Get node red running before chrome on pi

General
1

Hi all,
im trying to make a control unit for interfacing devices.
When i try to set up the pi to run as a Kiosk device, i get the desktop appear , then chrome ,then node red service runs.
So the UI page opens but the node red UI isn't there till after a second or two.
I would like to know how i can change the node red service to operate before the chrome screen.
What im after is;
Boot up with Splash Screen ( this is done but not as good as id like )
then UI interface appears.
for now if i can get node red to run before chrome this will help, i can search for the other stuff out side this.

2

How are you starting node red and how are you starting Chrome?

3

Node red im using the
sudo systemctl enable nodered.service
for chrome im using /etc/xdg/lxsession/LXDE-pi/autostart

@lxpanel --profile LXDE-pi
@pcmanfm --desktop --profile LXDE-pi
@xscreensaver -no-splash
@xset s off
@xset -dpms
@xset s no blank
@chromium-browser --kiosk --noerrdialogs --disable-infobars http://127.0.0.1:1880/ui/
4

You can't make node-red startup any quicker, so you will have to work out how to delay the chrome startup. That isn't a node-red issue. Googling suggests that the best route may be to create a shell script that starts chrome after a delay, and run that via autostart.

5

@Colin
ok thanks for that. ill look into it a bit more then.

6

Having said that then there could be a problem with yours which slows down the startup. How long does it take node-red to startup and what hardware are you running on?

7

just removed it all, ill set it back up and have a time. Its not slow by any means but ill check.

8

Couldn't you point the @chromium-browser entry to a URL that is essentially a "splash page" that (in its scripts) checks the availability of http://127.0.0.1:1880/ui/ (using fetch) then redirects once http://127.0.0.1:1880/ui/ is responding?

9

@Steve-Mcl ideally yes but, i have no idea how to do that at present. :grin:
currently trying different kiosk options for the pi, once i have found best solution i will try that

10

Its very simple TBH.

  • Create a new file called splash.html somewhere useful/accessible
  • Enter the below code...
<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
<head>
    <meta charset='utf-8'>
    <meta http-equiv='X-UA-Compatible' content='IE=edge'>
    <title>Splash Screen</title>
    <meta name='viewport' content='width=device-width, initial-scale=1'>
</head>
<body>
    <h1>Loading Dashboard...</h1>
    <script>
        setInterval(e => {
            fetch('http://localhost:1880/ui')
            .then(function(response) {
                window.location = 'http://localhost:1880/ui';
            })
            .catch(e => {});
        }, 2000)
    </script>
</body>
</html>
  • Test it
  • Make it prettier :slight_smile:
  • Set the @chromium-browser entry to load the splash.html (enter the full path)
  • Reboot

Works on windows box in chrome.

1 Like
11

@Steve-Mcl

probably is if you get html :), thanks ill read and digest then try!

12

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