How to password protect a touch panel w/no keyboard present

J.Luszczek

ADMIN EDIT: This problem was eliminated by the release of London Architect V2
which allows the designer to display the Microsoft On-Screen Keyboard at the log on dialog.

I thought I would share this.
I recently did an install at a hotel lobby. We gave the manager a 15\" ELO touchscreen remotely attached to a computer running LA. There is no keyboard at the touch screen location. Of course after they played with the panel they requested a way to password protect it so that only management can change settings.
I came up with a quick solution to use the Windows on-screen keyboard (OSK.exe) set to \"always on top\" and placed it along with the Architect design file in the Startup folder. I also put a Log Off button on the control page.
Now whenever they need to operate the system or when the computer restarts they can log in from the front desk using the Windows on-screen-keyboard.
I reserved some space on the panel for the OSK to hover above and it all works.
I guess next time I will use a computer with XP for tablet PC so that I don't have to use tricks.

Or, maybe BSS programmers will incorporate a way to type a password on a touch screen right into the new version of LA?

There was one little snag that I had to find a way around. If someone accidentally closed the OSK, there was no way to get it back without restarting the computer (full screen operation- no Start button). I asked our IT person about it and he wrote a little Visual Basic script for me that automatically restarts the OSK if someone closes it.
So now I have that script in the startup folder and the OSK is always there.

Here is how it looks (still a few tweaks to be done):

J.Luszczek

I found a solution from a company called Chessware.
They sell very cool on screen keyboard software- Touch-it.
It lets you design and customize your on screen keyboard and there is no problem with keeping it open- you can remove the \"close\" and \"minimize\" buttons from your custom keyboard. You can also reduce it to just the number keys if you want it to be compact- that's what I did.
User password is numbers only, admin password has letters, so the users at the touch screen can never log in as admin- even if they know the password. I log in as the admin from the location that has a real keyboard.

http://www.chessware.ch/virtual-keyboard/index.php

Will Fraser

Great find!
This is definately going in my list of really cool freeware.

Hannalee

Another way is to use region buttons.

For example, if you want to lock the MAIN screen,

Make a copy of the MAIN screen, this will be the first LOCKED screen.
The LOCKED screen will be linked via a lock button from the MAIN screen.

On the first LOCKED screen, overlay a full screen region button ( make it the front layer) and set it transparent and assign it to the first LOCKED screen. This way you can view the contents of the page but not change anythnig.

Then put a small region button( again transparent and on the front layer) on the screen which is linked to another screen, the second LOCKED screen ( which is a copy of the first LOCKED screen, but with the small front layer region button located somewhere else. Repeat as necessary This way you can lock the screen, and not display a keyboard. The second page full screen button can point back to the first locked page to prevent the user from touching everywhere to guess the spots to touch.

We have done this several times with customers in clubs who just want the screen to lock and keep patrons and or staff from diddeling with the controls.

It can be something as simple as, once locked, touch the master gain, then the master eq, then it will unlock.

The downside is that it is more work to change the \"password\", the advantage is that you don't use space on the screen for the keyboard, infact many people will not even know there is a \"password\"

Another way is to use several source selectors or a matrix router to do the same sort of thing and use logic to change the venue, which will change the screen back to the unlocked page. the advantage of logic is that you can have the \"password\" change hour/day/month by the use of a calander function. The morning staff can have one number and the evening staff another.

Ofcourse it is important to realize that this is not at all the same as the password protection available in LA, but just a quick and dirty solution for
what to do without a keyboard.

jamesheliker

Hey Follks,

The solutions listed here are by far the most creative I've heard yet, as to protecting system access... definitely bookmarking this one.

I'd like to note that on a recent GRN system I've been working on, the sort of methods listed above are just inadequate. I may be out on a limb here, but honestly, SW London is not a full blown control system, all though extremely powerful, especially compared to the original.

This client required key FOB access control (proximity based) at each UI, with customized UI's per user account type. This worked hand in hand with the building's access control system, and alarm sys, to provide all users with a single token for access and use of the building.

Needless to say, just this one aspect of the system requirements meant the need for writing custom control software, regardless of other variables in the system, like control of house & theatrical lighting systems, video control, etc.. Of course, Soundweb continues to live at the heart of the system, handling the precious audio processing...

It really wouldn't be that hard for BSS to provide a more elegant login solution, though... would it? For example, allowing buttons to insert a spec'd value to the login box? (button1 is clicked: loginbox += \"1\")

Any thoughts?