[HowTo] Schedule runs on Windows

🕹️ How to Schedule Free Games Claimer Script on Windows (Batch Version)

This guide helps you install and configure the free-games-claimer project using a robust fgc.bat batch script with support for multiple users, .env files, Playwright setup, and Windows Task Scheduler.

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🧰 1. Install Requirements

Install the latest versions of Git and Node.js.

✅ Preferred method: Microsoft WinGet

winget install "git.git" --accept-source-agreements --silent --disable-interactivity
winget install "Node.js" --accept-source-agreements --silent --disable-interactivity

Or install manually:

• Git for Windows
• Node.js

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📁 2. Select Working Directory

Choose where the project and data will live. This example uses:

%userprofile%\Documents\Git\FGC

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🧱 3. Create Folders and Clone Repository

Open CMD (search CMD in 🪟 Start Menu) and run:

mkdir %userprofile%\Documents\Git
mkdir %userprofile%\Documents\Git\FGC
cd %userprofile%\Documents\Git\FGC
git clone https://github.com/vogler/free-games-claimer.git

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📦 4. Create GLOBAL_VARIABLES.env

Inside FGC folder, create a file named GLOBAL_VARIABLES.env. It must contain at least this line:

USERS_LIST=User1 User2

Optional additional global settings:

SHOW=1
TIMEOUT=360
GIT_BRANCH=main

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👤 5. Create Per-User Environment Files

You can skip this step, if you log in manually.

For each user in USERS_LIST, create a corresponding file named User1.env, User2.env, etc.

Example User1.env:

EG_EMAIL=user1@example.com
EG_PASSWORD=YourPasswordHere
EG_OTPKEY=AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA

GOG_EMAIL=user1@outlook.com
GOG_PASSWORD=AnotherPasswordHere

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🧾 6. Create fgc.bat Script

Create the file %userprofile%\Documents\Git\FGC\fgc.bat with the following content:

💡 This is the final, production-ready version:

@echo off
echo 👾 This is a helper batch script for Windows for running Vogler's free-games-claimer
echo 👾 For details see: https://github.com/vogler/free-games-claimer/wiki/%5BHowTo%5D-Schedule-runs-on-Windows
echo 👾 Script written by GitHub user nett00n: https://github.com/nett00n

:: -----------------------------------------------------------------------------
:: Set defaults BEFORE attempting to load GLOBAL_VARIABLES.env

set SHOW=1
set TIMEOUT=360
set GIT_BRANCH=main

echo 🔷 Default Variables:
echo ◻ SHOW=%SHOW% (0 = silent, 1 = show browser)
echo ◻ TIMEOUT=%TIMEOUT% seconds between users
echo ◻ GIT_BRANCH=%GIT_BRANCH% repository branch

:: -----------------------------------------------------------------------------
:: Load GLOBAL_VARIABLES.env (REQUIRED)
if not exist "GLOBAL_VARIABLES.env" (
    echo 🟥 GLOBAL_VARIABLES.env not found! This file is required. Exiting...
    echo.
    echo ℹ️  Please create a file named GLOBAL_VARIABLES.env in this directory with at least the following:
    echo.
    echo     USERS_LIST=yourUsername1 yourUsername2
    echo.
    echo ℹ️  Also you can set there following variables:
    echo     SHOW=1
    echo     TIMEOUT=360
    echo     GIT_BRANCH=main
    echo.
    echo 💡 Refer to the documentation:
    echo     https://github.com/vogler/free-games-claimer/wiki/%5BHowTo%5D-Schedule-runs-on-Windows
    echo.
    TIMEOUT 60
    exit /b 1
)

echo 🔷 Loading GLOBAL_VARIABLES.env...
for /f "usebackq tokens=1,* delims==" %%A in ("GLOBAL_VARIABLES.env") do (
    echo %%A | findstr "^[#]" >nul
    if errorlevel 1 (
        set "%%A=%%B"
        echo ⚙️  Loaded: %%A=%%B
    )
)

:: -----------------------------------------------------------------------------
:: Verify USERS_LIST is set and not empty
if not defined USERS_LIST (
    echo 🟥 USERS_LIST is not defined or empty in GLOBAL_VARIABLES.env! Exiting...
    echo.
    echo ℹ️  Make sure your GLOBAL_VARIABLES.env file includes a line like:
    echo     USERS_LIST=yourUsername1 yourUsername2
    echo.
    echo 💡 Refer to the example in the docs:
    echo     https://github.com/vogler/free-games-claimer/wiki/%5BHowTo%5D-Schedule-runs-on-Windows
    echo.
    exit /b 1
)

echo ◻ USERS_LIST = [%USERS_LIST%]

