How to boot without Desktop while starting a graphical application?

Question

I have a script called "Arcade.py" that makes a cool fullscreen GUI and does other stuff. I want my Pi to boot and run that script, thus hiding everything else in the background.

I managed to configure .bashrc into starting that script, but it only works when I open the terminal. I've tried other solutions (like setting a service to start my Python app), but to no avail.

Given that I don't need anything else graphical in the system (bars, background images, screensavers, etc), is it possible to turn all default launched app that consume graphical resources off and, consequently, run only my graphical script automatically at boot?

Answer 1

You could use a minimal Window Manager (such as Openbox) with autostart. That way it will (probably) run.

Answer 2

Configure your Pi to boot to command line then enter :

startx python Arcade.py

This should start the desktop with just your python app.

Answer 3

Given that I don't need anything else graphical in the system (bars, background images, screensavers, etc), is it possible to turn all default launched app that consume graphical resources off and, consequently, run only my graphical script automatically at boot?

This implies that your script is doing all graphical issues by itself and you do not even need the X-Window server. So you can use Raspbian Buster Light, or any other Light version of Raspbian supporting systemd. This does not install any graphical support. You only have the command line. Now just create a simple Unit file to start the systemd service:

rpi ~$ sudo systemctl --force --full edit  myarcade.service

In the empty editor insert these statements, save them and quit the editor:

[Unit]
Description=My Arcade script

[Service]
ExecStart=/full/path/to/Arcade.py

[Install]
WantedBy=multi-user.target

Enable the new service with

rpi ~$ sudo systemctl enable myarcade.service

and reboot.

You can manage the script with:

rpi ~$ sudo systemctl stop|start|restart myarcade.service
rpi ~$ systemctl status myarcade.service