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Step 3: Customization

This guide covers how to customize Smyles Station for your specific needs.

Table of Contents

Accessing Admin Dashboard

The Admin Dashboard is where all configuration happens.

Opening the Dashboard

Three ways to access:

  1. From main screen: Click the Admin button
  2. Keyboard shortcut: Press Ctrl+Shift+A
  3. During a session: Press Ctrl+Shift+Q to exit first, then access admin

All methods require your admin password.

Dashboard Layout

The Admin Dashboard has several tabs:

  • Sites - Add, edit, and manage websites
  • Statistics - View usage data
  • Settings - Configure session defaults and preferences
  • Schedule - Set up automatic shutdowns
  • Password - Change admin password

Managing Sites

Adding a New Site

  1. Open Admin Dashboard
  2. Click Sites tab
  3. Click Add New Site button
  4. Enter the website URL:
  5. Must be complete URL (e.g., https://pbskids.org)
  6. Include https:// or http://
  7. Click Fetch Info or press Enter
  8. The app will automatically retrieve:
  9. Site title
  10. Site favicon/icon
  11. Review and click Save

The site will now appear on the main selection screen.

Editing a Site

  1. In the Sites tab, find the site
  2. Click the Edit button (pencil icon)
  3. You can modify:
  4. Display name
  5. URL
  6. Icon (upload custom or re-fetch)
  7. Visibility (show/hide)
  8. Click Save Changes

Reordering Sites

Sites appear on the main screen in the order you arrange them:

  1. In the Sites tab
  2. Drag and drop sites to reorder
  3. Changes save automatically
  4. Kids will see sites in this order

Tip: Put the most popular sites at the top.

Hiding Sites

To temporarily hide a site without deleting it:

  1. Edit the site
  2. Toggle Visible to OFF
  3. Save

The site won't appear to kids but remains in your list.

Removing Sites

To permanently delete a site:

  1. In the Sites tab
  2. Click the Delete button (trash icon)
  3. Confirm deletion
  4. The site is removed from the list

Troubleshooting Site Issues

Site won't load: - Verify URL is correct and complete - Some sites don't work in embedded views - Try accessing directly in browser first - Check internet connection

Icon doesn't load: - Some sites don't provide favicons - Upload a custom icon instead - Or use a generic placeholder

Site loads but looks broken: - Some sites use features incompatible with embedded browsers - May need to be accessed in full browser instead - Consider alternative similar sites

Session Settings

Configure default behavior for all sessions.

Default Session Duration

  1. Admin Dashboard -> Settings tab
  2. Find Default Session Time
  3. Choose duration:
  4. 15 minutes (short sessions)
  5. 30 minutes (recommended for most)
  6. 45 minutes (classroom periods)
  7. 60 minutes (longer sessions)
  8. Custom (enter your own)
  9. Click Save

Note: This is the default - you can override per-session when starting.

Warning Time

How early to warn users before session expires:

  1. Settings tab
  2. Warning Time setting
  3. Recommended: 5 minutes
  4. Range: 1-10 minutes
  5. Save

The warning shows a countdown timer and alert sound.

Session End Behavior

Choose what happens when a session ends:

Return to Selection Screen (Default): - Session closes - Returns to main site selection - Kid can start another session

Exit to Desktop (Optional): - Session closes - Smyles Station exits - Returns to Windows desktop - Requires restart for next use

Lock Computer (Optional): - Session closes - Computer locks - Requires password to unlock

Configure in Settings -> Session End Behavior

Shutdown Schedule

Configure automatic computer shutdown for closing time.

Setting Up Scheduled Shutdowns

  1. Admin Dashboard -> Schedule tab
  2. You'll see each day of the week
  3. For each day you want automatic shutdown:
  4. Toggle Enabled to ON
  5. Set the shutdown time
  6. Save

Example: - Monday-Friday: 8:00 PM (library closing) - Saturday: 6:00 PM - Sunday: OFF (closed)

How Scheduled Shutdown Works

10 minutes before shutdown time: - Warning appears on screen - Sound alert plays - Timer counts down

When shutdown time arrives: - Active sessions end automatically - Computer shuts down - Cannot be cancelled (by design)

Important: Make sure shutdown time is AFTER your actual closing time to give staff time to finish up.

Platform Support

Windows: - Full support - Uses shutdown /s /t 0 command - Computer powers off completely

Linux: - Full support - Uses shutdown -h now command - May require sudo permissions

Disabling Scheduled Shutdown

To turn off for a specific day:

  1. Schedule tab
  2. Toggle that day to OFF
  3. Save

To disable completely: Turn OFF all days.

