linux embedded application

jfsebastian · 10-16-2006, 11:35 AM

Hi all,

I need to set up a linux embedded environment witch should run a specific graphical application and nothing else. I decided to adopt Gentoo for that purpose and now I'm facing with the following problem.

I need to start the system the faster as possible, without any log-in screen and immediatly presenting to the user the graphical application of my interest.

I hope the problem is clear. I CAN'T start X and then Gnome and then tell Gnome to skip the log-in and then tell Gnome to automatically start my application!!! Telling the truth I can't install Gnome at all and I need some "light" solution to the problem ... the lightest.

And now a specific question: is it necessary to start a window manager or I can (in some way) start X and then my application?

Thanks everybody

JF

kevkim55 · 10-16-2006, 01:03 PM

If all that you want is launch a specific application, you can use the command xinit. You probably can inculde this command in a start up script.

Here're snippets from man xinit:

Quote:

xinit [ [ client ] options ] [ -- [ server ] [ display ] options ]

Below are several examples of how command line arguments in xinit are used.

xinit
This will start up a server named X and run the user's .xinitrc, if it exists, or else start an xterm.
xinit -- /usr/X11R6/bin/Xqdss :1
This is how one could start a specific type of server on an alternate display.
xinit -geometry =80x65+10+10 -fn 8x13 -j -fg white -bg navy
This will start up a server named X, and will append the given arguments to the default xterm command. It will ignore .xinitrc.
xinit -e widgets -- ./Xsun -l -c
This will use the command ./Xsun -l -c to start the server and will append the arguments -e widgets to the default xterm command.
xinit /usr/ucb/rsh fasthost cpupig -display ws:1 -- :1 -a 2 -t 5
This will start a server named X on display 1 with the arguments -a 2 -t 5. It will then start a remote shell on the machine fasthost in which it will run the command cpupig, telling it to display back on the local workstation.

jfsebastian · 10-17-2006, 12:51 AM

Thanks ... I'll try!

JF

jfsebastian · 10-24-2006, 03:38 AM

OK I've tried xinit but I can only load xterm because when I launch another application the X server terminate. An example:

#xinit /usr/bin/firefox

I imagine it's a bit more complicated starting firefox without running a window manager ... can someone suggest me the way to proceed?

Thanks

JF

kevkim55 · 10-24-2006, 12:21 PM

I don't understand ! You want to run a specific application and nothing else, as you said in your first post. If that is what you want, the before mentioned command can get it running. Why do you need window manager ?

I just tried this myself and firefox launches but, without any borders and title bar etc as the WM is not running. But, if all I wanted was just the firefox running, I wouldn't need a border, status bar...... !

If the only program you can launch is xterm and starting any other program fails, then, you should come back and describe what exactly was the error message. Probably, the error has to do with you configuration. Post the error message here, if you really want to make it work.