request for info on kiosk operation

[R.L. Horn]

On Mon, 4 Dec 2006, david wrote:

> I am planning to setup a embedded PC to run a digital sign (basically a 
> PC and large screen monitor). I intend to use X without any window 
> manager, with apps like mplayer and some static jpeg display program 
> using X directly.

> My first attempts with startx and xinitrc, have mplayer unable to find 
> running Xserver

It sounds like the DISPLAY and/or XAUTHORITY environment variables aren't 
set.  I'd need more details for a definite diagnosis.

> or the Xserver closing when the app closes.

It's normal for xinit to shut down the server when its client exits. 
Just make certain that doesn't happen.  For example:

   #! /bin/sh
   # presentation.sh

   while true
   do
     mplayer -fs some_video.avi  >/dev/null 2>/dev/null </dev/null
   done

   $ chmod +x presentation.sh
   $ xinit [full path to presentation.sh]

BTW, that "</dev/null" is significant.  You want to make darn sure mplayer 
doesn't think its input is attached to a tty in this case.