Charmed Quark Systems, Ltd. - Support Forums and Community

Guys,

I need some help. I am trying to configure my touchcomputers to automatically start from a power loss to fully operational, i.e., with the CQC IV in fullscreen and kiosk mode, without user intervention.

So far, the touchcomputers will boot up, bypass the user log on, and launch the CQC IV in fullscreen and kiosk mode. However, I am running the VLC Media Player as a critical app that must always be started and running for a streaming audio application. I need that application to start and be minimized on the task bar BEFORE the CQC IV starts.

The problem is that, by placing the command lines for the CQC IV and VLC in the start-up folder, both will start but the CQC IV will not start in fullscreen and kiosk mode. This is because VLC is still opening and starting and, as a result, the CQC IV starts with the windows task bar showing. I need VLC to start, and then the computer to "wait" for about 20 seconds, and then start the CQC IV in fullscreen and kiosk mode. This assures the CQC IV is really fullscreen and kiosk.

So I am trying to create a batch file and place the batch file in the start-up folder. This is what I have so far:

----
START /MIN C:\Program Files\VideoLAN\VLC\vlc.exe udp//239.255.1.1
PING -n 20 127.0.0.1
START [insert CQC IV command line from shortcut on desktop]
----

note 1: the ping command is used for the delay. I read that on the net and it works - for the delay part. The number 20 means it will ping 20 times, i.e., a 20 second delay.

note 2: I am not at home, so I forget the command line for the CQC IV. But what I did was to copy the desktop shortcut command line with the parameters that follow on that line, and also add the /fullscreen and/kiosk parameters at the end.


I save that as a batch file. When I run this, it does not work. I think it has to do with the subsequent parameters not being passed to the programs, and/or using improper quote marks, and/or not using quote marks, etc.

Can anyone help or suggest another method to start up my touchcomputers unattended?

Adam

I am going to try some free third party startup applications I found on the net. I will post results for future reference.

Adam,

I'm quite sure of the bottom-line question you have. Did you want CQC to start as a kiosk?

http://www.charmedquark.com/Web/Learn/FA...skMode.htm

One other thing to consider is using the App Control driver and a macro to make sure your programs are started, instead of the batch file.

1080iAddict Wrote:Guys,

I need some help. I am trying to configure my touchcomputers to automatically start from a power loss to fully operational, i.e., with the CQC IV in fullscreen and kiosk mode, without user intervention.

So far, the touchcomputers will boot up, bypass the user log on, and launch the CQC IV in fullscreen and kiosk mode. However, I am running the VLC Media Player as a critical app that must always be started and running for a streaming audio application. I need that application to start and be minimized on the task bar BEFORE the CQC IV starts.

The problem is that, by placing the command lines for the CQC IV and VLC in the start-up folder, both will start but the CQC IV will not start in fullscreen and kiosk mode. This is because VLC is still opening and starting and, as a result, the CQC IV starts with the windows task bar showing. I need VLC to start, and then the computer to "wait" for about 20 seconds, and then start the CQC IV in fullscreen and kiosk mode. This assures the CQC IV is really fullscreen and kiosk.

So I am trying to create a batch file and place the batch file in the start-up folder. This is what I have so far:

----
START /MIN C:\Program Files\VideoLAN\VLC\vlc.exe udp//239.255.1.1
PING -n 20 127.0.0.1
START [insert CQC IV command line from shortcut on desktop]
----

note 1: the ping command is used for the delay. I read that on the net and it works - for the delay part. The number 20 means it will ping 20 times, i.e., a 20 second delay.

note 2: I am not at home, so I forget the command line for the CQC IV. But what I did was to copy the desktop shortcut command line with the parameters that follow on that line, and also add the /fullscreen and/kiosk parameters at the end.


I save that as a batch file. When I run this, it does not work. I think it has to do with the subsequent parameters not being passed to the programs, and/or using improper quote marks, and/or not using quote marks, etc.

Can anyone help or suggest another method to start up my touchcomputers unattended?

Adam

1080iAddict Wrote:I save that as a batch file. When I run this, it does not work. I think it has to do with the subsequent parameters not being passed to the programs, and/or using improper quote marks, and/or not using quote marks, etc.

"It does not work" is rather vague. Post your exact commands and the exaxt results/error messages. But, yes, it probably has to do with quoting.

Thanks bph. I'll need to re-post this when I get home. I should have posted a better post when I started but I am at work.

if you get it working, can you post the resulting script? I currently have an issue where CQC loads too fast on one of my client PCs, and the network hasn't fully established a connection yet. I need to turn on PC, then start CQC once the network is connected.

IVB Wrote:if you get it working, can you post the resulting script? I currently have an issue where CQC loads too fast on one of my client PCs, and the network hasn't fully established a connection yet. I need to turn on PC, then start CQC once the network is connected.

The Ping trick or CHOICE with a delay should fix that.

If this is something that's required, I could add a /Delay= parameter to the IV to have it pause for a number of seconds before starting.

Dean Roddey Wrote:If this is something that's required, I could add a /Delay= parameter to the IV to have it pause for a number of seconds before starting.

That would be the ultimate solution.

as long as you don't have an issue with greed, i'd love that on the app control server too. I have that issue on my HTPC client, which is both an app control server and an IV client.