Run python script with GUI on boot

Question

I have set up a python script, that uses tkinter to launch a window and display some data.

My goal now is to let the Pi run this script after boot. For this, I tried many ways I found on the internet. I tried rc.local, crontab, lxsession, but nothing did the job.

What I've tried so far in case of lxsession: As I could not find the Lxsession configurator in the toolbar menu, I tried to edit the autostart file in

/home/pi/.config/lxsession/LXDE/autostart

Intending to start my program I added

@/home/pi/desktop/script.py

at the bottom of the file, but my script still did not run on boot.

Thanks for help VRK

Answer 1

I suggest you start by getting a simple python program running at boot.

Create the following simple code and save as /home/pi/hello.py

import time
print('Hello World')
time.sleep(120)

Add the following to /etc/xdg/lxsession/LXDE-pi/autostart

@lxterminal -e python3 /home/pi/hello.py

This will start the python program in a terminal window so that you can see any output.

Answer 2

I got this somewhere a long time ago and it works into my product flawlessly:

sudo mkdir /home/pi/.config/autostart

then open nano:

sudo nano /home/pi/.config/autostart/yourname.desktop

finally, the content of the file:

[Desktop Entry]
    Type=Application
    Name=yourname
    Exec=/usr/bin/python3 /home/pi/yourfolder/Program.py