Improve Raspberry Pi startup and Chromium transitions

install.sh

@@ -42,6 +42,7 @@ REQUIREMENTS_FILE="$SCRIPT_DIR/requirements.txt"
 SUDO_USERNAME=""
 SUDO_PASSWORD=""
 OFFLINE_MODE=false
+PI_BOOT_PATCH_SCRIPT="$SCRIPT_DIR/scripts/pi_boot_config_patch_once.sh"
 
 # ============================================================
 # Helper: Run sudo with optional password
@@ -624,6 +625,17 @@ echo ""
 echo "Logs: $SCRIPT_DIR/logs/"
 echo ""
 
+if [ -f "$PI_BOOT_PATCH_SCRIPT" ]; then
+    echo "Applying one-time Raspberry Pi boot config patch..."
+    run_sudo chmod +x "$PI_BOOT_PATCH_SCRIPT" 2>/dev/null || true
+    if run_sudo bash "$PI_BOOT_PATCH_SCRIPT"; then
+        echo "One-time boot patch applied (or already present)"
+    else
+        echo "Boot patch skipped or failed; continuing installation"
+    fi
+    echo ""
+fi
+
 if [ -z "$SUDO_PASSWORD" ]; then
     echo "=========================================="
     echo "System Reboot Recommended"

scripts/pi_boot_config_patch_once.sh

@@ -0,0 +1,76 @@
+#!/usr/bin/env bash
+set -euo pipefail
+
+MARKER_FILE="/etc/kiwy-signage/pi_boot_config_patched.marker"
+
+is_pi() {
+    if [[ -f /proc/device-tree/model ]] && grep -qi "raspberry pi" /proc/device-tree/model; then
+        return 0
+    fi
+
+    if grep -qi "raspberry" /proc/cpuinfo 2>/dev/null; then
+        return 0
+    fi
+
+    return 1
+}
+
+find_boot_config() {
+    if [[ -f /boot/firmware/config.txt ]]; then
+        echo "/boot/firmware/config.txt"
+    elif [[ -f /boot/config.txt ]]; then
+        echo "/boot/config.txt"
+    else
+        echo ""
+    fi
+}
+
+upsert_key() {
+    local key="$1"
+    local value="$2"
+    local file="$3"
+
+    if grep -Eq "^[#[:space:]]*${key}=" "$file"; then
+        sed -i -E "s|^[#[:space:]]*${key}=.*|${key}=${value}|" "$file"
+    else
+        echo "${key}=${value}" >> "$file"
+    fi
+}
+
+if [[ "${EUID}" -ne 0 ]]; then
+    echo "[pi-boot-patch] Please run as root."
+    exit 1
+fi
+
+if ! is_pi; then
+    echo "[pi-boot-patch] Not a Raspberry Pi. Skipping."
+    exit 0
+fi
+
+if [[ -f "$MARKER_FILE" ]]; then
+    echo "[pi-boot-patch] Patch already applied. Skipping."
+    exit 0
+fi
+
+BOOT_CONFIG="$(find_boot_config)"
+if [[ -z "$BOOT_CONFIG" ]]; then
+    echo "[pi-boot-patch] Boot config not found. Skipping."
+    exit 0
+fi
+
+echo "[pi-boot-patch] Applying patch to ${BOOT_CONFIG}"
+
+# Graphics and memory settings for smoother Chromium playback on Pi.
+upsert_key "dtoverlay" "vc4-kms-v3d" "$BOOT_CONFIG"
+upsert_key "gpu_mem" "256" "$BOOT_CONFIG"
+upsert_key "disable_overscan" "1" "$BOOT_CONFIG"
+
+# Keep HDMI and display active for kiosk use.
+upsert_key "hdmi_blanking" "0" "$BOOT_CONFIG"
+upsert_key "hdmi_ignore_cec_init" "1" "$BOOT_CONFIG"
+upsert_key "hdmi_force_hotplug" "1" "$BOOT_CONFIG"
+
+mkdir -p "$(dirname "$MARKER_FILE")"
+date -u +"%Y-%m-%dT%H:%M:%SZ" > "$MARKER_FILE"
+
+echo "[pi-boot-patch] Patch complete. Marker written to ${MARKER_FILE}"

src/main.py

@@ -1307,29 +1307,20 @@ class SignagePlayer(Widget):
             
             Logger.info(f"SignagePlayer: Playing item {self.current_index + 1}/{len(self.playlist)}: {file_name} ({duration}s)")
 
-            # ── Weblink → media transition (Wayland-safe) ──────────────────
-            # On Wayland (Labwc) Window.raise_window() is a no-op, so we must
-            # ensure Chromium's fullscreen window is fully gone BEFORE we try
-            # to render Kivy content.  We:
-            #   1. Stop watchdog + preload immediately
-            #   2. Terminate Chromium (non-blocking)
-            #   3. Hide the Kivy content_area so nothing stale is visible
-            #   4. Wait 200 ms for the compositor to remove Chromium's window
-            #   5. Show content_area + re-call play_current_media to render
+            # ── Weblink → media transition (desktop-flash safe) ──────────────
+            # For web→media transitions, render the next Kivy widget first,
+            # then close Chromium on the next frame. This prevents a brief
+            # desktop exposure while the compositor removes Chromium.
             if not _after_weblink:
                 proc = getattr(self, '_weblink_proc', None)
                 if proc is not None:
+                    next_is_weblink = media_item.get('type') == 'weblink'
+                    if next_is_weblink:
+                        # Weblink -> weblink: close current Chromium first.
                         self._stop_inactivity_watchdog()
                         self._kill_weblink_preload()
                         self._weblink_proc = None
 
