During periods of inactivity, many kiosk applications display a series of screens designed to catch a potential user's attention and direct them to the kiosk. Or for intranet applications, attract screens are useful for displaying general application or corporate information to the user. There is no limit to the number of attract screens you define.
KioWare has two operating modes: user mode and attract screen mode. In user mode, a user session exists and the application is being used. At some point, the user will leave and a period of inactivity will occur. After a definable time period, KioWare will switch out of user mode and into attract screen mode.
At the transition between user mode and attract screen mode, KioWare can perform a series of end session activities such as running a user definable end session script (say to perform housekeeping on the user's account), clearing cache, cookies or print queue, or retracting untaken printed paper.
Once in attract screen mode, KioWare will display the screens you define and upon user interaction (touch screen, key or mouse movement) will react in the way you have defined. KioWare can either return to the Start Page URL (default), enter the application at the current attract screen or ignore user input on that screen.
Although there is a default attract screen display delay, each attract screen can have its own display delay. For example, a content rich attract screen could have its display time extended to enable time for a user to read all the content.
Furthermore, the default behavior when a user touches the screen, keyboard or mouse while an attract screen is displaying is to redirect to the Start Page URL; however, each attract screen has two alternate behaviors. First, the attract screen itself can be the entry point into the application, so in essence it redirects to itself. And second, the attract screen can do nothing, in which case KioWare will remain in attract screen mode, but move to the next attract screen once the attract screen delay has passed. Both alternates are most useful in advertising kiosk applications. Each attract screen can be its own advertisement, and if there is additional content to be associated with the ad, then the attract screen will be defined to redirect to itself, and the user can navigate to additional information. Or, if there isn't additional content associated with the ad, then the attract screen will be defined to do nothing, and the next attract screen (ie, advertisement) will be displayed once the attract screen delay time has passed.
For applications that use attract screens as advertising, it is important that all attracts screens (ie, ads) get displayed the same number of times. The Continue w/ Next Screen parameter enables KioWare to always remember the last attract screen that was displayed, so that the next time it enters attract screen mode, it can pick up where it last left off and all attract screens will be displayed an equal number of times. KioWare's default behavior is to start with the first defined attract screen when entering attract screen mode.
For applications that have pages with varying content that require different inactivity times, KioWare supports custom timeouts for individual pages. For example, if the normal inactivity timeout is 45 seconds, but there is a page that is playing animation that lasts 60 seconds and doesn't require user interaction, then KioWare will time out before the animation is finished. Instead, a custom timeout for the animation page of 70 seconds can be defined.
End session activities are not dependent upon attract screens being defined; however, there must be an Inactivity Time defined. When attract screens are not enabled, then KioWare will redirect back to the Start Page URL upon user session end.
Finally, if your application doesn't require end session activities or attract screens and all that is necessary is for KioWare to reset to the Start Page URL upon user session end, then all that is necessary is to define an Inactivity Time.
Inactivity
Activate Timer
If checked, elapsed time in seconds that the kiosk is inactive until the user session ends.
Timeout/Warning
Particularly with transaction or session based applications it is important that the user's session timeout after a relatively short period of inactivity. Ideally, the web server can be configured to do so; however, in situations where the web server is hosting both normal internet/intranet traffic and KioWare traffic, the web server may not have the flexibility desired. Definitely in these situations, but also as a general rule, it is a good practice to define an Inactivity Timer and Session End URL that will end the user's session.
To prevent a user from possibly losing data by being inadvertently logged off, KioWare can be configured to display a dialog box warning of imminent log off, and it can also display a final warning in the form of beeps on one second intervals until the log off occurs. The dialog box can be configured so that the user can either simply move the mouse or press a key, or they can be required to click a button in the dialog box. Refer to the following screen shot.
User session timeout can be reset by
Determines whether the user will be shown a dialog box and whether that dialog box will require the user to click a button to continue the session.
| Keyboard or Mouse Movement | No dialog box will be displayed, and either mouse movement or a key press will continue the user session |
| Dialog Box Button(s) | A dialog box will be displayed, and Button #1 (left button if two buttons are displayed) must be clicked to continue the user session. |
| Either Keyboard/Mouse Movement or Dialog | A dialog box will be displayed, and either mouse movement, a key press or Button #1 clicked will continue the user session. |
Dialog Box Options
Determines the display behavior of the dialog box.
Captions
Text displayed in the header of the dialog box
Message
Text to be displayed in the body of the dialog box.
Number of Buttons
Can be set to either none, one button or two buttons. If one button is selected, then clicking it will continue the user session. If two buttons are selected, then clicking button #1 will continue the user session and clicking #2 will cause the session to time out.
Button 1 Text
Text label for the left button for a two button dialog or the center button if a one button dialog. Clicking this button will continue the user session.
Button 2 Text
Text label for the right button of a two button dialog box. Clicking this button will lock out the user until the session times out.
Number of seconds before timeout to display dialog box
Number of seconds of inactivity that the dialog box should display before the Inactivity Time (set in the Attract Screen section) times out and resets. Typical values range between 10 -15 seconds.
Additional Warning
Determines whether a final warning will be presented to the user prior to their session expiring.
