KioskCD
Customizing
How do I do it?
Download the Customization Kit for your platform. The Readme file explains the procedure.
What options are in the Customization Kit?
You can set these:
- Internet or intranet: causes the name-server check to use remote or local web server, respectively. The name-server check now can fail and the browser will still come up (may not do much). If Internet is available, KioskCD will sync with a time server.
- Your own startpage (displays when browser starts).
- External config file: post this file on your webserver and the CD will download it at the end of the boot cycle. Most, but not all, options set by the on-CD config file or CD defaults can be overridden.
- NIC: pick a NIC (eth1, tr0, etc.), if the default DHCP choice is not working for you.
- Name servers: specify alternate name servers for unusual situations.
- Keyboard map: choose from dozens of international keyboard layouts.
- New for v2.7. Idle restart period. If no new cache files are found after this many minutes, all browsers are killed and one is restarted, showing the start page.
- New for v2.7. Static IP address, netmask, and gateway: this will turn off DHCP. You must have specified a NIC and a name server for these settings to work.
- New for v2.7. /etc/hosts file: make your own hosts file and put it on a web server. This URL setting will import it. DNS is then turned off, so only the listed hosts will be available to the user. You can also provide an unusable address for hostnames you don't want users to see.
- New for v2.7. /etc/hosts additional entries: instead of (or in addition to) your own hosts file, you can specify up to 20 hosts-file entries. These can be burned into the CD or imported. They are added to the existing /etc/hosts file (which may be imported). DNS is turned off.
- Screen resolution and window size: try out some better resolutions, they may work with your video card and monitor.
- Mouse type: now choose PS2, serial, or USB. (Sorry, no special keyboard support.)
- Proxy server: specify the usual proxy settings (however, user and password are not saved).
- Screen saver options: primitive, but effective. Choose none, blanking, or bouncing X, along with idle time.
- Toolbar buttons: specify up to 9 link buttons.
How long does it take customize?
About 10 minutes to figure it out. 2 minutes to edit. 10 seconds to run the program. 1 minute to burn a CD. 2 minutes to try it. Repeat until it's how you want it.
Do I need a new ISO image file each time?
No, you can keep applying new config settings to the same ISO file.