--lxde not Working with Raspi 4 in autostart session mode

[hriekehof]

Hi,

the tool works really great 👍 However, i currently have a small problem with a Rapsi 4. When i run this command from the command line in the Raspi Desktop /usr/bin/grafana-kiosk --URL ${dashboard} --login-method local --username xxx --password xxx --kiosk-mode full --lxde
The Kiosk starts fine without any problems. The command line output looks like this:

2020/03/26 14:19:30 path: /home/pi
2020/03/26 14:19:30 command: /usr/bin/lxpanel
2020/03/26 14:19:30 arg0: --profile
2020/03/26 14:19:30 Waiting for command to finish...
2020/03/26 14:19:30 Command finished with error: exit status 1
2020/03/26 14:19:30 path: /home/pi
2020/03/26 14:19:30 command: /usr/bin/pcmanfm
2020/03/26 14:19:30 arg0: --desktop
2020/03/26 14:19:30 Waiting for command to finish...
2020/03/26 14:19:30 path: /home/pi
2020/03/26 14:19:30 command: /usr/bin/xset
2020/03/26 14:19:30 arg0: --desktop
2020/03/26 14:19:30 Waiting for command to finish...
2020/03/26 14:19:30 path: /home/pi
2020/03/26 14:19:30 command: /usr/bin/xset
2020/03/26 14:19:30 arg0: s
2020/03/26 14:19:30 Waiting for command to finish...
2020/03/26 14:19:30 path: /home/pi
2020/03/26 14:19:30 command: /usr/bin/xset
2020/03/26 14:19:30 arg0: -dpms
2020/03/26 14:19:30 Waiting for command to finish...
2020/03/26 14:19:30 path: /home/pi
2020/03/26 14:19:30 command: /usr/bin/xset
2020/03/26 14:19:30 arg0: s
2020/03/26 14:19:30 Waiting for command to finish...
2020/03/26 14:19:30 DISPLAY not set, autosetting to :0.0
2020/03/26 14:19:30 DISPLAY= :0.0
2020/03/26 14:19:30 XAUTHORITY not set, autosetting
2020/03/26 14:19:30 XAUTHORITY= /home/pi/.Xauthority
2020/03/26 14:19:30 Launching local login kiosk
2020/03/26 14:19:30 path: /home/pi
2020/03/26 14:19:30 command: /usr/bin/unclutter
2020/03/26 14:19:30 arg0: -display
2020/03/26 14:19:30 Waiting for command to finish...
2020/03/26 14:19:35 Command finished with error: exit status 1
2020/03/26 14:19:35 KioskMode: Fullscreen
2020/03/26 14:19:35 Navigating to  http://grafana.docker.schoeps.local/d/DGlkbBXWz/fertigung-kapsel?kiosk=1&autofitpanels

When i use the same command in the autostart file in the .config/lxsession/LXDE-pi/autostart and reboot. The Dashboard does not startup. I just see a very small black desktop.
Without the --lxde option everything works fine but than the screensaver turns on at a certain point.
When i'm than running the same command in the lxde desktop the command line output looks like this.

2020/03/26 14:04:42 path: /home/pi
2020/03/26 14:04:42 command: /usr/bin/lxpanel
2020/03/26 14:04:42 arg0: --profile
2020/03/26 14:04:42 Waiting for command to finish...
2020/03/26 14:04:42 Command finished with error: exit status 1
2020/03/26 14:04:42 path: /home/pi
2020/03/26 14:04:42 command: /usr/bin/pcmanfm
2020/03/26 14:04:42 arg0: --desktop
2020/03/26 14:04:42 Waiting for command to finish...

I use the grafana-kiosk.linux.armv7 binary on a raspi 4. Maybe this helps.

[thirdgen88]

Also, great job on the tool.. Similar experience as above, but on latest Raspbian on a Rasp Pi 2 Model B.. Using it with the 7" Touchscreen display.

I'm wondering if this has something to do with the unclutter command not exiting? It does not start as a bg process on its own.

