[TAG] Dedicated Linux application

[Thomas Adam]

 --- Jon Aldrich <jonald at ionet.net> wrote: 

> I am in the process of developing a linux app (for gaming).  I want the
> final product to reside on a linux box that, after booting,
> automatically
> runs the application.  What is the preferred method for doing this?

You don't even say whether it is a graphical or console (text) based game.

 
> 1)  An 'auto login' for a special user on one of the system consoles,
> who's
> user profile starts the application.

You could add something like this to the user's ~/.bashrc

```
[ $(tail -n2 ~/.xsession) = "the_name_of_my_game" ] && {
   startx &
}
'''

which says that if the penultimate line starts with your game program name
then launch X, otherwise don't bother. Why the penultimate line? Because
the last line in ~/.xsession is ALWAYS an "exec call" to your window
manager.



> 2)  Start the app with an inittab entry.

No. Doing this is deprecated and will cause all kinds of weird errors.
What happens say, if X crashes? Each time X tries to start (based on the
run-level X starts in) the game will also try to load, and so you get a
feedback loop. In the case od Debian, X is started throughout runlevels
2-5. 

> 3)  Something else?

I would just have it launched from within the user's ~/.xsession file (see
above).

> The app will produce graphics output and get user input, so it can't run
> as
> just a backgroud type daemon. It will run on a secure, dedicated network

The user will have to launch it though.

> Is there an info source or HOWTO for this sort of "bringing  to market,
> implementation" kind of topic?

Not that I know of.

> One other small question.  Is it possible to display a flash screen of
> some
> sort during the boot sequence and pipe the boot data to the bit bucket?
> Sort of a  "boot -quiet" option.

You as a programmer ought to know that one! Again, unless we know what
language you have implemented it in, how can we help you?

-- Thomas Adam

=====
"The Linux Weekend Mechanic" -- http://linuxgazette.net
"TAG Editor"                 -- http://linuxgazette.net

"<shrug> We'll just save up your sins, Thomas, and punish 
you for all of them at once when you get better. The 
experience will probably kill you. :)"

 -- Benjamin A. Okopnik (Linux Gazette Technical Editor)


	
	
		
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