Joggler with Ubuntu 18.04 LTS with Desktop

[nytram]

Hi

I have successfully been using ubuntu 18.04 LTS with Chromium Kiosk to show my Home Assistant webpage.

I wasnt keen on the screensaver that I got working on the command line but seen a user on Home Assistant that is now using LXDE with Chromium and the Chrome Extension Phot Screen Saver successfully.

I have only managed once out of 3 attempts to get LXDE to work.

My original install had

ubuntu 18.04 LTS
XServer

I have tried adding

sudo apt-get update
sudo apt-get install lubuntu-core
sudo apt install matchbox-keyboard
sudo apt install chromium-browser
sudo of-settings autostartx of

but when I reboot I get just a black screen and it wont go back into the desktop.

Is there a simpler way to do this as I have also tried the lbuntu 14.04 with full mashings and it was very slow compared. So lighter the better

The end result I would like is to kiosk it to open my webpage for Home Assistant with a screensaver after 5 or 10 minutes with the chrome extension which shows temperature and time on a screen saver with images

A bonus would be to make it a media player so Home Assistant can see it to play commands to or listen to the radio but not as sophisticated as Squeezebox

Thanks

Martyn

[urbatecte]

Hi Martin,

Same need ;o)
I first try with Lubuntu trying to get the on screen keyboard but as I fail, I went back to only openbox window manager.
Here is my step by step guide after @roobarb! ubuntu setup
after power-on joggler, all command are made through ssh (except the ones mention).

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passwd

=> set your personnal password

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sudo of-expand

=> let the joggler reboot

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sudo apt update

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sudo apt upgrade

=> answer Y to the multi choice question Configuration file '/etc/issue'

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sudo reboot

after that I followed this guide : https://projects-42.nl/index.php/2018/u ... web-or-rdp

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sudo apt-get install --no-install-recommends chromium-browser

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sudo systemctl edit getty@tty1

Then fill the new file with (for "of" user):

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[Service]
ExecStart=
ExecStart=-/sbin/agetty -a of --noclear %I $TERM

Then continue the guide...

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sudo apt-get install --no-install-recommends xserver-xorg x11-xserver-utils xinit openbox -y

I also install some screen saver, and try onboard, match-keyboard and xvkbd as on screen keyboard but fail with all of them...

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sudo apt install xscreensaver xscreensaver-gl-extra xscreensaver-data-extra -y

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sudo reboot

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sudo nano /etc/xdg/openbox/autostart

Then append the file with

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# Disable any form of screen saver / screen blanking / power management
# I leave the 3 followings line commented because I've setup the behavior in the screensaver
#xset s off
#xset s noblank
#xset -dpms
# start the screensaver don't forget the & at the end of any software launch, otherwise the script will stop
xscreensaver -nosplash &

# Start Chromium in kiosk mode
sed -i 's/"exited_cleanly":false/"exited_cleanly":true/' ~/.config/chromium/'Local State'
sed -i 's/"exited_cleanly":false/"exited_cleanly":true/; s/"exit_type":"[^"]\+"/"exit_type":"Normal"/' ~/.config/chromium/Default/Preferences
chromium-browser --noerordialogs --disable-session-crashed-bubble --disable-infobars --kiosk 'https://your_homeassistant_url:8123'

Don't forget the & at the end of any software launch, otherwise the script will stop. I lose a lot of time due to that

Then the last magic line ;o)

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cd
sudo nano .bash_profile

Then fill the new file with:

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startx

I didn't succeed with original command of the guide but only startx works well !
You can check that after a reboot chromium is lauched in kiosk mode pointing on the expected url.

Launched the browser may interact with some functionnality, for HomeAssistant you can deleted --kiosk in the autostrart and add the card fullscreen-card in HACS in HA, you will then hace a big button card that allow you to switch to fullscreen or revert to normal mode.
I've tested it with chromium and may use it with xvkbd or onboard (just in case I really need to type something on the screen), the issue is that the keyboard do not appear automatically when the cursor is on a editing area, so you need to have it running in backgroung and quit the fullscreen mode to access it.

At this step I had to fill my HomeAssistant credentials through wired keyboard...
This should fullfill your initial need but I add a few step to get a nice HomeAssistant tablet...
So, I've added samba management in order to add pictures for the screen saver !

If you don't know it yet, check the joggler IP with :

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hostname -I

Install all samba packages

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sudo apt install samba -y

Set a password for samba access for "of" user

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sudo smbpasswd -a of

Then you need to configure samba

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sudo nano /etc/samba/smb.conf

In the file, find # Authentification # and add the following line:

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security = user

An at the end of the file tell where you want your access to point at login. I've seleted the upper one level of home for "of" user.

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[Joggler]
    path = /home/of
    writeable = yes
;    browseable = yes
    valid users = of

Then reboot
You should now be able to access the joggler through your windows explorer by adding a network access pointing on the joggler IP with the credential you've selected.
Copy the pictures you want the screen saver use then configure the screen saver itself by launching the configuration menu (still through ssh):

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xscreensaver-demo

You should see the xscreensaver menu on the joggler screen.
You then have to setup the screen Standby/Suspend/Off duration in the "Advanced tab" and selecte the directory for screensaver images as well.
Go back to the Display Modes tab and select either Only One screen saver or random (select and configure the ones that please you).
Be sure to let the lock screen unticked becauce onboard keyboard doesn't work ;o)

Close the xscreensaver menu and that's it. It should work ;o)
On some menu you may miss some button at the end of the window, to access it, I need to reduce the font used in the desktop thanks to lxappearance package.

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sudo apt install lxappearance -y

Then launch it through SSH

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lxappearance

Now, on the joggler screen, you should see the lxappearance menu.
In the default tab "widget", select font 6 (8 may be ok as well).

Hope I do not miss any step because I try many different package for the keyboard and the screensaver, so do not hesitate if something do not behave as expected.

If you or any other reader find out a way to activate an onscreen keyboard when you point to an editing area and when browser is in fullscreen I'll take it !

Enjoy HA.
urbatecte

[AndyC]

I've managed to get LXDE, Xubuntu and Mate running by installing using tasksel. After doing

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of-expand

and rebooting, enter these commands:

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sudo of-install xserver

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sudo apt install tasksel

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sudo tasksel install lubuntu-core

Or:

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sudo tasksel install xubuntu-core

Or:

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sudo tasksel install ubuntu-mate-core

Both Xubuntu and Mate required editing /boot/grub.cfg and changing

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ro

to

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rw

.
Hope that helps someone.

[nytram]

Hi

Sorry, I never got notified to say you replied. I parked this project for a while but I have started again and forgot some stuff.

Which OS did you use and are you still using ?

Does it work in Home Assistant and do you use a screensaver that sees the weather and time ?

Thanks

Martyn

[Daedaluu5]

How stable did you find Ubuntu 18 on joggler?? I had 12.02 LTS version from Jwills running a BTRFS version on my USB stick, since that borked i pulled the 14.04 both BTRFS and EXT4 versions. Ive since found wifi fails on 14.04. How are you building the Ubuntu 18. version as i cant seem to find btrfs images to pull. Can someone kindly link the newest confirmed working iso/img for the joggler as i would love to run the newer versions.