@allow2/allow2automate-steam

Steam parental control monitoring plugin for Allow2Automate via the Agent System.

Features

• Process Monitoring: Monitors Steam processes across all connected agent devices
• Automatic Enforcement: Terminates Steam when quota is exceeded or paused
• Multi-Platform: Supports Windows, macOS, and Linux
• Real-time Violations: Tracks and logs Steam access violations
• Child Linking: Link agents to specific Allow2 children
• Configurable: Adjust check intervals and enforcement actions

Installation

npm install @allow2/allow2automate-steam

Requirements

• Allow2Automate v2.0.0 or higher
• Allow2 Agent installed on target devices
• React 16+ and Material-UI 4+

How It Works

This plugin integrates with the Allow2 Agent system to monitor Steam processes:

1. Agent Discovery: Detects all connected agent devices
2. Policy Creation: Creates Steam process monitoring policies on each agent
3. Quota Checking: Checks Allow2 quotas when Steam is detected
4. Enforcement: Terminates Steam process if quota exceeded or paused
5. Violation Logging: Records all blocking events

Usage

Basic Setup

1. Install the plugin in Allow2Automate
2. Ensure Allow2 Agent is installed and running on target devices
3. Link agents to children in the plugin settings
4. Steam will be automatically monitored based on Allow2 quotas

Configuration

The plugin provides several configuration options:

• Check Interval: How often to check if Steam is running (default: 30 seconds)
• Kill on Violation: Automatically terminate Steam when quota exceeded
• Notify Parent: Send notifications on violations

Linking Agents to Children

1. Navigate to the Steam plugin settings
2. Find the agent device in the list
3. Select the child from the dropdown menu
4. Agent will now enforce quotas for that child

Architecture

Components

• src/index.js: Main plugin entry point and lifecycle management
• src/services/SteamMonitor.js: Steam-specific monitoring logic
• src/services/SteamVDFParser.js: Parse Steam VDF configuration files
• src/components/TabContent.js: Settings UI component
• src/components/SteamStatus.js: Real-time status display

Process Names by Platform

• Windows: Steam.exe, steamwebhelper.exe, gameoverlayui.exe
• macOS: steam_osx, Steam.app, steamwebhelper
• Linux: steam, steamwebhelper, reaper

API

Plugin Lifecycle

• onLoad(state): Initialize plugin
• onSetEnabled(enabled): Enable/disable monitoring
• newState(state): Handle state updates
• onUnload(callback): Cleanup on removal

IPC Handlers

• steam:getAgents: List all agent devices
• steam:linkAgent: Link agent to child
• steam:unlinkAgent: Unlink agent
• steam:getViolations: Get violation history
• steam:clearViolations: Clear violations log
• steam:getSettings: Get plugin settings
• steam:updateSettings: Update settings
• steam:getStatus: Get monitoring status

Events

• steamViolation: Emitted when Steam is blocked
• steamDetected: Emitted when Steam starts running

Development

Build

npm run build

Watch Mode

npm start

Testing

npm test

Limitations

• Requires Allow2 Agent running on target devices
• Cannot modify Steam's built-in parental controls
• VDF parsing may break on Steam updates
• Child could potentially bypass by closing the agent

Future Enhancements

• VDF file monitoring for additional metadata
• Steam Web API integration for game library info
• Playtime statistics and reporting
• Per-game quota management
• Integration with Steam Family View

Troubleshooting

Agent Not Detected

• Ensure Allow2 Agent is installed and running
• Check network connectivity
• Verify agent service is available in Allow2Automate

Steam Not Being Blocked

• Check agent is linked to correct child
• Verify quota is configured in Allow2
• Check settings: "Kill on Violation" enabled
• Review violation logs for errors

Process Detection Issues

• Verify Steam is installed at default location
• Check process names for your platform
• Agent may need elevated permissions

Support

• Documentation: https://github.com/Allow2/allow2automate-steam
• Issues: https://github.com/Allow2/allow2automate-steam/issues
• Allow2 Support: https://allow2.com/support

License

MIT License - see LICENSE file for details

Credits

Developed by Allow2 Pty Ltd