Re: Automating Customization of a Gnome desktop

[Jacob Berkman <jacob helixcode com>]

"Carroll, Barry G" <barry.g.carroll@intel.com> writes:

> Paul:
> 
> Thanks for your reply. I'll be happy to add my bit to the Admin guide, when
> I have something to add. 
> 
> The user account I need is to be used by test operators. It is supposed to
> start automatically, run a series of tests, ask the user for confirmation,
> then shut down automatically. The central test is to run a .avi file using
> xanim. Here are the main problems I am having:
> 
> 1. I want the xanim window to be the only window open on the desktop, but I
> can't get rid of the Gnome Help Browser and the file manager windows. How
> can I prevent them from opening automatically?

Either edit the global default.session file or the users' one.  You could
start gmc with the --nowindows flag, also.
 
> 2. I want xanim to be the last thing to start. All the other bits and pieces
> (Enlightenment load meter, Gnome Logo, desktop icons and panel) should all
> do their thing and be finished before the .avi file is played. I've tried
> setting the priority in Startup Programs to 200, but that doesn't help. What
> am I missing?

I do not believe there is a way to do this.  We ran into the same problem
with the hints program and the splash screen (the hints should display
after the splash goes away).  What I did was have the splash screen start
gnome-hint after it closes (if the hints are enabled) instead of starting
gnome-hint with the session manager.

There is no mechanism for the panel and other things to say "ok i am done
loading".  You could write a small applet which would run xanim... this
way it is loaded after the panel has at least gotten to that state.

If I think of anything better here I'll let you know.

Jacob
-- 
"I say, get it while you can." -- Janis Joplin