Bootable Qt-Linux Application

Question

How to boot a linux kernel + dependencies and auto run a Qt application so the linux environment doesn't show up (only the Qt GUI is visible)?

on x86 PCs

should be able to run from RAM (of course)

Starting an application when the OS boots is a user-level question, not a programming one. This would be better suited on Super User. — Cody Gray - on strike, Mar 19 '11 at 10:28
Do you mean autologin after boot, starting X, then the fullscreen application? What distribution? — Adam Trhon, Mar 19 '11 at 11:48
It looks like you want to build a linux kiosk appliance. Google for 'linux kiosk' or ask the question on SuperUser. — Andrei Sosnin, Mar 27 '11 at 15:08

score 3 · Answer 1 · answered Mar 19 '11 at 11:10

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Perhaps you could look at how this guy did it:

http://www.embedded-bits.co.uk/2011/1-second-linux-boot-to-qt/

answered Mar 19 '11 at 11:10

Venemo

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but that is for embedded - with no source – yolo Mar 21 '11 at 10:30
@umar, see the link again. I'll quote: "If you're interested in exactly what modification I made and a little more about the approach taken - you may be interested in these slides" – Venemo Mar 24 '11 at 12:00
ok, some guidance - the system used is linux kernel 2.6, u-boot(loader) & buildroot. I think `buildroot` is the solution, as on its site: " using various CPU architectures (x86, ARM, MIPS, PowerPC, etc.)" and "Supports several hundreds of packages for userspace applications and libraries: ... Qt" – yolo Mar 24 '11 at 13:06

score 3 · Answer 2 · answered Mar 24 '11 at 18:20

You could start with a minimal linux distribution such as Ubuntu Server and install only X-Windows (without any Window Manager) on top of it: https://help.ubuntu.com/community/ServerGUI

Then, start your Qt application by adding a call to it in the .xinitrc initialization script.

score 1 · Answer 3 · answered Mar 24 '11 at 18:46

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Might be helpfull Linux Journal KDE Kiosk Mode

answered Mar 24 '11 at 18:46

Martin Beckett

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I am considering the size increase caused by KDE – yolo Mar 26 '11 at 15:34
Doens't KDE use Qt? So you will need the same libs – Martin Beckett Mar 26 '11 at 15:42
well maybe excluding plasma desktop and other things will reduce the size. But I am considering `buildroot` which allows for additional LIBS – yolo Mar 26 '11 at 15:49

score 1 · Answer 4 · answered Mar 28 '11 at 08:35

Why not run x server without window manager and the running the application in full screen mode on that x server.

to start x server type startx and then you must run your application in fullscreen mode (your app must support this mode by argument switch like this)

./myapp --fullscreen

score 0 · Answer 5 · answered Mar 19 '11 at 10:37

0

I have never tried this, but try google for 'framebuffer'. It should allow you to run a single application with no need for X server.

answered Mar 19 '11 at 10:37

Adam Trhon

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Qt builds its GUI on top of X. Unless the OP is talking about a daemon of sorts written in Qt, I don't think a framebuffer will help. – rubenvb Mar 19 '11 at 11:17
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Qt/Embedded actually uses the framebuffer instead of X: http://developer.qt.nokia.com/wiki/Support_for_Embedded_Linux – Ton van den Heuvel Mar 27 '11 at 20:16
I wanted to propose this as well, but couldn't find the licence – Adam Trhon Mar 27 '11 at 22:29

Bootable Qt-Linux Application

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