Feature Request: HTTP endpoints

[mishoboss]

A mini HTTP server with at least two HTTP endpoints would be really helpful to create a remote control over the kiosk's content.

• GET /seturl?url=google.com - loads the given URL to the chromium instance
• GET /settempurl?url=google.com - loads the given URL to the chromium instance, wait TEMP_URL_WAIT_TIME amount of seconds and then load the previously loaded URL again

Above functionality would be essential to implement scenarios like show camera feed page on ring bell, or show cameras bird view on perimeter alarm trigger, etc.

When these endpoints are hit, the screensaver should go off and show the newly loaded page on the screen.

[mishoboss]

Hi Salamek, what are the chances for this one? It would be really awesome to have it, will open a lot of possibilities. :)

[Salamek]

@mishoboss this will get implemented in qiosk most likely as a Websocket endpoint... but i'm not sure when i will have time for it...

[mishoboss]

Thanks, for the fats reply. Just wondering, why websocket endpoint? IMHO nothing requires real-time communication and it is way harder to interact with websockets from 3rd party software (e.g. Home Assistant). A simple HTTP GET endpoint is more than enough. Just my 2 cents.

[Salamek]

Well mainly two reasons:

1. REST server in QT is pain in the ass to do, you have to use unmaintained external library or write your custom HTTP 1.1 server implementation...
2. I can kinda feel the next "Feature Request" from someone that will go like something like this: "I want to trigger a XYZ when home button is pressed/when idle time timeouts/etc"

But i'm not decided yet on how i will implement this, i will see when i start doing it...

[darkol]

Ok, I have checked the chromium_kiosk.py watch_config and chromium-kiosk-extension/background.ts and I have an idea.

I think I could implement (optional) HTTP(S) endpoint in Python in chromium_kiosk.py watch_config for remote management of the runtime and/or local config. Only from localhost or from remote with basic authentication (preset) token via https?
This way chromium-kiosk-extension websocket client could stay the same.
Maybe qiosk is also served this way?

Additionally I think 'event':'onClientAppReset' could be interesting e.g. for remote reset of the kiosk to homePage (HW Button keypress, some external event etc.) similar to chrome.idle.onStateChanged idle reset. Seems I could add this easily.

[darkol]

I have created additional Feature Request
#62
from the presented 'event':'onClientAppReset' idea.

[Salamek]

@darkol my idea is that qiosk will be running a websocket server (bind to 127.0.0.1 by default/configurable in config) (so multiple clients can connect) one client can be HTTP API running in chromium-kiosk (python) [and CLI API so it can be controlled from command line] other clients can be custom apps sending/receiving events to implement custom stuff... ?

[mishoboss]

@Salamek, please excuse me for the push, what are your plans for this feature in the roadmap?

[mishoboss]

@Salamek, just an alternative idea - maybe even better is MQTT control. Something like those:

• https://github.com/Jeflux/pi-kiosk
• https://github.com/functionpointer/mqtt-chromium-control

[Salamek]

qiosk already supports mqtt chromium debug control... it is just not enabled by default (i had no time to test it)

[mishoboss]

@Salamek, is there a documentation how to use it? I don't see anything related to MQTT in the qiosk project.

[Salamek]

@mishoboss it is in chromium-kiosk docs... https://github.com/Salamek/chromium-kiosk/tree/master/.docs#configuration

#REMOTE_DEBUGGING: # Set to port number to enable available only when using qiosk browser

so in your /etc/chromium-kiosk/config.yml set:

REMOTE_DEBUGGING: 9988

and reboot... this should open chromium debug port on localhost:9988, you should be able to connect using chromium dev tools and any client library for chromium orchestration using chromium debug port

I wanted to implement some simple client,http server and CLI interface into chromium-kiosk using this debug port to fulfill this issue... but had no time to finish it

[mishoboss]

Probably I miss something here, but Chromium remote debugging has nothing to do with MQTT as messaging system.

P.S. I just realised what you mean. Open the remote debug port and just use this project then - https://github.com/functionpointer/mqtt-chromium-control

[Salamek]

@mishoboss yop, something like that

[Salamek]

Ok this was resolved by adding websocket control see https://github.com/Salamek/qiosk/tree/master/.docs#remote-control