[thirdgen88]

I've gotten around this issue for myself by putting the following contents in the ~/.config/lxsession/LXDE-pi/autostart file (note that my URL is to a playlist, thus the -playlist flag as well):

@xset s off
@xset -dpms
@xset s noblank
@/usr/local/bin/grafana-kiosk.linux.armv7 -URL <grafana url> -login-method local -username <username> -password <password> -kiosk-mode full -playlist

I was able to verify the screensaver / power saving settings via an ssh session by running:

xset -display 0:0 q

... and taking a look at the Screen Saver and DPMS (Energy Star) sections.

One interesting note is that I originally had a call to unclutter in the autostart file, but noticed a zombie unclutter process alongside the regular one with this output in the ~/.xsession-errors:

...
/usr/bin/unclutter: someone created a sub-window to my sub-window! giving up

It appears that something is already launching unclutter without the extra specification in the autostart (and without the -lxde flag) so I omitted that and all is working as intended. Hope this helps!

[hriekehof]

@thirdgen88 thanks so much. The different autostart does the trick for me.

[briangann]

i'll have to get a raspberry 4, seems like there's multiple issues (might be 64-bit related)

[briangann]

just checking - are you running 32bit or 64bit on your pi4?

[SoMuchForSubtlety]

Same issue on a pi 3B running 32 bit raspbain. If lxde is enabled the browser window never starts.

[briangann]

my pi3 isn't doing this:

pi@pi-kiosk-1:~/kiosk $ uname -a
Linux pi-kiosk-1 5.10.60-v7+ #1449 SMP Wed Aug 25 15:00:01 BST 2021 armv7l GNU/Linux
pi@pi-kiosk-1:~/kiosk $ cat /etc/os-release
PRETTY_NAME="Raspbian GNU/Linux 10 (buster)"
NAME="Raspbian GNU/Linux"
VERSION_ID="10"
VERSION="10 (buster)"
VERSION_CODENAME=buster
ID=raspbian
ID_LIKE=debian
HOME_URL="http://www.raspbian.org/"
SUPPORT_URL="http://www.raspbian.org/RaspbianForums"
BUG_REPORT_URL="http://www.raspbian.org/RaspbianBugs"

do you have an example startup command? i'm using the config/yaml option.

my new pi4 was hit by a power surge/lightning, will have to get a new one.

[SoMuchForSubtlety]

pi@pi-kiosk:~ $ uname -a
Linux pi-kiosk 5.10.60-v7+ #1449 SMP Wed Aug 25 15:00:01 BST 2021 armv7l GNU/Linux
pi@pi-kiosk:~ $ cat /etc/os-release
PRETTY_NAME="Raspbian GNU/Linux 10 (buster)"
NAME="Raspbian GNU/Linux"
VERSION_ID="10"
VERSION="10 (buster)"
VERSION_CODENAME=buster
ID=raspbian
ID_LIKE=debian
HOME_URL="http://www.raspbian.org/"
SUPPORT_URL="http://www.raspbian.org/RaspbianForums"
BUG_REPORT_URL="http://www.raspbian.org/RaspbianBugs"
pi@pi-kiosk:~ $ cat /home/pi/.config/lxsession/LXDE-pi/autostart
@xset s off
@xset -dpms
@xset s noblank
@/usr/bin/grafana-kiosk -c=/home/pi/config.yaml
pi@pi-kiosk:~ $ cat /home/pi/config.yaml 
general:
  kiosk-mode: full
  autofit: false
# lxde: true
# lxde-home: /home/pi

target:
  login-method: local
  username: administrator
  password: hunter2
  playlists: true
  URL: https://foobar.com/playlists/play/1
  ignore-certificate-errors: false

If I uncomment the lxde settings in the config, it will no longer work.

[penguineer]

I've had the same issue with a Raspberry Pi 2 and ended up fixing it with the changes in #91, tho I guess that the panels are initiated by the lxde autostart.

Earlier tests also hinted that JWM might be a better choice for a window manager that is basically not used.