Extend the overlay feature to other sysmodules

[TristanIsrael]

@ppkantorski
Hello,

I am the author of https://github.com/TristanIsrael/NsParentalControl and I am stucked with a graphical issue:

• my sysmodule monitors the games and offers a parental control, I am trying to extend the features with a access control to avoid my grand son to use the time of his brother (for example...), and other features that require to show overlays.
• currently I can only show those overlays when Tesla menu is not installed
• but I am also using (like many others) this great tool to manage the parameters of the application and to provide information to the user

So I am stucked because we cannot both create overlays.

Here is my suggestion: Tesla (nx-ovlloader) should handle all the overlays for him and the others and should provide an API (probably via IPC) to show other sysmodules overlays.

A typical activity would be:

• The user starts a game
• NSParentalControl detects the game and identifies the user
• NSParentalControl needs to show an overlay to get the user's PIN
• It sends a request with a pre-rendered image buffer to nx-ovlloader/Tesla and a callback
• The user interacts with the overlay
  • When he presses a button the information is sent to NSParentalControl on a callback
  • NSParentalControl send an new pre-rendered image buffer
  • and so on
  • (or NSParentalControl could keep the input focus so Tesla does not need to send the inputs to NSParentalControl)
• The result is sent back to NSParentalControl on the callback provided
• In the meantime no other overlay can be shown by the user (including Tesla's)

Another use case I have developed (but I'm stucked with the graphics):

• The user starts a game
• NSParentalControl verifies that the game is not in the user's blacklist (some game are too hard for my young son)
• NSParentalControl needs to show an overlay to inform the user he cannot use this game
• etc...

The interface could be:

• IPC endpoint showOverlay with the following parameters:
  • u8[] - a prerendered image buffer for the overlay background
  • const char* - the name of the IPC service callback
• The callback signature would be:
  • u8 - the ID of the function (constant value)
  • u64 - the keys pressed by the user

This is a draft...

If you agree on principle of handling overlays for other sysmodules I can push a merge request in the future with a proposal.

What do you think about it?

Regards.
Tristan

[TristanIsrael]

Hello @ppkantorski did you have a look at my suggestion above? Regards