Grafana Kiosk

A very useful feature of Grafana is the ability to display dashboards and playlists on a large TV.

This provides a utility to quickly standup a kiosk on devices like a Raspberry Pi or NUC.

The utitilty provides these options:

• Login
  • to a Grafana server (local account)
  • to a Grafana server with anonymous-mode enabled (same method used on play.grafana.org)
  • to a Grafana Cloud instance
  • to a Grafana server with OAuth enabled
• Switch to kiosk or kiosk-tv mode
• Display the default home page set for the user
• Display a specified dashboard
• Start a playlist immediately (inactive mode enable)
• Can specify where to start kiosk for multiple displays

Additionally, an initialize option is provided to configure LXDE for Raspberry Pi Desktop.

Installing on Linux

Download the zip or tar file from releases

The release file includes pre-built binaries. See table below for the types available.

Extract the zip or tar file, and copy the appropriate binary to /usr/bin/grafana-kiosk:

# sudo cp -p grafana-kiosk.linux.armv7 /usr/bin/grafana-kiosk
# sudo chmod 755 /usr/bin/grafana-kiosk

Usage

NOTE: Flags with parameters should use an "equals" (-autofit=true, -URL=https://play.grafana.org) when also used with any boolean flags.

  -URL string
        URL to Grafana server (default "https://play.grafana.org")
  -auto-login
        oauth_auto_login is enabled in grafana config
  -autofit
        Fit panels to screen (default true)
  -c string
        Path to configuration file (config.yaml)
  -field-password string
        Fieldname for the password (default "password")
  -field-username string
        Fieldname for the username (default "username")
  -ignore-certificate-errors
        Ignore SSL/TLS certificate error
  -kiosk-mode string
        Kiosk Display Mode [full|tv|disabled]
        full = No TOPNAV and No SIDEBAR
        tv = No SIDEBAR
        disabled = omit option
         (default "full")
  -login-method string
        [anon|local|gcom|goauth] (default "anon")
  -lxde
        Initialize LXDE for kiosk mode
  -lxde-home string
        Path to home directory of LXDE user running X Server (default "/home/pi")
  -password string
        password (default "guest")
  -playlists
        URL is a playlist
  -username string
        username (default "guest")
  -window-position string
        Top Left Position of Kiosk (default "0,0")

Using a configuration file

The kiosk can also be started using a configuration file, along with environment variables. When using this option, all other arguments passed are ignored.

general:
  kiosk-mode: full
  autofit: true
  lxde: true
  lxde-home: /home/pi

target:
  login-method: anon
  username: user
  password: changeme
  playlists: false
  URL: https://play.grafana.org
  ignore-certificate-errors: false

grafana-kiosk -c config.yaml

Environment variables can be set and will override the configuration file. They can also be used instead of a configuration file.

  KIOSK_AUTOFIT bool
        fit panels to screen (default "true")
  KIOSK_LXDE_ENABLED bool
        initialize LXDE for kiosk mode (default "false")
  KIOSK_LXDE_HOME string
        path to home directory of LXDE user running X Server (default "/home/pi")
  KIOSK_MODE string
        [full|tv|disabled] (default "full")
  KIOSK_WINDOW_POSITION string
        Top Left Position of Kiosk (default "0,0")
  KIOSK_IGNORE_CERTIFICATE_ERRORS bool
        ignore SSL/TLS certificate errors (default "false")
  KIOSK_IS_PLAYLIST bool
        URL is a playlist (default "false")
  KIOSK_LOGIN_METHOD string
        [anon|local|gcom|goauth] (default "anon")
  KIOSK_LOGIN_PASSWORD string
        password (default "guest")
  KIOSK_URL string
        URL to Grafana server (default "https://play.grafana.org")
  KIOSK_LOGIN_USER string
        username (default "guest")
  KIOSK_GOAUTH_AUTO_LOGIN bool
        [false|true]
  KIOSK_GOAUTH_FIELD_USER string
        Username html input name value
  KIOSK_GOAUTH_FIELD_PASSWORD string
        Password html input name value

Hosted Grafana using grafana.com authentication

This will login to a Hosted Grafana instance and take the browser to the default dashboard in fullscreen kiosk mode:

./bin/grafana-kiosk -URL=https://bkgann3.grafana.net -login-method=gcom -username=bkgann -password=abc123 -kiosk-mode=full

This will login to a Hosted Grafana instance and take the browser to a specific dashboard in tv kiosk mode:

./bin/grafana-kiosk -URL=https://bkgann3.grafana.net/dashboard/db/sensu-summary -login-method=gcom -username=bkgann -password=abc123 -kiosk-mode tv

This will login to a Hosted Grafana instance and take the browser to a playlist in fullscreen kiosk mode, and autofit the panels to fill the display.