Warning Type
Set to either None or Beep each Second.
Number of seconds before timeout to begin warning
Typical values range between 3 - 6 seconds.
Custom Timeout
KioWare supports custom timeouts for pages that require differing lengths of time before timeout.
In the following screenshot, LongMovie.mpg and ReallyLongMovie.mpg would play for 320 and 900 seconds respectively with no user interaction before entering attract mode.
Add New
To add a new custom timeout entry, click the Add New button.
URL
Enter the URL to apply the custom timeout.
Page Timeout
Elapsed inactivity time in seconds before the page will timeout.
Edit Selection
To edit an entry, highlight the row and either doubleclick or click the Edit Selection button.
Remove Selection
To remove an entry, highlight the row and either doubleclick or click the Remove Selection button.
Time Limited Sessions
This feature will force the KioWare user session to end when the timer reaches 0.
Max Session Time (sec)
Max amount of time users have per session to use the kiosk.
Session Timer UI
This dialog configures how the timer will look in KioWare. You must specify at least one KioWare toolbar and Picture control that the timer will show on. Control width and height are based on a Picture control that you have added to the toolbar and should match the size of the image there, otherwise it will not look right when you run KioWare. The Preview button can be used to view approximately how the timer will look in KioWare.
Attract Screens
A common question we are asked is, "How can I have KioWare automatically loop through a directory of images like a screensaver?" The answer can include using our Attract Looper example. Directions are included inside the zip file.
Continue with Next Screen
If checked, when attract screen mode is entered, the attract screen displayed will be the one following the previous one displayed. If not checked, the attract screen will start with the first attract screen defined every time attract screen mode is entered.
Default Screen Delay
The default elapsed time in seconds to display an attract screen before incrementing to the next attract screen. Is used only when no individual attract screen timeout has been defined.
Edit Attract Screens
Add New
To add a new attract screen, click the Add New button.
URL
Enter the attract screen URL or UNC path.
User Action
| Return to Start Page | Upon user action, KioWare will display the Startpage URL |
| Stay on this Page | Upon user action, KioWare will stay on the current attract screen |
| Ignore | Upon user action, KioWare will display the next attract screen |
Use Default Timeout
If checked, use the default timeout time before displaying the next attract screen.
Page Timeout
Elapsed inactivity time in seconds before the page will timeout and the next attract screen will display.
Edit Selection
To edit an entry, highlight the row and either doubleclick or click the Edit Selection button.
Remove Selection
To remove an entry, highlight the row and either doubleclick or click the Remove Selection button.
Session End Settings
In circumstances where special action needs to occur at session end, KioWare can be configured to redirect to a specified URL
Use Session End URL
If checked, the Session End URL page will be loaded.
Note: When this happens all page session variables will be cleared. If you need former session variables on the session end page, please call or email KioWare Support and reference bug 1092.
Session End URL
The URL or UNC path to the file to display at session end.
Ignore User Input on Session End URL
If checked, user input will be prevented from interupting the display of the session end URL
Session End Display
Specifies the number of seconds to display the session end URL before entering attract screen mode.
Browser Options
Settings used to configure tasks that are performed on session end, such as clearing cache and cookies.
Clear Cache
If checked, the browser cache will be cleared upon session end.
Keep Media Files
If checked, media files such as images, music and video will not be cleared.
Only Clear HTTPS
If checked, only content from https url's will be cleared.
Clear Cookies
If checked, the browser cookies will be cleared upon session end. Note: clearing cache automatically clears cookies.
Clear Spooler Print Queue
If checked, the Windows print queue will be cleared preventing unprinted documents from printing.
Reset Volume
If checked, will set the system volume level to that of the slider on session end.
Session End Devices
Displays a list of devices that have End of Session actions. For example, a printer with programmable paper retraction.
Add New
To add a new device, click the Add New button.
Device Type
Select the device from the list.
Device Com Port
If a serial device, enter the COM port.
Device Name
The name of the device as known to Windows. In the case of a printer, it is the printer name as defined in the print spooler. Either select from the list, or enter the printer name from scratch.
Edit Selection
To edit an entry, highlight the row and either doubleclick or click the Edit Selection button.
Remove Selection
To remove an entry, highlight the row and either doubleclick or click the Remove Selection button.
Second Monitor
For kiosks that need or want more displays, KioWare can drive up to 10 additional monitors. The setup is similar to regular attract screens; however, there is no user interaction with the other monitors.
Activate Second Monitor
If checked, the second monitor will display the URLs specified.
Screen Change Delay
The elapsed time in seconds to display a URL before incrementing to the next URL.
Secondary Monitor List / Edit Attract Screens
This list shows every additional monitor configured in KioWare. Columns contain the number of pages configured for each monitor and the page delay between each page. Items can be added, removed and edited.
Add New
To add a new attract screen, click the Add New button.
Lock to Screen
Pick a screen here if you want the attract pages to change at the same exact time as another screen.
Screen Change Delay (sec)
Time to show each page.
Screen URL List
The list of attract pages to loop through.
Edit Selection
To edit an entry, highlight the row and either doubleclick or click the Edit Selection button.
Remove Selection
To remove an entry, highlight the row and either doubleclick or click the Remove Selection button.