Monitoring Dashboard with Ubuntu 26.04

script/monitor/DASHBOARD_with_Ubuntu_24.04.md

@@ -0,0 +1,151 @@
+
+How to setup a monitoring dashboard
+===================================
+
+Inspired by: https://pimylifeup.com/ubuntu-chromium-kiosk/
+
+Steps
+-----
+
+
+
+### 1.) Install Ubuntu Server (no desktop) on your computer than set hostname and timezone.
+
+```sh
+hostnamectl set-hostname check.local
+timedatectl set-timezone Europe/Berlin
+```
+
+
+
+### 2.) Install minimal GUI and Tools.
+
+```sh
+apt install ubuntu-desktop-minimal
+apt install language-pack-gnome-de
+apt install dbus-x11
+apt install xdotool
+```
+
+
+
+### 3.) Create a kiosk user with home-directory.
+
+```sh
+useradd -m kiosk
+```
+
+and disable Welocme-Screen
+```sh
+echo "yes" > /home/kiosk/.config/gnome-initial-setup-done
+```
+
+
+
+### 4.) Edit following file `nano /etc/gdm3/custom.conf` to turn of wayland and turn on autologin for user 'kiosk'.
+
+```
+[daemon]
+# Uncomment the line below to force the login screen to use Xorg
+#WaylandEnable=false
+
+WaylandEnable=false
+
+# Enabling automatic login
+#  AutomaticLoginEnable = true
+#  AutomaticLogin = user1
+
+AutomaticLoginEnable = true
+AutomaticLogin = kiosk
+```
+
+
+
+### 5.) Configure GUI of user kiosk to prevent monitor from sleeping
+
+```sh
+#gsettings list-recursively
+
+# Does not work
+#sudo -u kiosk gsettings set org.gnome.desktop.session idle-delay 0
+
+# Set idle-delay from "uint32 300" to "uint32 0", needs 'apt install dbus-x11'
+# You can check the value in "GUI-Session of kiosk -> Settings -> Power"
+sudo -u kiosk dbus-launch dconf write /org/gnome/desktop/session/idle-delay "uint32 0"
+```
+
+
+
+### 6.) Create custom service to start firefox loading the page.
+
+Therefore create a file `/etc/systemd/system/kiosk.service` with this content:
+
+```
+[Unit]
+Description=Firefox Kiosk
+Wants=graphical.target
+After=graphical.target
+
+[Service]
+Environment=DISPLAY=:0
+# Set firefox language, needs 'apt install language-pack-gnome-de'
+Environment=LANG=de_DE.UTF-8
+Type=simple
+# Always a fresh firefox ('-' allow error if common does not exist)
+ExecStartPre=-/usr/bin/rm -rf /home/kiosk/snap/firefox/common
+# Move Mouse (should also work on small screens), needs 'apt install dbus-x11'
+ExecStartPre=/usr/bin/xdotool mousemove 4096 2160
+# See: https://wiki.mozilla.org/Firefox/CommandLineOptions (just -kiosk URL => Start-Assistant, so use -url too)
+ExecStart=/usr/bin/firefox -fullscreen -kiosk -url http://monitor.example.net/check.html
+Restart=always
+RestartSec=30
+User=kiosk
+Group=kiosk
+
+[Install]
+WantedBy=graphical.target
+```
+
+
+
+### 7.) Enable the service and reboot
+
+```sh
+systemctl enable kiosk
+reboot
+```
+
+
+
+Troubleshouting
+---------------
+
+```sh
+# No cloud-init
+apt purge cloud-init -y && apt autoremove --purge -y
+
+# If exists and fails:
+systemctl disable pd-mapper.service
+
+# If firefox should be installed via apt:
+snap remove firefox
+
+curl -o /etc/apt/keyrings/packages.mozilla.org.asc https://packages.mozilla.org/apt/repo-signing-key.gpg
+
+echo '
+Types: deb
+URIs: https://packages.mozilla.org/apt
+Suites: mozilla
+Components: main
+Signed-By: /etc/apt/keyrings/packages.mozilla.org.asc
+' | sudo tee /etc/apt/sources.list.d/mozilla.sources
+
+echo '
+Package: *
+Pin: origin packages.mozilla.org
+Pin-Priority: 1000
+' | sudo tee /etc/apt/preferences.d/mozilla
+
+apt update
+apt install firefox
+```