Hi,

I hope this is the right subforum


I'm building a MFD-style device - basically a (non-touch) monitor with buttons around the edges, like airplanes or ATM machines (Random reference image: https://www.astronautics.com/wp-cont...ct_map_630.jpg )

I'll do the hardware myself, but I'm wondering if there's a desktop-environment/etc that's especially conducive to this kind of application?

I do (for work) a lot of back-end software, but normally for servers that don't have displays, so I'm not familiar with the display parts of linux. I'm probably using the wrong terms, which is why I couldn't find anything on google.

Requirements:

- Ability to place labels (text/icon) on-screen in absolute locations, covering other windows
- Easily allow to send simulated inputs (generated keyboard/mouse) to arbitrary window (e.g, my software will be able to send key-presses to the browser window that will hold the main display (Or to any arbitrary application software).
- Ability to raise a specific window to the top by software
- Doesn't actually need to support "windows" - having a single application (+ the labels) visible at a time is probably better anyway. Need to support a modern browser though.
- Run on a Raspberry Pi 3 device, even if slowly.

Any suggestions?

The search term you want is "kiosk" for a secured system running a single application.

Your Window manager should allow you to create a single, full-screen window with no decoration. That's what a desktop is, after all. You could configure it to start X on your display and treat the buttons as a weird keyboard (or maybe a 20-button mouse). Have a look at DWM, which is tiny.

2 members found this post helpful.

I've seen OSes which are kiosk-focused, but haven't used any to be able to recommend for/against them, (or know if they deliberately use specific frontends).

Raspberry Pi is ARM-based, but there are several ARM variants, so you need one which supports the appropriate architecture. Debian will, and DistroWatch Search can provide other options.


To identify what the buttons/keys are interpreted as, see xev.

To send simulated inputs to specific windows, consider xdotool.

1 members found this post helpful.

I've seen OSes which are kiosk-focused, but haven't used any to be able to recommend for/against them, (or know if they deliberately use specific frontends).

Raspberry Pi is ARM-based, but there are several ARM variants, so you need one which supports the appropriate architecture. Debian will, and DistroWatch Search can provide other options.


To identify what the buttons/keys are interpreted as, see xev.

To send simulated inputs to specific windows, consider xdotool.

1 members found this post helpful.