Hide Mouse Cursor on Windows/Chrome

[Justin Sabourin]

We're running our network based on Windows XP machines running
Chrome. Basically recycled end of life hardware.

I'm having some issues hiding the mouse. I currently use Iconoid
which works great, except that as soon as Chrome loads in kiosk mode
it calls the mouse back to the front and won't let go of it.

Anyone have any tricks they are using? Someday we might move to the
Linux player CD, but we are an almost exclusive Windows endpoint shop
and as far as management goes it's just easier.

Thanks!

[Scott Kiser]

I suggest replacing the mouse cursor with a custom blank one. That's what we do.

(sent from my mobile phone)

--Scott Kiser
Network, Telecom and Systems
Ivy Tech Community College - Northeast

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[Josh Frome]

We have used AutoIT to create script to both launch Chrome with a custom URL based on the machine's detected MAC address and also hide the mouse off the screen every 5 minutes while Chrome is running.  This also makes troubleshooting/administrating the box easier as you can use the cursor if needed.  Let me know if you would like a copy of the script.

Josh

[Scott Kiser]

Sounds like a great idea! Please do share. 

(sent from my mobile phone)

--Scott Kiser

Network, Telecom and Systems

Ivy Tech Community College - Northeast

[Josh Frome]

Here is launch_concerto_screen.au3:

http://pastebin.com/p0h2jb6s

[Justin Sabourin]

Josh,

It's rare that I say something so simple is life altering, but this is the killer feature that is missing when you run this platform under Windows instead of the included CD.

Thank you very much for sharing!

[Scott Kiser]

Ideally it would be nice to have a Windows service to blank the screen at the times stored in the MySQL database. I haven't done anything in that direction yet. 

Really the only reason we use Windows for some of the clients is to facilitate wireless connectivity on legacy small form factor hardware. 

(sent from my mobile phone)

--Scott Kiser

Network, Telecom and Systems

Ivy Tech Community College - Northeast

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[Matthew Rauch]

What you do is create a new screen with a dummy mac and attach it to a blank, or black layout.  Then adjust the code to swap mac addresses with this new layout.  However, you would have to do this for all of your screens because you can't attach more than one mac to the same screen.  I am looking into this same feature, because I want my screens to go black at night, not that it will save power, but it will be less of a distraction for our security cameras.

Hiding the mouse with this script is an excellent idea.  I have now implemented it and it works great.  Thanks for the idea.

[Justin Sabourin]

I'd suggest checking in the BIOS of your PC and seeing if it has an auto on time.  In my case, I shut off the downed screen notifications within Concerto, wrote a shutdown batch file (scheduled through Windows Scheduled Tasks) and have the BIOS turn the machine back on.  Auto login is setup and the screen is back in business.

If you can live w/o the downed screen notices then you get the power advantage of both the PC and the Display being off overnight.