Headlines:
Presentation
1. Transition between slides
2. Enter Menu on touch devides
Kiosk Mode
1. Autostart & Synchronisation (App only)
1.1. Start a presentation automatically
1.2. Synchronize automatically
1.3. Force Offline Mode
2. Kiosk Mode Settings
Device Configuration (App only)
1. Device
Hide the menu bar
Full-screen mode
2. Login Credentials
Advanced Settings
1. Media size (App only)
2. Advanced Synchronisation (App only)
2.1. Force full synchronisation
2.3. Automatic synchronisation at fixed intervals
3. Developer
Show Debug Information
In this article, you’ll find out what Kiosk Mode is and how you can use it!
What is Kiosk Mode?
The Kiosk Mode offers you a wide range of options for your presentation and, ultimately, ensures that any presentation you start on the device from now on will run in a ‘loop’. This feature forms the basis for many other settings that it enables – such as autoplaying a presentation, or automatically updating, starting a presentation, or activating offline mode. But more on that in the following article.
Browser vs. Desktop App
It’s important to note that, from now on, the settings in Kiosk Mode no longer apply to your user account – and therefore to all devices where you’re logged in – but only to the current device or view. So, if you’re using the app and the browser on your laptop, you can set different preferences for the same user account on each.
Another important new difference is that you’ll see more settings in the desktop app (Windows & Mac) than in the browser when you go to your settings. This is because there are some settings relating to offline mode, which only work in the app.
All settings can be done while online or offline.
App (Windows + Mac):
Browser:
Presentation
In this section, you will find the settings for slide transition effects during the presentation and the Enter menu on touch devices.
1. Transition between slides
Here you can choose transition effects for your presentations. If you don't choose another one, "slide" is preselected. This means that the next slide will "slide in" from the right. You can also set the duration of the animation with the slider below. The transition effect cannot be selected for each slide individually, but only for you as user. All presentations you start from now on will have the selected transition effect until you change it again. The administrator determines which effects you can choose. You can find more information here: Change slide transition effect
2. Enter Menu on touch devides
If you are presenting on a touch device, you can open the enter menu during the presentation by tapping on the right or left edge on your screen. Here in the settings you can choose whether it should be the left or right border. For example, if you have a button on the very left side of your screen in your presentation, you should place the Enter menu on the right side, otherwise you will open the Enter menu instead of selecting your button. You can find more about the Enter menu here: What is the Enter menu?
Kiosk Mode
In this section, you’ll find the Kiosk Mode Settings, as well as the settings for automatic updates and starting a presentation automatically when launching the app.
1. Autostart & Synchronisation (App only)
These settings are only available in the desktop app and apply exclusively to the device in question. They will take effect the next time you launch the app.
Here, you can specify that a particular presentation opens automatically when the app launches. You can also configure the app to switch to offline mode immediately after launching. In this case, the presentation will play without an internet connection.
You can also set the app to automatically update all downloaded content before switching to offline mode.
These features are particularly designed for use at trade fairs or similar events where presono is used as a ‘plug-and-play’ solution. For example, presono is added to the device’s autostart settings. After switching on the device, the app then starts automatically, updates the content, switches to offline mode and opens the set presentation – all without any manual intervention.
You can also activate kiosk mode for even more options but more on this below.
It makes sense to use these three functions in combination, as described above.
1.1. Start a presentation automatically
Click “Select” to choose a presentation that will start automatically when you open the app.
If a presentation has been saved, you can delete it (1) or select a different presentation (2).
If you simply disable the function, the presentation will remain saved but will not start.
1.2. Synchronize automatically
If you enable this feature, you will see the following screen when you launch the app:
If you have an internet connection, presono will now update your content. Depending on your internet speed, this may take a short while.
If you do not have an internet connection, presono will stop this process after approximately 2 minutes. If, for example, you have set up a presentation to start automatically, presono would simply start the presentation using the most recently downloaded version after 2 minutes.
The process itself cannot be interrupted.
If you have also enabled the ‘Force offline mode’ feature here as well, presono will automatically switch to offline mode once synchronisation is complete. If you have not enabled the ‘Force offline mode’ feature, you will be either online or offline during the presentation – depending on the setting you selected in the top-right corner (next to the cloud icon) before closing the app.
Of course, if you have no internet connection at all, presono will automatically go offline.
1.3. Force Offline Mode
With this setting, you can no longer switch offline mode on and off manually. This setting also only takes effect once the app has been restarted. If you have not enabled the feature, you will be either online or offline during the presentation – depending on the setting you selected in the top-right corner (next to the cloud icon) before closing the app.
