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jovian
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Joined: 16/04/2017
Location: Australia
Posts: 63

Posted: 02:20am 22 Nov 2018

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I'm wanting to use the Rasberry Pi as a PDF slideshow generator. I want to be able to simply plug in a USB stick with a PDF file on the root folder and have it scan all of the images within the file and display them via HDMI at 1920x1200 in a loop.

I have successfully programmed embedded controller programs in the MicroMite but am not sure where to start with USB file access, and display of PDF files.

I'm good with BASIC but unfortunately I have no knowledge of Linux or Terminal commands.

My idea is that once the framework is solid I can maintain or upgrade it via the BASIC elements of code.

Does anyone know of an application to do this, or would be interested in developing?

I have a $500 budget.javascript:AddSmileyIcon('

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Thanks
Joe

Quazee137

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Joined: 07/08/2016
Location: United States
Posts: 600

Posted: 03:11am 22 Nov 2018

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have a look at

http://impressive.sourceforge.net/
apt-get install impressive
visit http://impressive.sourceforge.net/ for full documentation

there are a lot of pdf readers with linux

a few more to look at

http://github.com/Cimbali/pympress

https://pdfpc.github.io/

or my lazy way make all information into image files and let

https://github.com/linuxmint/xviewer

process the folder of images with its slideshow setting the time between images

Quazee137

I haven't got around to loading MMBasic on my RPi zeros and was woundering

if you can us system calls you could run "xviewer file/s to use" from MMBasic.

Then after the selected folder/files where viewed you would still be in MMBasic.

Hum?? can you run the program and while its doing its job be doing something more

in MMBasic. like a menu on one side of the display to skip up/ down or exit the

slideshow. Or even a timed audio track. FUN STUFF we have in MMBasic.

Edited by Quazee137 2018-11-23

JohnS
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Joined: 18/11/2011
Location: United Kingdom
Posts: 4133

Posted: 07:54am 22 Nov 2018

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It feels rather odd to want to use a PDF when the aim is to show images - care to say why PDF and not just the images?

(It's possible to get images out of a PDF but if you're not used to Linux why give yourself extra pain...)

As I recall, Peter added a system(...) function to picromite MMBasic so you can readily run anything without leaving MMBasic.

John

jovian
Regular Member

Joined: 16/04/2017
Location: Australia
Posts: 63

Posted: 03:08pm 22 Nov 2018

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Quazee137 said have a look at

http://impressive.sourceforge.net/
apt-get install impressive
visit http://impressive.sourceforge.net/ for full documentation

there are a lot of pdf readers with linux

a few more to look at

http://github.com/Cimbali/pympress

https://pdfpc.github.io/

or my lazy way make all information into image files and let

https://github.com/linuxmint/xviewer

process the folder of images with its slideshow setting the time between images

Quazee137

I haven't got around to loading MMBasic on my RPi zeros and was woundering

if you can us system calls you could run "xviewer file/s to use" from MMBasic.

Then after the selected folder/files where viewed you would still be in MMBasic.

Hum?? can you run the program and while its doing its job be doing something more

in MMBasic. like a menu on one side of the display to skip up/ down or exit the

slideshow. Or even a timed audio track. FUN STUFF we have in MMBasic.

Thank you Quazee, most useful.
I will look through those links in detail when I am not so knackered!
Cheers
J

jovian
Regular Member

Joined: 16/04/2017
Location: Australia
Posts: 63

Posted: 03:11pm 22 Nov 2018

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JohnS said It feels rather odd to want to use a PDF when the aim is to show images - care to say why PDF and not just the images?

(It's possible to get images out of a PDF but if you're not used to Linux why give yourself extra pain...)

As I recall, Peter added a system(...) function to picromite MMBasic so you can readily run anything without leaving MMBasic.

John

Sure - the user compiles the slideshow on Power Point then exports to USB drive - PDF seemed the most universal and version-change proof format... I can't remember off hand what the JPG options were.

lizby
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Joined: 17/05/2016
Location: United States
Posts: 3469

Posted: 03:38pm 22 Nov 2018

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What reader would you use to run a pdf slideshow on a linux machine (Raspberry Pi)? Apparently, Adobe quit supporting Adobe Reader for linux in 2013 (unless that has changed). You can still download that version, but I don't know if it supports the slideshow option; and I don't know if you can set the parameters so that it starts the slideshow automatically.

Also, if you are able to run the slideshow in an automated fashion by shelling out from MMBasic on a pi, what exactly is MMBasic doing aside from initiating the slideshow? You could do that as easily without MMBasic (by issuing the same command that you shell out to).

Here's a link suggesting some r-pi pdf readers: https://www.makeuseof.com/tag/4-best-linux-pdf-viewers/

PicoMite, Armmite F4, SensorKits, MMBasic Hardware, Games, etc. on fruitoftheshed

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