-                    # Hide content while Chromium is still closing
-                    try:
-                        self.ids.content_area.opacity = 0
-                    except Exception:
-                        pass
-
-                    # Terminate Chromium
                         if proc.poll() is None:
                             try:
                                 proc.terminate()
@@ -1337,13 +1328,28 @@ class SignagePlayer(Widget):
                                 Logger.warning(f"SignagePlayer: weblink terminate: {exc}")
 
                         def _resume(dt):
-                        # Force-kill if still alive after the delay
                             if proc.poll() is None:
                                 try:
                                     proc.kill()
                                 except Exception:
                                     pass
-                        # Restore content area and show Kivy window
+                            try:
+                                Window.show()
+                                Window.raise_window()
+                            except Exception:
+                                pass
+                            self.play_current_media(
+                                force_reload=force_reload, _after_weblink=True
+                            )
+
+                        Clock.schedule_once(_resume, 0.2)
+                        return
+
+                    # Weblink -> non-weblink: keep Chromium visible while we
+                    # prepare next Kivy frame, then close Chromium deferred.
+                    self._stop_inactivity_watchdog()
+                    self._kill_weblink_preload()
+                    self._weblink_proc = proc
                     try:
                         self.ids.content_area.opacity = 1
                     except Exception:
@@ -1353,14 +1359,7 @@ class SignagePlayer(Widget):
                         Window.raise_window()
                     except Exception:
                         pass
-                        # Now render the actual media
-                        self.play_current_media(
-                            force_reload=force_reload, _after_weblink=True
-                        )
-
-                    # 200 ms gives Labwc time to remove the fullscreen surface
-                    Clock.schedule_once(_resume, 0.2)
-                    return
+                    Logger.debug("SignagePlayer: Deferred Chromium close after next frame render")
             # ────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
 
             # Handle web links before any file/path handling (no local file exists)
@@ -1441,6 +1440,11 @@ class SignagePlayer(Widget):
             self.consecutive_errors = 0
             Logger.debug(f"SignagePlayer: Media started successfully")
 
+            # If we arrived here from a weblink item, close Chromium after the
+            # next Kivy frame so the new widget is already visible underneath.
+            if media_item.get('type') != 'weblink' and getattr(self, '_weblink_proc', None) is not None:
+                self._kill_weblink_after_frame()
+            
         except Exception as e:
             Logger.error(f"SignagePlayer: Error playing media: {e}")
             self.consecutive_errors += 1
@@ -1602,9 +1606,12 @@ class SignagePlayer(Widget):
             self._skip_to_next_media()
             return False
 
+        target_width, target_height = self._get_browser_target_size()
+
         try:
             Logger.info(f"SignagePlayer: Opening weblink in kiosk browser: {url}")
             Logger.info(f"SignagePlayer: Inactivity timeout set to {duration}s (touch resets the countdown)")
+            Logger.info(f"SignagePlayer: Chromium target launch size: {target_width}x{target_height}")
             # Kill the hidden pre-warm instance first; its work (binary in RAM,
             # page in disk cache) makes the kiosk relaunch below near-instant.
             self._kill_weblink_preload()
@@ -1616,6 +1623,7 @@ class SignagePlayer(Widget):
                 # --start-fullscreen is a normal maximised window that the
                 # compositor can un-stack without issues.
                 '--start-fullscreen',
+                '--start-maximized',
                 '--app=' + url,
                 '--noerrdialogs',
                 '--disable-infobars',
@@ -1631,6 +1639,8 @@ class SignagePlayer(Widget):
                 '--disable-background-networking',
                 '--no-default-browser-check',
                 '--window-position=0,0',
+                f'--window-size={target_width},{target_height}',
+                '--force-device-scale-factor=1',
             ])
 
             # Unschedule any previous fixed timer — the watchdog thread takes
@@ -1653,6 +1663,23 @@ class SignagePlayer(Widget):
             self._skip_to_next_media()
             return False
 
+    def _get_browser_target_size(self):
+        """Return a stable browser launch size to avoid 800x600 first-paint flash."""
+        default_width, default_height = 1920, 1080
+        try:
+            width, height = Window.size
+            width = int(width)
+            height = int(height)
+        except Exception:
+            return default_width, default_height
+
+        # Chromium sometimes first-paints at 800x600 before fullscreen;
+        # force at least Full HD when reported dimensions are too small.
+        if width < 1280 or height < 720:
+            return default_width, default_height
+
+        return width, height
+
     def _start_inactivity_watchdog(self, duration):
         """Start a background thread that monitors /dev/input/* for touch/key
         activity.  The thread resets the idle counter on every event; when the
@@ -1893,6 +1920,8 @@ class SignagePlayer(Widget):
         if not browser:
             return
 
+        target_width, target_height = self._get_browser_target_size()
+
         # Kill any stale preload first.
         self._kill_weblink_preload()
 
@@ -1903,7 +1932,7 @@ class SignagePlayer(Widget):
                 '--app=' + url,
                 # Place window completely outside the visible display area.
                 '--window-position=-9999,-9999',
-                '--window-size=1920,1080',  # pre-render at full resolution
+                f'--window-size={target_width},{target_height}',  # pre-render at target resolution
                 '--noerrdialogs',
                 '--disable-infobars',
                 '--incognito',