the traditional methods.
What's the best part about Node.JS
The best part about node.js personally is the concept, the idea of being able to search thousands of clients concurrently without blocking any other client is the drive behind the speed, every thing is speed motivated, hence Google V8, it's called V8 for a reason, Lib Event, it's removes the requirement for loads of threads, which can be heavy on resources.
Getting Started
I seems like you have not really had a play with Node.JS, and if you have not then is suggest you isntall it and have a play for a few days, Join there IRC Chat and speak to some of the guys over there, there is usually a member of the immediate team there that will help you.
You can simply install node.JS on Ubuntu like so (In Bash):
if you do not have git
sudo apt-get install git-core
install node JS:
cd /etc/
sudo git clone git://github.com/joyent/node.git
cd node
sudo ./configure
sudo make
sudo make install
to test make sure you have it installed
node --version
if you get the version your ready to go, go to your home directy
cd ~/
mkdir Nodes
cd Nodes/
create a simple file in you ~/Nodes Directory called test.js and start away, you can run the code lie so:
cd ~/Nodes
node test.js
I had written that small guide to setting NodeJS up not just for yourself but for others who may read this and would like to set things up.

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