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I'm working on an embedded computer, which will have no keyboard / no mouse, but only a touchscreen (a kiosk).

I would like to start, as soon as possible on boot, without any message / splash logo, and without a login prompt, the Python script with its GUI in fullscreen. (My Python script uses wxPython for GUI).

How should I configure my Debian 8 or Ubuntu server for this?

Should I use remove the existing desktop manager (probably Unity for Ubuntu?) Should I then install nodm, lightdm or something else?

Then I thought about creating a systemd service that would start my python myscript.py. Is that the correct way to go?

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There are several ways to do it. The simplest is to configure auto-login for your DE, and start your python script via .xinitrc or similar.

You should also be able to disable the DE and just put in /etc/rc.local some commands that start X and launch your python script.

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  • Thanks. If I do it within a DE, there will probably be a flicker like DE desktop image, loading time, then after 500ms my software will show, don't you think so? With your solution #2, how to start X and launch Python script (the latter can be done with python myscript.py)? Can I start X without any DE? Note: I'm using systemd and not init. Commented Dec 9, 2016 at 22:16
  • @Basj Ubuntu systemd has compatibility with /etc/rc.local so you don't need to fool around trying to add tasks to systemd. Of course there will be load time delays. You can at least make the screen back with xsetroot while the app loads. Commented Dec 9, 2016 at 22:37
  • Do you mean make the screen black? Do you think you can add some code in your answer for future reference, i.e. how to start X and launch Python? Commented Dec 9, 2016 at 23:16
  • @Basj Yeah, I know, everyone wants code, code, code. I could come up with a v0.1, but someone would come along and say "I tried that and it didn't work, you're wrong", downvotes etc. So I won't post code without proper testing, and this is the kind of thing that is very tedious to test properly. Commented Dec 10, 2016 at 0:53

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