docs: enrich README with visual screenshot, non-developer download steps, and FAQ

This commit is contained in:
2026-08-23 15:16:30 -07:00
parent 7a864aec44
commit a46f4a6f4a
+37 -10
View File
@@ -6,6 +6,8 @@
> **Save and back up all your child's precious preschool & daycare memories, high-resolution photos, HD videos, daily care logs, and developmental milestones from Brightwheel.**
![Brightwheel Exporter Dashboard Preview](screenshots/store_screenshot_1280x800.png)
---
## ✨ Features
@@ -22,20 +24,25 @@
---
## 🚀 Installation (Load Unpacked in Chrome)
## 🚀 Installation (Takes 30 Seconds)
1. **Clone or download this repository:**
```bash
git clone https://github.com/CoderSherlock/brightwheel-exporter.git
```
2. Open Google Chrome and navigate to:
### Option A: Download ZIP (No Coding or Git Required)
1. Download the latest source code by clicking the green **Code** button at the top of this page → **[Download ZIP](https://github.com/CoderSherlock/brightwheel-exporter/archive/refs/heads/main.zip)**.
2. Unzip the downloaded `.zip` file on your computer.
3. Open Google Chrome and navigate to:
```
chrome://extensions/
```
3. Enable **Developer mode** using the toggle switch in the top-right corner.
4. Click the **Load unpacked** button in the top-left corner.
5. Select the cloned `brightwheel-exporter` directory.
6. The **Brightwheel Exporter** icon will now appear in your browser toolbar!
4. Enable **Developer mode** using the toggle switch in the top-right corner.
5. Click the **Load unpacked** button in the top-left corner.
6. Select the unzipped `brightwheel-exporter-main` folder.
7. 🎉 The **Brightwheel Exporter** icon will now appear in your browser toolbar!
### Option B: Clone via Git (For Developers)
```bash
git clone https://github.com/CoderSherlock/brightwheel-exporter.git
```
Then follow steps 3–6 above selecting the cloned directory.
---
@@ -82,6 +89,26 @@
- **No Remote Servers**: This extension is 100% open source and runs entirely on your local machine.
- **Session Authentication**: Uses your existing Brightwheel browser cookies securely. No logins or API keys are ever stored or shared.
- **Direct S3/CDN Downloads**: Media files are downloaded directly from Brightwheel's official AWS S3 buckets and CloudFront distribution endpoints straight to your disk.
- **Auditable Source Code**: Because you load this unpacked from source, you can review every line of code in this repository.
---
## ❓ Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
<details>
<summary><strong>Is my family's data safe and private?</strong></summary>
Yes, 100%. This tool has no external backend, databases, or analytics. Everything runs entirely within your browser on your own machine. Data requests travel directly between your browser and Brightwheel/S3.
</details>
<details>
<summary><strong>What is the best export mode for large photo & video feeds?</strong></summary>
We strongly recommend choosing <strong>"Save Directly to Local Folder"</strong> in the dashboard. This streams media files straight to your hard drive using the modern File System Access API without storing giant ZIP files in browser RAM.
</details>
<details>
<summary><strong>How do I view the exported offline archive?</strong></summary>
Inside your exported folder or unzipped archive, double-click the <code>index.html</code> file. It opens a standalone gallery timeline that allows you to search captions, play videos, and filter milestones offline with no internet required.
</details>
---