Files
peji f57183448f Update CLAUDE.md and README.md for cookie-only architecture
Rewrite both docs to reflect the current state: Chrome extension
cookie auth, no profiles/passwords, simplified IPC channels and
file structure, updated troubleshooting and security sections.

Co-Authored-By: Claude Opus 4.6 <noreply@anthropic.com>
2026-02-09 21:30:11 -05:00

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# CLAUDE.md
This file provides guidance to Claude Code (claude.ai/code) when working with code in this repository.
## Project Overview
Alta Proxy Tool (APT) — an Electron desktop app that authenticates with Avigilon Alta Video deployments via a companion Chrome extension, discovers cameras, and launches `aware-cam-proxy.exe` to establish camera connections. Authentication uses cookie import from Chrome — no username/password login flow. Windows-only due to the proxy executable.
## Repository
- **GitHub**: https://github.com/PageZ948/Alta-Proxy-Tool (private)
- **Branch**: master
- **Git identity**: Zac <zpage948@gmail.com> (repo-local config)
## Commands
```bash
npm start # Run the app
npm run dev # Run with DevTools open (--dev flag)
npm run build # Build portable Windows .exe (output: dist/)
npm run build-test # Build to directory without packaging
```
No test framework is configured. No linter is configured.
## Architecture
This is a vanilla Electron app (no React/Vue/framework). Core files:
```
main.js → Electron main process: IPC handlers, API calls (axios),
cookie proxy process spawning, local HTTP cookie server
preload.js → contextBridge exposing window.electronAPI with IPC wrappers
renderer.js → All UI logic: DOM manipulation, state management, event handlers
index.html → Static HTML shell, no inline scripts (CSP enforced)
styles.css → Dark theme using CSS custom properties
```
A companion Chrome extension lives in `chrome-extension/`:
```
chrome-extension/
manifest.json → Manifest V3, cookies + activeTab permissions
popup.html → Extension popup UI
popup.css → Dark theme matching the Electron app
popup.js → Tab detection, cookie retrieval, POST to localhost
icon*.png → Placeholder icons
```
### Authentication Flow
There is no login form or profile system. Authentication works exclusively through the Chrome extension cookie bridge:
1. User logs into Alta deployment in Chrome
2. Clicks the Chrome extension popup → "Send Cookie to APT"
3. Extension POSTs `{deploymentUrl, cookieValue}` to `http://127.0.0.1:18247/cookie` with `X-APT-Token` header
4. `main.js` HTTP server validates and forwards via IPC push to renderer
5. `renderer.js` `handleExtensionCookie()` sets session state, auto-populates cookie key, fetches devices
The extension is loaded unpacked via `chrome://extensions/` → Developer mode → Load unpacked → select `chrome-extension/`.
### IPC Communication Pattern
Most cross-process communication follows the request/response pattern:
1. `main.js` registers handler: `ipcMain.handle('channel-name', async (event, params) => { ... })`
2. `preload.js` exposes it: `channelName: (params) => ipcRenderer.invoke('channel-name', params)`
3. `renderer.js` calls it: `const result = await window.electronAPI.channelName(params)`
All handlers return `{ success: boolean, message?: string, ...data }`.
There is one **push-pattern** channel for the Chrome extension cookie bridge:
- `main.js` sends: `mainWindow.webContents.send('extension-cookie-received', data)`
- `preload.js` bridges: `ipcRenderer.on('extension-cookie-received', callback)`
- `renderer.js` listens via `window.electronAPI.onExtensionCookie(callback)`
### IPC Channels
| Channel | Purpose |
|---------|---------|
| `api-get-devices` | GET /api/v1/devices with cookie auth |
| `api-get-auth-info` | GET /api/v1/auth to verify session |
| `camera-proxy-cookie-launch` | Spawns aware-cam-proxy.exe (cookie method) |
| `camera-proxy-stop` | Kills all proxy processes via taskkill/powershell |
| `extension-cookie-received` | Push channel: cookie data from Chrome extension → renderer |
### State Management (renderer.js)
All connection state lives in the `sessionData` object (deploymentUrl, cookies, isConnected). There is no separate `isConnected` flag — always use `sessionData.isConnected`.
Active cookie proxy processes are tracked in `activeCookieProxyConnections` Map, keyed by device GUID.
### Security Model
- Context isolation enabled, nodeIntegration disabled
- CSP meta tag: `script-src 'self'` — no inline scripts or onclick handlers allowed
- Batch file inputs are sanitized via `sanitizeBatchInput()` to prevent command injection
- Local HTTP cookie server (port 18247) bound to `127.0.0.1` only
- Cookie server validates: shared token header, CORS restricted to `chrome-extension://` origins, deployment URL must be `*.avasecurity.com` or `*.avigilon.com` over HTTPS, type/length limits on all inputs, 64KB body size limit
## Key Conventions
- No inline event handlers in HTML — all use `addEventListener` in renderer.js
- All user-provided content rendered to DOM must go through `escapeHtml()` (XSS prevention)
- External processes spawned with `detached: true` + `unref()` so they survive if the app closes
- Device list filters out cloud cameras (`capabilities.localStorage === false` only)
- `clearDeviceList()` must NOT clear proxy connection Maps (proxies may still be running)
## External Executable
- `aware-cam-proxy.exe` — cookie-based auth proxy (required)
Not bundled via npm. Must be in the app root directory. Gitignored along with `*.pdf`, `node_modules/`, and `dist/`.