Admin Password

Changing Your Password

  1. Admin Dashboard -> Password tab
  2. Enter current password
  3. Enter new password
  4. Re-enter new password to confirm
  5. Click Change Password

Requirements: - At least 8 characters - Should be memorable but secure - Store in a safe place

Password Security Tips

Do: - Use a password manager - Write it down and store securely - Share with authorized staff only - Change periodically

Don't: - Share with kids - Use obvious passwords (like "password123") - Post it publicly visible - Forget to write it down!

If You Forget Your Password

Reset method (resets ALL settings):

  1. Exit Smyles Station completely
  2. Open File Explorer
  3. Navigate to %APPDATA%\smyles-station\
  4. Delete config.json
  5. Restart Smyles Station
  6. You'll be prompted to set a new password

Warning: This erases: - Admin password - All added sites - All settings - Usage statistics

Backup recommendation: Regularly backup your config file.

Advanced Configuration

Configuration Files

Smyles Station stores settings in:

Windows: %APPDATA%\smyles-station\ Linux: ~/.config/smyles-station/

Files: - config.json - Main configuration - sites.json - Website list - schedule.json - Shutdown schedule - stats.json - Usage statistics

Backing Up Configuration

To backup your settings:

  1. Exit Smyles Station
  2. Navigate to config directory
  3. Copy all .json files to safe location
  4. Date the backup

To restore from backup:

  1. Exit Smyles Station
  2. Replace .json files with backup copies
  3. Restart Smyles Station

Manual Configuration Editing

Advanced users can edit JSON files directly:

Warning: Incorrect edits can break Smyles Station. Backup first!

Example - Editing sites.json:

{
  "sites": [
    {
      "id": "1",
      "name": "PBS Kids",
      "url": "https://pbskids.org",
      "icon": "https://pbskids.org/favicon.ico",
      "visible": true,
      "order": 0
    }
  ]
}

Only edit if you know what you're doing.

Exporting/Importing Configuration

Export configuration to share with other installations:

  1. Backup all .json files as above
  2. Share with other libraries/locations
  3. They can import by copying files

Useful for: - Multiple kiosk stations - Standard site lists across locations - Backing up approved configurations

Command Line Options

Smyles Station supports some command line arguments:

# Disable GPU acceleration (if display issues)
smyles-station --disable-gpu

# Start in development mode (shows console)
smyles-station --dev

# Specify custom config directory
smyles-station --config-dir=/path/to/config

Environment Variables

Advanced configuration via environment variables:

# Custom config location
SMYLES_CONFIG_DIR=/custom/path

# Disable automatic updates
SMYLES_NO_UPDATE=1

# Enable debug logging
SMYLES_DEBUG=1

Usage Statistics

Viewing Statistics

  1. Admin Dashboard -> Statistics tab
  2. View data:
  3. Total sessions
  4. Total time used
  5. Most popular sites
  6. Usage by day/time

Exporting Statistics

To export usage data:

  1. Admin Portal
  2. Scroll to Usage Data
  3. Download CSV
  4. Save file

Use for: - Reporting to stakeholders - Identifying popular content - Planning content additions

Clearing Statistics

To reset all statistics:

  1. Admin Portal
  2. Click Clear All Data
  3. Confirm
  4. All usage data is deleted

Warning: This cannot be undone.

Troubleshooting Configuration

Changes not saving

  • Ensure you have write permissions
  • Check disk space
  • Verify config directory exists
  • Try restarting Smyles Station

Settings reset after restart

  • Config file may be corrupted
  • Check file permissions
  • Restore from backup

Cannot access Admin Dashboard

  • Verify password is correct
  • Check Caps Lock is off
  • Use password reset if needed

Sites not appearing

  • Verify they're marked visible
  • Check they were saved
  • Restart Smyles Station

Best Practices

Regular Maintenance

Weekly: - Review usage statistics - Check for new site requests - Test random sites still work

Monthly: - Backup configuration - Review and update site list - Check for Smyles Station updates

Annually: - Change admin password - Audit all sites for appropriateness - Review security settings

Site Curation

Guidelines for adding sites: - Educational value - Age-appropriate content - No ads or minimal ads - Works in embedded browser - Safe, trusted sources

Remove sites that: - No longer work - Have become ad-heavy - Changed to inappropriate content - Are never used (check stats)

Next Steps

Now that Smyles Station is configured:

  1. Managing Sessions - Daily operations
  2. Scheduled Shutdowns - Automatic power-off details
  3. Troubleshooting - Common issues

Need Help?

  • Check the FAQ
  • Contact support: smyles-station-safety@proton.me
  • Visit GitHub for community support