Moodle: possible to bypass timer in timed assignments

@@ -89,6 +89,16 @@ protected function get_current_status(): string {
         }
     }
 
+    /**
+     * Has the submission started.
+     *
+     * @return bool The status of the submission; true if started, otherwise false.
+     */
+    protected function is_submission_started(): bool {
+        return (is_object($this->teamsubmission) && isset($this->teamsubmission->timestarted))
+            || (is_object($this->submission) && isset($this->submission->timestarted));
+    }
+
     /**
      * Export the submission buttons for the page.
      *
@@ -130,20 +140,20 @@ public function export_for_template(\renderer_base $output): array {
                 $data['edit']['help'] = $newattempthelp->export_for_template($output);
             }
             if ($status === ASSIGN_SUBMISSION_STATUS_NEW) {
-
                 $timelimitenabled = get_config('assign', 'enabletimelimit');
-                if ($timelimitenabled && $this->timelimit && empty($this->submission->timestarted)) {
+                if ($timelimitenabled && $this->timelimit && !$this->is_submission_started()) {
                     $confirmation = new \confirm_action(
                         get_string('confirmstart', 'assign', format_time($this->timelimit)),
                         null,
                         get_string('beginassignment', 'assign')
                     );
-                    $urlparams = array('id' => $this->cmid, 'action' => 'editsubmission');
+                    // The 'begin' flag indicates that the user is starting a timed assignment.
+                    $urlparams = ['id' => $this->cmid, 'action' => 'editsubmission', 'begin' => 1];
                     $beginbutton = new \action_link(
                         new moodle_url('/mod/assign/view.php', $urlparams),
-                            get_string('beginassignment', 'assign'),
-                            $confirmation,
-                            ['class' => 'btn btn-primary']
+                        get_string('beginassignment', 'assign'),
+                        $confirmation,
+                        ['class' => 'btn btn-primary']
                     );
                     $data['edit']['button'] = $beginbutton->export_for_template($output);
                     $data['edit']['begin'] = true;

@@ -3353,7 +3353,9 @@ public function get_group_submission($userid, $groupid, $create, $attemptnumber=
             if ($create) {
                 $action = optional_param('action', '', PARAM_TEXT);
                 if ($action == 'editsubmission') {
-                    if (empty($submission->timestarted) && $this->get_instance()->timelimit) {
+                    $starttimer = optional_param('begin', 0, PARAM_INT);
+                    // Only start the timer if the user has clicked the 'Begin assignment' button.
+                    if (empty($submission->timestarted) && $this->get_instance()->timelimit && $starttimer) {
                         $submission->timestarted = \core\di::get(\core\clock::class)->time();
                         $DB->update_record('assign_submission', $submission);
                     }
@@ -3866,7 +3868,9 @@ public function get_user_submission($userid, $create, $attemptnumber=-1) {
             if ($create) {
                 $action = optional_param('action', '', PARAM_TEXT);
                 if ($action == 'editsubmission') {
-                    if (empty($submission->timestarted) && $this->get_instance()->timelimit) {
+                    $starttimer = optional_param('begin', 0, PARAM_INT);
+                    // Only start the timer if the user has clicked the 'Begin assignment' button.
+                    if (empty($submission->timestarted) && $this->get_instance()->timelimit && $starttimer) {
                         $submission->timestarted = \core\di::get(\core\clock::class)->time();
                         $DB->update_record('assign_submission', $submission);
                     }
@@ -4878,7 +4882,7 @@ public function fullname($user) {
      * @return string The page output.
      */
     protected function view_edit_submission_page($mform, $notices) {
-        global $CFG, $USER, $DB, $PAGE;
+        global $CFG, $USER, $DB, $PAGE, $OUTPUT;
 
         $o = '';
         require_once($CFG->dirroot . '/mod/assign/submission_form.php');
@@ -4963,7 +4967,30 @@ protected function view_edit_submission_page($mform, $notices) {
             $o .= $this->get_renderer()->notification($notice);
         }
 
-        $o .= $this->get_renderer()->render(new assign_form('editsubmissionform', $mform));
+        if (
+            $submission->status == ASSIGN_SUBMISSION_STATUS_NEW && $this->get_instance()->timelimit &&
+            empty($submission->timestarted)
+        ) {
+            // Timed assignment should always get a confirmation that the user wants to start it.
+            $confirmation = new \confirm_action(
+                get_string('confirmstart', 'assign', format_time($this->get_instance()->timelimit)),
+                null,
+                get_string('beginassignment', 'assign')
+            );
+            // The 'begin' flag indicates that the user is starting a timed assignment.
+            $urlparams = ['id' => $this->get_course_module()->id, 'action' => 'editsubmission', 'begin' => 1];
+            $beginbutton = new \action_link(
+                new moodle_url('/mod/assign/view.php', $urlparams),
+                get_string('beginassignment', 'assign'),
+                $confirmation,
+                ['class' => 'btn btn-primary']
+            );
+
+            $o .= $OUTPUT->render($beginbutton);
+        } else {
+            $o .= $this->get_renderer()->render(new assign_form('editsubmissionform', $mform));
+        }
+
         $o .= $this->view_footer();
 