:: -----------------------------------------------------------------------------
:: Check for required tools

echo 🔷 Checking if everything is installed...

echo ◻ Checking Node.js...
where node >nul 2>nul
if errorlevel 1 (
    echo 🟥 Node.js is not installed. Exiting...
    exit /b
)

echo ◻ Checking npx...
where npx >nul 2>nul
if errorlevel 1 (
    echo 🟥 npx is not installed. Exiting...
    exit /b
)

echo ✅ All required tools are installed.

:: -----------------------------------------------------------------------------
:: Update Git repository

echo 🔷 Updating Git repository...
cd /d "%userprofile%\Documents\Git\FGC\free-games-claimer" || (
    echo 🟥 Failed to switch to repo directory. Exiting...
    exit /b
)

echo ◻ Reverting local changes...
git checkout .

echo ◻ Switching to branch: %GIT_BRANCH%...
git checkout %GIT_BRANCH%

echo ◻ Pulling latest changes...
git pull

:: -----------------------------------------------------------------------------
:: Install Node.js packages and Playwright

echo 🔷 Installing Node.js dependencies...
cmd.exe /c npm install package.json

echo 🔷 Installing Playwright...
cmd.exe /c npx playwright install

:: Move to base dir
cd /d "%userprofile%\Documents\Git\FGC" || (
    echo 🟥 Failed to switch to base directory. Exiting...
    exit /b
)

:: -----------------------------------------------------------------------------
:: Loop through each user in USERS_LIST
for %%U in (%USERS_LIST%) do call :claim %%U

goto :eof

:: -----------------------------------------------------------------------------
:claim
setlocal
set USER=%1
echo.
echo 🔷 Claiming games for user: %USER%

:: Load user-specific environment variables
if not exist "%USER%.env" (
    echo 🟥 %USER%.env not found. Skipping user: %USER%
    goto :eof
)

echo ◻ Loading %USER%.env...
for /f "usebackq tokens=1,* delims==" %%A in ("%USER%.env") do (
    echo %%A | findstr "^[#]" >nul
    if errorlevel 1 (
        set "%%A=%%B"
        echo ⚙️  Loaded: %%A=%%B
    )
)

set "BROWSER_DIR=data/%USER%"

:: Check if Epic Games password is defined and not empty
if defined EG_PASSWORD (
    if not "%EG_PASSWORD%"=="" (
        echo 🔷 Claiming Epic Games for %USER%...
        cmd.exe /c node free-games-claimer/epic-games.js
    ) else (
        echo 🟥 EG_PASSWORD is empty for %USER%. Skipping Epic Games claim...
    )
)

:: Check if GOG password is defined and not empty
if defined GOG_PASSWORD (
    if not "%GOG_PASSWORD%"=="" (
        echo 🔷 Claiming GOG games for %USER%...
        cmd.exe /c node free-games-claimer/gog.js
    ) else (
        echo 🟥 GOG_PASSWORD is empty for %USER%. Skipping GOG claim...
    )
)

:: Check if Prime Gaming password is defined and not empty
if defined PG_PASSWORD (
    if not "%PG_PASSWORD%"=="" (
        echo 🔷 Claiming Prime Gaming games for %USER%...
        cmd.exe /c node free-games-claimer/prime-gaming.js
    ) else (
        echo 🟥 GOG_PASSWORD is empty for %USER%. Skipping GOG claim...
    )
)

:: Optional: more services...

echo 🔷 Waiting %TIMEOUT% seconds before next user...
timeout %TIMEOUT%

endlocal
goto :eof

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🗓️ 7. Automate with Task Scheduler

1. Press 🪟 Start, search Task Scheduler.

2. Click Create Basic Task...

3. Configure:

   • Name: _Free-Games-Claimer

   • Trigger: Daily

   • Start time: e.g., 05:00:00

   • Action: Start a Program

   • Program/script:

     %userprofile%\Documents\Git\FGC\fgc.bat
     

4. Click Finish, then right-click → Run to test it.