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Troubleshooting & FAQ

Common questions and solutions for Smyles Station.

Table of Contents

Getting Started

Q: What is Smyles Station?

A: Smyles Station is a kid-friendly kiosk application that provides safe, time-limited access to educational games and websites. It's designed for libraries, schools, and community centers.

Q: What do I need to run Smyles Station?

A: - Windows 10+ or Ubuntu 20.04+ (Linux) - 4 GB RAM minimum (8 GB recommended) - Internet connection - See Hardware Requirements for full details

Q: How do I install Smyles Station?

A: See the Installation Guide for step-by-step instructions for Windows and Linux.

Q: Is Smyles Station free?

A: Yes, Smyles Station is open source and free to use.

Sessions & Time Limits

Q: How long is each session?

A: The default session length is configured in Admin Settings. Common defaults are: - 30 minutes (typical for libraries) - 45 minutes (classroom use) - 60 minutes (extended use)

You set this once in Admin Dashboard -> Settings -> "Session Time Limit"

Q: Can I change the time limit for individual sessions?

A: No, the current design uses a single default time limit for all sessions. All children get the same amount of time for fairness.

Q: Can kids extend their session time?

A: No. Time limits are enforced automatically and cannot be extended by users. This ensures fairness for all children.

Q: What happens when the session timer expires?

A: 1. 5 minutes before end: Yellow warning appears 2. 1 minute before end: Red warning appears 3. At zero: Session ends automatically 4. "Session Expired" message shows briefly 5. Returns to welcome screen for next child

Q: Can kids switch games during their session?

A: Yes! Kids can click "X Exit Game" to return to the game selection screen and choose a different game. The session timer continues running - no extra time is added.

Q: How do I set session time to unlimited?

A: Set "Session Time Limit" to 0 in Admin Dashboard. The timer won't display and sessions won't auto-end.

Warning: Unlimited sessions aren't recommended for public use as they prevent fair access.

Admin Access

Q: What's the default admin password?

A: admin.

Q: How do I access Admin Settings?

A: 1. On the welcome screen, click the Settings button at the top right 2. Select Admin Settings 3. Enter your admin password

Q: I forgot my admin password. What do I do?

A: 1. Close Smyles Station completely 2. Navigate to the config directory: - Windows: Press Win + R, type %APPDATA%\smyles-station\, press Enter - Linux: ~/.config/smyles-station/ 3. Delete the file admin-config.json 4. Restart Smyles Station 5. Create a new password

Warning: This resets ALL settings, not just the password. Your site list (in sites.json) is preserved.

Q: How do I change the admin password?

A: 1. Access Admin Dashboard 2. Go to the Settings or Password tab 3. Enter current password 4. Enter new password twice 5. Click Save

Q: Can I have multiple admin passwords?

A: No, there's only one admin password for the entire system.

Q: The Settings button doesn't appear. Where is it?

A: The Settings button is at the top right of the welcome screen (the screen with the big Play button). If you're in a game session, end the session first.

Games & Sites

Q: How do I add games?

A: 1. Access Admin Dashboard 2. Go to Sites tab 3. Click Add New Site 4. Enter the full URL (e.g., https://pbskids.org) 5. App fetches the site name and icon automatically 6. Click Save

See Configuration Guide for details.

Q: Why won't a game load?

Possible causes:

No internet: Check your internet connection

Site is down: Try accessing the site in a regular browser

Blocked by firewall: Some firewalls block embedded browsers. Check firewall settings.

Site blocks embedding: Some websites prevent being displayed in embedded views for security. These sites won't work in Smyles Station.

Wrong URL: Verify the URL is correct in Admin Dashboard -> Sites

Q: A game loads but looks broken or doesn't work properly.

A: Some websites use features that don't work well in embedded views. Try: 1. Re-fetching the site info in Admin Dashboard 2. Checking if the site works in a regular browser 3. Finding an alternative similar site

Not all websites are compatible with embedded viewing.

Q: Can kids download files or install programs?

A: No. File downloads are blocked by design. Kids cannot install programs or download files through Smyles Station.

Q: How do I remove a game?

A: 1. Admin Dashboard -> Sites tab 2. Find the site 3. Click the Delete button (trash icon) 4. Confirm deletion

Q: The game icons don't show up.

A: Some sites don't provide icons (favicons). You can: - Upload a custom icon when editing the site - Leave it with a generic placeholder - Re-fetch site info to try again

Q: How do I reorder games?

A: In Admin Dashboard -> Sites tab, drag and drop the site tiles to reorder them. Changes save automatically.

Technical Issues

Q: Smyles Station won't start.

Check: - System requirements are met (see Hardware Requirements) - All Windows updates are installed - Try restarting your computer - Check error logs: - Windows: %APPDATA%\smyles-station\logs\ - Linux: ~/.config/smyles-station/logs/

Try reinstalling if the issue persists.

Q: The application crashes frequently.

Try: 1. Disable hardware acceleration: - Admin Dashboard -> Settings -> Uncheck "Enable Hardware Acceleration" 2. Update graphics drivers 3. Check available RAM (4 GB minimum, 8 GB recommended) 4. Review logs for error messages

Q: The Play button doesn't work.

Check: - Internet connection is working - Application isn't frozen (try clicking Settings button) - Restart Smyles Station - Check console for errors (if in development mode)

Q: Games load slowly.

