Auto Refreshing / cycling Internet Screens

[john]

Ok, I am sure this must be possible, but I am not a programmer / coder so I hope someone can help.

I have just setup a nice new display screen in the school and the deparment that controls it wants to, at present, just display webpages on it, but they would like them to automatically refresh either that page its on or to cycle down a list of set pages (set by them / us) and change every so often (again end user defined).

The machine is a normal XP Pro machine nothing fancy at present (may well come in the future but not yet) so any thoughts / suggestions of some code / software to do this?

[Geoff]

Didn't try a search?

http://www.edugeek.net/index.php?nam...ewtopic&t=4268
http://www.edugeek.net/index.php?nam...ewtopic&t=4049
http://www.edugeek.net/index.php?nam...ewtopic&t=3519
http://www.edugeek.net/index.php?nam...ewtopic&t=2357

[john]

I did a search (for once ) and actually looked at them, as thats what we want in the future, we are looking at the box solution thingys that are mini-itx based but at around £1000+ each they are not in the budget this year really.

I have looked at the 3 on SF and they seem fairly linuxy based, as for my linux skills, I know the penguins called Tux and thats about it oh yeah the the Red Hat has a (or did) have a bloke wiv a hat that was red and Suse's logo is a chamelion / lizardy creature thigny.

So I am thinking even simpler than them if possible for this academic year as I am not controlling it, its a teacher thats managing it so simple is best please.

[GrumbleDook]

I am just about to get involved in an SSAT project called "screens for schools" involving this sort of thing, with a view to rolling it out when the new block is built.

As soon as I have a few case study sites I will have info posted on here about it all.

[john]

Sounds good stuff Tony, keep us posted please

[mark]

There's a thread I commented on about the use of powerpoint and some free software to let you run it from a share, that automatically updates the presentation when your person making up the presentation saves a new version. We run this on a vanilla XP box, set to auto log in and auto load the app. Just hit the power button in the morning and it rolls.

You can also show web pages in your powerpoint slides, and update the web pages - depends what you want really. The same company have another free piece of software that will schedule powerpoint slides to run on certain days/ times.

You just link the share for your editing users.

The free software is courtesy: http://www.presentationpoint.com/

[john]

I spotted that Mark, http://www.presentationpoint.com/sof...dons/index.htm being the site I think you are on about, I am going to have a look and play with it and see what it does I think as it may be a solution.

[ChrisH]

If you want a simple refresh just script F5 being pressed with VB or AUTO it

[Geoff]

Alright then. Bunch of HTML files on a web server someplace. Use the Meta refresh tag on each ones Head section.

http://webdesign.about.com/od/metata.../aa080300a.htm

Page 1 -> Page 2 -> Page n ........ -> Page 1

Stick the url in the machine's startup group as a shortcut. (Might have to call iexplorer with whatever options to make it full screen?)
Have the machine autologin. (TweakUI)
Job done.

[john]

Those both sound like good ideas, why is it always the simple things that are the best solutions Thanks Guys

[mark]

Alright then. Bunch of HTML files on a web server someplace. Use the Meta refresh tag on each ones Head section.

http://webdesign.about.com/od/metata.../aa080300a.htm

Page 1 -> Page 2 -> Page n ........ -> Page 1

Nice idea.

Person would need skills to edit web pages tho' - and know not to mess with the meta refresh. Not the usual attributes of a receptionist [amazingly fantastic people that they are :P]