Of course, if you have no internet connection at all, presono will automatically go offline.
This feature is particularly useful when used in combination with the other two features (automatic synchronisation and launching a specific presentation). This ensures, for example, that presentations are always presented offline.
2. Kiosk Mode Settings
Kiosk mode is a presentation mode designed specifically for use at trade fairs or sales events. It is a setting that must be configured individually for each device. It allows presentations to run continuously in a loop and offers additional features for specific events such as trade fairs.
Kiosk mode must first be activated in the top right-hand corner, after which the relevant settings will appear. Here you can select a wide range of options, from automatic reset to autoplay, PIN code and various other settings.
Click Settings(1) and kiosk mode(2). Click on "kiosk mode" (3) next. Then you can switch on the kiosk mode with the slider(4). The settings for the Kiosk mode appear below.
Note: Kiosk mode can be set individually for each device - it is not applied to all devices where the user is logged in. All presentations that are started by the user on this device will follow the settings in kiosk mode until it is deactivated again!
Which settings are there and what are their effects?
You can set the following settings in Kiosk mode:
- Auto Reset of the presentation (1)
- Autoplay of the presentation (2)
- Disable all user interactions (3)
- Disable swipe gestures (4)
- Disable external links (5)
- Activating the PIN code (6)
1. Automatic resetting of the presentation
Remember the example of the Touch Terminal mentioned earlier. Somebody views different products and leaves. Someone else comes to the terminal and wants to view some products. But now the screen shows the view that the previous user opened, not the beginning of the presentation. How can you avoid that? Simply by activating the "Automatic reset of the presentation" option. This means that after the presentation has been unused for a certain time (between 50 and 3000 seconds), it will automatically be reset to the first slide.
2. Autoplay
Autoplay allows the presentation to run by itself. The next slide will be displayed after the set time. (5 to 120 seconds).
presono's tip:
If a video is playing on a slide that is running longer than the set time for autoplay, the system will not switch to the next slide until the video has played back completely.
3. Deactivate all user interactions
This setting deactivates all interaction possibilities with presono. Specifically it means that keystrokes like for example, Enter, B, W, Next, or the space bar, have no effect. This makes sense if you automatically play a presentation in an endless loop (for example on a touch terminal) and don't want the visitors to be able to interact with it. In this mode the presentation can only be left by pressing the ESC key.
4. Disable swipe
In combination with the Kiosk mode, the swipe gestures in presono can be deactivated. However, this setting only affects swipe gestures within presono or during the Presentation. The swipe gestures of the device (such as the Windows swipe gestures to open the Task Manager) cannot be controlled from presono.
This option can be used for touch devices to prevent the user from using swipe gestures to switching back and forth in the Presentation or Session (as when navigating with a presenter or keyboard). This can be useful if it is an interactive Presentation that is to be operated exclusively via links on the Slides. Please note that in this case it is especially important to check the navigation of the Presentation again, so that there are interaction possibilities on all Slides (Menu Buttons, Close Buttons, Navigation Arrows, Info Buttons etc.), so that there are no dead ends. Find out about the details here: Linking Possibilities at a Glance
5. Disable external links
In the linking options on Slides there is now the possibility to link to external websites. However, as this is not always desired behavior at events or trade fairs, such links can be deactivated in Kiosk mode. All links within presono (to Slides, Presentations, Overlays, Languages, etc.) will of course still work. It will only be prevented that in parallel to presono the browser can be opened by means of a link and thus the app or presono is left.
6. Activating the PIN code
If the Kiosk mode is active, a PIN code can also be activated. This prevents unauthorized persons from breaking out of the presentation. If the PIN code is activated, you can set whether it should appear before the enter menu can be called or before leaving the presentation. Of course you can choose the PIN code yourself. You can configure it via "enter PIN code". Should you forget it, you can have it displayed via the eye symbol below.
Device Configuration (App only)
You can only find the device configuration settings in the app, not in your browser. They also only apply to the current device. Here you’ll find general settings for your app, such as whether to display the menu bar at the top, the app’s full-screen mode, and your login details.
1. Device
Hide the menu bar:
Use this control to show or hide the menu bar in the app (Windows only):
Full-screen mode:
With this setting, the app will launch (after a restart) in full-screen mode. This applies not only to the presentation being played but to the entire app. The app can then only be closed using keyboard shortcuts or the Task Manager.
2. Login Credentials
You can set your password here. This is useful if, for example, you want to use the app over a longer period of time, as your login will eventually expire. If you save your password here, presono can then log you in automatically.