Possible causes: - Slow internet connection (need 5+ Mbps) - Many browser tabs/windows open - Insufficient RAM - Site itself is slow

Try: - Close other programs - Test internet speed - Try different games to see if all are slow

Q: The timer doesn't appear.

Check: - Session Time Limit is set to a value greater than 0 - Admin Dashboard -> Settings -> "Session Time Limit" - If set to 0, timer won't display (unlimited session)

Q: The session doesn't end when timer reaches zero.

This is a bug. Workaround: 1. Click "End Session" button manually 2. Report the issue on GitHub 3. Check logs: %APPDATA%\smyles-station\logs\

Q: Scheduled shutdown isn't working.

Check: 1. Admin Dashboard -> Schedule tab 2. Verify day is enabled (checkmark) 3. Verify time is correct (24-hour format: 8 PM = 20:00) 4. Click "Save" or "Update" after making changes 5. Smyles Station must be running at shutdown time

Linux only: May need special permissions. See Scheduled Shutdown Guide.

Q: Where are configuration files stored?

A: - Windows: %APPDATA%\smyles-station\ - Full path: C:\Users\[YourUsername]\AppData\Roaming\smyles-station\ - Linux: ~/.config/smyles-station/

Files include: - config.json - Settings and admin password - sites.json - Game list - schedule.json - Shutdown schedule - stats.json - Usage statistics

Security & Safety

Q: Is Smyles Station safe for children?

A: Yes. Smyles Station includes multiple security layers: - Only whitelisted sites can be accessed - No file downloads - Developer tools disabled - Cannot exit without admin password - Time limits prevent excessive use

Q: Can kids access websites not on the approved list?

A: No. Only sites added to the whitelist in Admin Dashboard can be accessed. Kids cannot navigate to other sites.

Q: Can kids access Windows or other programs?

A: From within a session, no - fullscreen mode and keyboard blocking prevent this. However, Smyles Station is designed to allow admin exit to Windows desktop with a password. For maximum lockdown, see Kiosk Mode Guide.

Q: What if a kid finds inappropriate content on an approved site?

A: 1. Immediately end the session (click "End Session") 2. Investigate what they saw 3. Remove the site: Admin Dashboard -> Sites -> Delete 4. Report the issue to the site owner and/or Smyles Station developers

Q: How do I prevent kids from closing Smyles Station?

A: Built-in protections block common exit methods (Alt+F4, Alt+Tab, Windows key).

For complete lockdown where kids cannot access Windows at all, see OS-Level Security.

Q: Can I monitor which games kids are playing?

A: Yes. Admin Dashboard -> Statistics tab shows: - Most popular games - Total time played - Session history - Usage patterns

You can also export this data as CSV.

Q: How secure is the admin password?

A: The password is hashed (encrypted) and stored locally. Only someone with physical access to the computer could attempt to reset it (by deleting config files).

Best practices: - Use a strong password - Don't share it with children - Change it periodically - Store it securely but accessible to all authorized staff

Usage & Statistics

Q: How do I view usage statistics?

A: 1. Admin Dashboard -> Statistics tab 2. View summary data: - Total sessions - Completed sessions - Total time used - Most popular games

Q: Can I export usage data?

A: Yes. In Statistics tab, click "Download CSV" to export data for use in Excel or other spreadsheet programs.

Q: How do I reset/clear statistics?

A: Currently, statistics automatically accumulate. To clear: 1. Close Smyles Station 2. Navigate to config directory 3. Delete stats.json 4. Restart Smyles Station

Warning: This permanently deletes all usage history.

Advanced Questions

Q: Can I customize the appearance/colors?

A: Not currently through the UI. Advanced users can modify CSS files, but this requires technical knowledge and may break with updates.

Q: Can I add password protection to individual games?

A: No, all approved games are equally accessible once a session starts.

Q: Can I have different time limits for different age groups?

A: Not currently. All sessions use the same default time limit.

Q: Does Smyles Station work offline?

A: No, an internet connection is required as the games are web-based.

Q: Can I host my own games instead of using external websites?

A: Yes, if you have a local web server, you can add http://localhost:port or local IP addresses to the site list.

Q: Can I white-label or rebrand Smyles Station?

A: Smyles Station is open source. Advanced users can modify branding, but this requires technical knowledge of Electron and React.

Still Need Help?

If your question isn't answered here:

  1. Check the other guides:
  2. Installation
  3. Configuration
  4. Sessions

  5. Kiosk Mode

  6. Check GitHub Issues:

  7. Existing issues
  8. Search for your problem

  9. Open a new issue if needed

  10. Contact Support:

  11. Email: smyles-station-safety@proton.me

  12. Include:

    • Operating system and version
    • Smyles Station version
    • Description of issue
    • Steps to reproduce
    • Error messages or logs

  13. Community Support:

  14. GitHub Discussions
  15. Share solutions with other users

Reporting Bugs

When reporting a bug, include:

  1. System Information:
  2. OS (Windows 10, Ubuntu 22.04, etc.)
  3. Smyles Station version

  4. RAM and processor

  5. What you expected to happen

  6. What actually happened

  7. Steps to reproduce:

  8. Step-by-step instructions

  9. Happens every time or intermittently?

  10. Error messages:

  11. Screenshots

  12. Log files from %APPDATA%\smyles-station\logs\

  13. Configuration:

  14. Are you using kiosk mode?
  15. How many sites configured?
  16. Any custom settings?

Where to report: - GitHub Issues: github.com/buff-sudo/smyles-station/issues - Email: smyles-station-safety@proton.me

Thank you for using Smyles Station!