Types of Kiosk mode features

Kiosk mode features include:

Kiosk service

The KioskService component is located in the workbench palette. To set a station to Kiosk mode, add the service to the station's "Services" folder (Config > Services), set the enabled property to "true" and restart the station from the console (Niagara Command Line) window. Refer to Getting started with Kiosk Mode and Types of Kiosk Service properties for details.
Kiosk Login

When the KioskService component is added to a station and the station is restarted from the console window, a full-screen Kiosk workbench opens and displays a login page, as shown below:

Figure 1. Example Kiosk login screen "Splash" page

If the login is unsuccessful, a "Login Unsuccessful" message appears for 10 seconds, and then goes away. If the login is successful, then a full screen workbench displays, as shown below:

Figure 2. Touchscreen Application Using Kiosk Mode

When logging in:
- The Kiosk workbench profile is determined by the user's Kiosk Profile
- The Kiosk user is automatically logged into the local station through a Fox connection
- The Kiosk user's home page displays initially
On logout the splash screen is displayed.
Limited access to host platform

The Kiosk service runs a workbench in the local station. This means that workbench can potentially be used to access the components in the local VM without security restrictions. To prevent this, normal access is done through a standard fox session. Any local ORDs that are not accessed through a fox session are not available in a kiosk workbench. In addition, the following conditions apply to Kiosk mode:
- The nav tree does not show any local nodes that are not under a fox session. This includes the "My Modules", "My File System", "Station", and "History" nodes.
- Hyperlinking to an ORD that is not under a fox session displays an Unresolved Exception message. The “Details” message displays "Local access denied in kiosk mode".
- Since multiple users might be sharing the same machine to login, kiosk mode does not save or use cached credentials.
Kiosk profiles

Kiosk profiles work like Web profiles work with the WebService. The UserService "User Manager" (default view) has a "Kiosk Profile" property that you can configure in the Edit dialog box.

Figure 3. Kiosk Profile property options

Preconfigured profiles, such as the following, are available:
- Basic Kiosk Profile
  
  This profile is designed for normal operators to use a workbench in kiosk mode. It displays a read-only locator bar as a "bread crumb trail" and provides Back, Forward, and Logoff buttons. This profile disables:
  - all side bars
  - the entire menu
  - the entire toolbar
  - all non-admin views
- Default Kiosk Profile
  
  This is the default workbench profile used in Kiosk mode. It supports all the features of a normal desktop workbench profile except for:
- - File>Close command
  - File>Exit command
  - Tools>Credentials Manager
- Handheld Kiosk Profile
  
  This profile provides a reduced display that is designed to help handheld users view and navigate the application.
Kiosk splash screen

The kiosk splash screen can be configured in two ways:
- For developers
  
  The public javax.baja.workbench.kiosk.BKioskSplash API is available to create "pluggable" kiosk splash screens. This mechanism is intended for appliance developers.
- DefaultKioskSplash
  
  If using the DefaultKioskSplash, then you can use the "Splash Image" property for changing the image that displays on the default splash screen.
Alternative navigation

Instead of using the "pathbar", Kiosk mode users have forward, back, and logoff buttons available directly on the screen. The pathbar displays as location information, not as a control.
Auto Logoff

The KioskService has an Auto Logoff feature that works like the standard workbench feature that is configured in General Options and Web Profile Auto Logoff properties. In these cases, if Auto Logoff is enabled and there is no user activity after the configured period, then the Kiosk workbench is automatically logged off and returns to the splash screen.
Auto Login

If the Kiosk Service Auto Login Username is set to a valid username, then on startup, the Kiosk splash screen is skipped and the specified user is automatically logged in using that user's:
- kiosk profile
- permissions
- nav file
In Auto Login mode, the "Logoff" command is disabled.

When hyperlinking to a new station in Kiosk mode, workbench automatically tries to log into the station using the original credentials that were entered on the splash screen. For example if user logs in as "guest" on splash, then hyperlinks to "ip:foobar│fox:" Workbench automatically tries to log in to "foobar" using "guest". If the auto-login fails then the normal challenge is displayed.