Please note that if you enter a password here (your email address is automatically filled in from your login details and cannot be changed), you will no longer be able to log out manually. To do so, you will need to remove the password from here.
Please note: If SSO (Single Sign-On) is in use, this feature is not available to you.
Advanced Settings
Under “Advanced”, you will find different options in the browser and in the app. In the browser, this section only contains debug information (displaying the slide ID during the presentation). However, you will find these and other settings in the app.
Browser:
App:
1. Media size (App only)
This setting allows you to choose which media size (images & videos) is synchronised or downloaded to your current device.
By default, presono always attempts to output Full HD or the largest possible version up to Full HD. So, if you upload a very small image, Full HD cannot be output; however, if the image is large enough, Full HD will always be synchronised and displayed.
If, for example, you have particularly large screens or specific dimensions (extremely wide banners at trade fairs or LED walls as exhibition backdrops, Glide&Show), you can (in consultation with support) upload larger media files (larger than 8000x8000px or 20MB for images, 600MB for videos) and this setting will then apply them to the current device. This ensures there is no loss of quality. Please note, however, that your device must have sufficient storage space, as presono will then download all media in the requested size and it will only apply to presentations started offline.
2. Advanced Synchronisation (App only)
In the advanced synchronisation settings, you will find, in particular, the option to synchronise automatically without restarting the app (you can find this setting under ‘Kiosk Mode’ in section 1.2 Synchronize automatically).
2.1. Automatic synchronisation at a fixed time
If you select automatic updating at a fixed time, the downloaded data will always be updated at the selected times. This happens whilst the app is running, even if a presentation is currently running and being shown. Synchronisation takes place in the background and the updated data will be available once synchronisation is complete.
If a presentation is currently running, the updated content will be available and displayed the next time the presentation is reset. This can happen either via the ‘Automatic Reset’ setting in Kiosk Mode, through a manual reset in the Enter menu, or when the presentation is running via Autoplay and automatically switches from the last to the first slide of the current presentation.
To enable the feature (for the current device only), first enable it in the top right-hand corner (1) and click "add"(2).
Next select a time and continue by clicking "ok".
Next select one or more days for the synchronisation and click "save".
You can repeat this process several times (click “Add” again); the saved times will then appear under “Scheduled times” and can also be deleted there:
Please note:
As soon as the ‘Interval’ function is selected or the ‘Fixed time’ function is deactivated, the saved values will be discarded.
If the app is closed at the selected time or has no internet connection, it will be updated at the next available time.
The function can only be used if automatic synchronisation at set intervals has not been selected at the same time.
2.2. Automatic synchronisation at fixed intervals
If you select automatic updating at fixed intervals, the downloaded data will always be updated at the selected intervals. This happens whilst the app is running, even if a presentation is currently running and being shown. Synchronisation takes place in the background and the updated data will be available once synchronisation is complete.
If a presentation is currently running, the content will be available and displayed the next time the presentation is reset. This can happen either via the ‘Automatic Reset’ setting in Kiosk Mode, through a manual reset in the Enter menu, or when the presentation is running via Autoplay and automatically switches from the last to the first slide of the current presentation.
To enable the feature (for the current device only), first enable it in the top right-hand corner (1).
Next, select an interval (2). You can choose one from the quick selection or enter your own (in minutes) at the bottom. The selected interval will then be displayed under ‘Active interval’ (3). Only one interval can be selected at a time.
Please note:
As soon as the ‘Fixed Time’ function is selected or the ‘Interval’ function is deactivated, the saved values will be discarded.
If the app is closed at the selected time or has no internet connection, it will update at the next possible time.
The function can only be used if automatic synchronisation at a fixed time has not been selected at the same time.
3. Developer
The following options are very specific and are not necessary for all users. They are usually required when working with presono Support or in special cases.
3.1. Show Debug Information
This feature is designed to allow you to clearly identify slides in presentation mode, for example when preparing for an event. This feature is also highly specific and not necessary for all users. When enabled, a box appears in the top-left corner during the presentation, displaying the title and ID of the current slide.
3.2. Force full synchronisation
This function forces a full update of all downloaded data. Normally, the entire data package (all slides, presentations, media, templates, etc.) is only downloaded initially – i.e. the first time – and from then on, only updates are performed. This drastically reduces the time taken for updates.
You can use this function to bypass this, which is useful, for example, if errors have occurred. This function is used only in very specific cases and usually in consultation with presono support directly.
Please note that this will significantly increase the time taken to update the data (depending on your internet speed).