./bin/grafana-kiosk -URL=https://bkgann3.grafana.net/playlists/play/1 -login-method=gcom -username=bkgann -password=abc123 -kiosk-mode=full -playlists -autofit=true

Grafana Server with Local Accounts

This will login to a grafana server that uses local accounts:

./bin/grafana-kiosk -URL=https://localhost:3000 -login-method=local -username=admin -password=admin -kiosk-mode=tv

If you are using a self-signed certificate, you can remove the certificate error with -ignore-certificate-errors

./bin/grafana-kiosk -URL=https://localhost:3000 -login-method=local -username=admin -password=admin -kiosk-mode=tv -ignore-certificate-errors

Grafana Server with Anonymous access enabled

This will take the browser to the default dashboard on play.grafana.org in fullscreen kiosk mode (no login needed):

./bin/grafana-kiosk -URL=https://play.grafana.org -login-method=anon -kiosk-mode=tv

This will take the browser to a playlist on play.grafana.org in fullscreen kiosk mode (no login needed):

./bin/grafana-kiosk -URL=https://play.grafana.org/playlists/play/1 -login-method=anon -kiosk-mode=tv

Grafana Server with Generic Oauth

This will login to a Generic Oauth service, configured on Grafana. Oauth_auto_login is disabeld. As Oauth provider is Keycloak used.

go run pkg/cmd/grafana-kiosk/main.go -URL=https://my.grafana.oauth/playlists/play/1  -login-method=goauth -username=test -password=test

This will login to a Generic Oauth service, configured on Grafana. Oauth_auto_login is disabeld. As Oauth provider is Keycloak used and also the login and password html input name is set.

go run pkg/cmd/grafana-kiosk/main.go -URL=https://my.grafana.oauth/playlists/play/1 -login-method=goauth -username=test -password=test -field-username=username -field-password=password

This will login to a Generic Oauth service, configured on Grafana. Oauth_auto_login is enabled. As Oauth provider is Keycloak used and also the login and password html input name is set.

go run pkg/cmd/grafana-kiosk/main.go -URL=https://my.grafana.oauth/playlists/play/1 -login-method=goauth -username=test -password=test -field-username=username -field-password=password -auto-login=true

LXDE Options

The -lxde option initializes settings for the desktop.

Actions Performed:

• sets profile via lxpanel to LXDE
• sets pcmanfs profile to LXDE
• runs xset s off to disable screensaver
• runs xset -dpms to disable power-saving (prevents screen from turning off)
• runs xset s noblank disables blank mode for screensaver (maybe not needed)
• runs unclutter to hide the mouse

The -lxde-home option allows you to specify a different $HOME directory where the lxde configuration files can be found.

Automatic Startup

Session-based

LXDE can start the kiosk automatically by creating this file:

Create/edit the file: /home/pi/.config/lxsession/LXDE-pi/autostart

/usr/bin/grafana-kiosk -URL=https://bkgann3.grafana.net/dashboard/db/sensu-summary -login-method=gcom -username=bkgann -password=abc123 -kiosk-mode=full -lxde

Session with disconnected "screen"

Alternatively you can run grafana-kiosk under screen, which can very useful for debugging.

Create/edit the file: /home/pi/.config/lxsession/LXDE-pi/autostart

screen -d -m bash -c "/usr/bin/grafana-kiosk -URL=https://bkgann3.grafana.net/dashboard/db/sensu-summary -login-method=gcom -username=bkgann -password=abc123 -kiosk-mode=full -lxde"

Desktop Link

Create/edit the file: /home/pi/.config/autostart/grafana-kiosk.desktop

[Desktop Entry]
Type=Application
Exec=/usr/bin/grafana-kiosk -URL=https://bkgann3.grafana.net/dashboard/db/sensu-summary -login-method=gcom -username=bkgann -password=abc123 -kiosk-mode=full -lxde

Desktop Link with disconnected "screen"

[Desktop Entry]
Type=Application
Exec=screen -d -m bash -c /usr/bin/grafana-kiosk -URL=https://bkgann3.grafana.net/dashboard/db/sensu-summary -login-method=gcom -username=bkgann -password=abc123 -kiosk-mode=full -lxde

Systemd startup

# sudo touch /etc/systemd/system/grafana-kiosk.service
# sudo chmod 664 /etc/systemd/system/grafana-kiosk.service

[Unit]
Description=Grafana Kiosk
Documentation=https://github.com/grafana/grafana-kiosk
Documentation=https://grafana.com/blog/2019/05/02/grafana-tutorial-how-to-create-kiosks-to-display-dashboards-on-a-tv
After=network.target

[Service]
User=pi
Environment="DISPLAY=:0"
Environment="XAUTHORITY=/home/pi/.Xauthority"
ExecStart=/usr/bin/grafana-kiosk -URL=<url> -login-method=local -username=<username> -password=<password> -playlists=true

[Install]
WantedBy=graphical.target

Reload systemd:

# sudo systemctl daemon-reload

Enable, Start, Get Status, and logs:

# sudo systemctl enable grafana-kiosk
# sudo systemctl start grafana-kiosk
# sudo systemctl status grafana-kiosk

Logs:

journalctl -u grafana-kiosk

Troubleshooting

Timeout Launching

2020/08/24 10:18:41 Launching local login kiosk
panic: websocket url timeout reached

Often this is due to lack of entropy, for linux you would need to install rng-tools (or an equivalent).

apt install rng-tools

Building

A Makefile is provided for building the utility.

make

This will generate executables in "bin" that can be run on a variety of platforms.

TODO

• RHEL/CentOS auto-startup
• Everything in issues!

References

• TV and Kiosk Mode
• Grafana Playlists

Thanks to our Contributors

• Michael Pasqualone for the session-based startup ideas!
• Brendan Ball for contributing the desktop link startup example for LXDE!
• Alex Heylin for the v7 login fix - and also works with v6!
• Xan Manning for the ignore certificate option!
• David Stäheli for the OAuth implementation!