Raspberry Pi preparation

Yet another python photobooth app, for a DIY Raspberry Pi project.

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Raspberry Pi preparation

  1. Download and install Raspbian Jessie lite.
  2. Plug in your Raspberry Pi, provide a screen, network and a keyboard, and let it boot.
  3. Prepare the system environment:
    • Log in with user & password: pi / raspberry. Become super user: sudo -i
    • Update the installed packages (including raspy-config) by typing apt-get update && apt-get upgrade

    • Edit file /boot/config.txt, and add the following lines:

      framebuffer_depth=32
      framebuffer_ignore_alpha=1

  • Install some more needed packages by typing

    apt-get install python-picamera python-pygame python-pip python-imaging xorg cups cups-bsd git

  • Optional: install more standard tools:

    apt-get install htop iotop vnstat vim-nox

  • Change hostname to photobooth

    echo photobooth > /etc/hostname

  • Add a new local user, make up a safe password.

    adduser photobooth

  • Grant camera access for the newly created user

    usermod -a -G video photobooth

  • Install the printer (I can’t tell you how right now, because this is a mess)
  • Start raspi-config
    • Choose Expand Filesystem
    • then select Enable camera and hit Enter
    • Go to Finish and choose to reboot.

user autologin and app autostart

  1. Install application and dependencies from github repository
    • log in as photobooth
    • Check out software into local folder: git clone https://github.com/maduck/photobooth.git
  2. Set up automatic login and program start

    • create file /etc/systemd/system/getty@tty1.service.d/autologin.conf, with the following content:

      [Service]
      ExecStart=
      ExecStart=-/sbin/agetty --autologin "photobooth" %I

  3. Let the graphical user interface / X server automatically start on login:

    echo startx >/home/photobooth/.bash_profile

  4. Change the file owner to our photobooth user:

    chown photobooth.photobooth /home/photobooth/.bash_profile

  5. Create a script for executing the photobooth app, named /home/photobooth/start_app.sh, with the following content:

    sleep 5
    # disable screensaver
    xset s off
    # disable energy saving
    xset -dpms
    # start photobooth app
    python photobooth/booth_app.py

  6. Change the ownership of this script, and make it executable:

    chown photobooth.photobooth /home/photobooth/start_app.sh
    chmod u+x /home/photobooth/start_app

  7. Let the xorg server automatically start the app script:

    echo ~/start_app.sh >/home/photobooth/.xinitrc

  8. update your /home/photobooth/photobooth/settings.cfg, if needed.