         \mod_assign\event\submission_form_viewed::create_from_user($this, $user)->trigger();

@@ -0,0 +1,84 @@
+@mod @mod_assign
+Feature: In a timed assignment, students should confirm before starting the timer
+  In order to submit a timed assignment
+  As a student
+  I need to confirm to begin the assignment before the timer starts
+
+  Background:
+    Given the following config values are set as admin:
+      | config          | value | plugin |
+      | enabletimelimit | 1     | assign |
+    And the following "courses" exist:
+      | fullname | shortname | category |
+      | Course 1 | C1        | 0        |
+    And the following "users" exist:
+      | username | firstname | lastname | email                |
+      | student1 | Student   | 1        | student1@example.com |
+      | student2 | Student   | 2        | student2@example.com |
+    And the following "course enrolments" exist:
+      | user     | course | role    |
+      | student1 | C1     | student |
+      | student2 | C1     | student |
+    And the following "activities" exist:
+      | activity | course | name               | assignsubmission_file_enabled | assignsubmission_file_maxfiles | assignsubmission_file_maxsizebytes | teamsubmission | duedate                 | timelimit |
+      | assign   | C1     | Timed assignment 1 | 1                             | 1                              | 2097152                            | 0              | ##+1 hours 30 minutes## | 60        |
+      | assign   | C1     | Group assignment 2 | 1                             | 1                              | 2097152                            | 1              | ##+1 hours 30 minutes## | 60        |
+
+  Scenario: Access a timed assignment from the course page
+    Given I am on the "Timed assignment 1" Activity page logged in as student1
+    And "Begin assignment" "link" should exist
+    When I reload the page
+    Then "Begin assignment" "link" should exist
+    And "#mod_assign_timelimit_block" "css_element" should not exist
+
+  @javascript
+  Scenario: Access a timed assignment from the Dashboard
+    Given I am logged in as student1
+    When I click on "Timed assignment 1" "link" in the "Calendar" "block"
+    And I click on "Add submission" "link" in the ".modal-footer" "css_element"
+    Then "Begin assignment" "link" should exist
+    And I reload the page
+    And "Begin assignment" "link" should exist
+    And "#mod_assign_timelimit_block" "css_element" should not exist
+    # Repeat the steps to confirm timer doesn't start automatically.
+    And I select "Dashboard" from primary navigation
+    And I click on "Timed assignment 1" "link" in the "Calendar" "block"
+    And I click on "Add submission" "link" in the ".modal-footer" "css_element"
+    And "Begin assignment" "link" should exist
+    And "#mod_assign_timelimit_block" "css_element" should not exist
+    # Now start the timer.
+    And I click on "Begin assignment" "link"
+    And I click on "Begin assignment" "button" in the ".modal-footer" "css_element"
+    And "#mod_assign_timelimit_block" "css_element" should exist
+
+  @javascript
+  Scenario: Access a timed group assignment from the Dashboard
+    Given the following "groups" exist:
+      | name    | course | idnumber |
+      | Group 1 | C1     | CG1      |
+    And the following "group members" exist:
+      | user     | group |
+      | student1 | CG1   |
+      | student2 | CG1   |
+    And I am logged in as student1
+    When I click on "Group assignment 2" "link" in the "Calendar" "block"
+    And I click on "Add submission" "link" in the ".modal-footer" "css_element"
+    Then "Begin assignment" "link" should exist
+    And I reload the page
+    And "Begin assignment" "link" should exist
+    And "#mod_assign_timelimit_block" "css_element" should not exist
+    # Repeat the steps to confirm timer doesn't start automatically.
+    And I select "Dashboard" from primary navigation
+    And I click on "Group assignment 2" "link" in the "Calendar" "block"
+    And I click on "Add submission" "link" in the ".modal-footer" "css_element"
+    And "Begin assignment" "link" should exist
+    And "#mod_assign_timelimit_block" "css_element" should not exist
+    # Now start the timer.
+    And I click on "Begin assignment" "link"
+    And I click on "Begin assignment" "button" in the ".modal-footer" "css_element"
+    And "#mod_assign_timelimit_block" "css_element" should exist
+    And I log out
+    # Now check the submission has started for the other group member too.
+    And I am on the "Group assignment 2" "assign activity" page logged in as student2
+    And "Begin assignment" "link" should not exist
+    And "Add submission" "button" should exist