choosing and setting up carputer software

Stoffi · 2010-08-05 22:18:42

Hi.
I have buildt a carputer, which I plan to use for music, navigation,
and wardriving/osm-mapping.

since I am having this computer in my car, I want a point-and-click
user interface, and I don't want too much configuring, so I was thinking
about using a Desktop enviroment, instead of openbox. (and nothing)

the carputer is weak, and uses an intel atom cpu,
and the monitor has a resolution of 800x480,
so I probably need something light on the computing resources

I was thinking about lxde or fxce, as potential Desktop enviroments,
but I don't know much about any of them,
So I am wondering which is most fitting for my needs (as expressed above)?

I need the computer to shut down when the power button is pressed, so that it
works with the car-psu I am using.
(Is this easier to set up with a DE than without?)

I have also made a drawing of how I want the UI to be.
Do you have any tips of how I can accomplish this?

I was thinking about having all the applications running, with
the "menu-bar" on the right bringing the selected application to
the foreground, in a fixed spot and size. But I am not quite sure about
how I should accomplish this.
Does anyone know how I can do this?

I have tried matchbox-panel, as I saw somebody using it in another carputer,
but I am having trouble making it work correctly, so maybe there is other
similar panels I could use for this purpose?

nTia89 · 2010-08-07 09:57:37

LXDE is the lightest DE, i propose it for your carpc

Stoffi · 2010-08-08 22:14:06

Thanks!
LXDE + tint2 is exactly what I want.

I am testing the UI setup on my laptop while I am waiting for kernel 2.6.35.
(I need kernel 2.6.35 before I install archlinux on the carputer because of a driver)

With tint2, I can just click the clock to open a virtual keyboard, instead of having a
dedicated button for it

So far, the applications I have definitivly decided to use, is LXDE, tint2, and florence (virtual keyboard)

I haven't figured out quite yet how to make the computer turn of with a press on the power button,
that'll be a task for tomorrow, as I want a KISS solution for it.

lagagnon · 2010-08-09 00:01:13

Stoffi wrote:

I haven't figured out quite yet how to make the computer turn of with a press on the power button,
that'll be a task for tomorrow, as I want a KISS solution for it.

You need to create an ACPI event.
E.G create the file 'powerbtn' in /etc/acpi/events/
The contents of the file:

event=button[ /]power
action=sudo /sbin/poweroff

You can replace the action with any command you like (poweroff, halt, or
change runlevels, etc) but you need to ensure you are sudo capable of running that command without a password. Read the "sudo" wiki...

Stoffi · 2010-08-25 21:40:06

Status Update:
(and a cry for help)

Now, I have most things set up as it should be, except for
som problems mentioned below.

I'm automatically logged in to tty1 using the mingetty method [1],
and Xorg is then automatically started using .bash_profile [2],
if the displaylink device is /dev/fb1.

sometimes the displaylink device is /dev/fb0,
and the virtual terminal runs on it (this is what I want to happen allways).
If the displaylink device is /dev/fb0, Xorg will fail to start,
due to the configuration then being wrong.

How can I make the displaylink device persistently become fb0?

If I kill X, I get logged out, and in again automatically,
this is not what I want, I want to be left in tty1 if X crashes or something.
How can I make this work?
I removed the logout line from the .bash_profile example provided
by the wiki, expecting it to solve this problem, but it didn't

Sometimes, gpsd is not started properly, A reboot might fix that, or a manual
#gpsd /dev/gps0 will fix it. I suspect gpsd looks for the gps before it is detected
and then quits, or something like that.
Should I try to just add gpsd /dev/gps0 in the LXDE startup file,
or is it a better way to fix this?

I am having a small problem with Navit, as it will only start in windowed mode
with decorations, even though I have set it in openbox's rc.xml to start
maximized and without window decorations.
Is it possible to force Navit to start maximized and without window borders?

I am also having a problem which I think I can live with, and I'm not sure
there is a way to solve it yet either.

"Right-click menus" gets drawn outside of the viewable area (top left corner)
so I cannot use them. also, the menus coming from clicking File, edit, view etc.
in i.e. firefox is treated the same way.

I think this is a problem with the driver (xf86-video-displaylink(?)) or udlfb
because if I start X on a regular monitor, all the menus work.

[1]Automatic_login_to_virtual_console
[2]Start_X_at_Boot
(I use the .startx file, and I have removed the logout line.)

On the hardware side;
the 5Meter usb cable I bougt to connect the monitor with
the computer isn't good enough, so I am trying to make my
own usb cable from a network cable.
I'm not quite finished yet, but hopefully the homemade cable
will be good enogh.

I have also upgraded the monitor to an 8" touchscreen,
which should be much better to interact with.

Arch Linux

#1 2010-08-05 22:18:42

choosing and setting up carputer software

#2 2010-08-07 09:57:37

Re: choosing and setting up carputer software

#3 2010-08-08 22:14:06

Re: choosing and setting up carputer software

#4 2010-08-09 00:01:13

Re: choosing and setting up carputer software

#5 2010-08-25 21:40:06

Re: choosing and setting up carputer software

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