How to set Desktop Mode off and make it stick?

dtarrant

@luksus @Keneda @Lakotaubp
With much help from community members, I have mastered the art of using file manager to access hidden folders and files.
I now intend to attempt to create a staged mode startup file located in ~/.config/upstart
I'll keep you posted.
I may be gone a while!

MrT10001

@dtarrant I have been following your progress. I hope it works what you are doing. I have seen issues with read and write permissions on the file system, simple things like setting a background.

dtarrant

@mrt10001 @Luksus @Keneda @Pulsar33
So, I created a startup file set-staged in ~/.config/upstart, closed the Lenovo, took a deep breath and powered back on.
Sadly, it did not start in staged mode.
Here is a listing of set-staged:

start on started unity8
exec gsettings set com.canonical.Unity8 usage-mode staged

I'm a novice, so I won't be offended if someone points out my silly mistake.

Luksus

@dtarrant

Staged should be written with capital "S", I think.

start on started unity8
exec gsettings set com.canonical.Unity8 usage-mode Staged

But even then, it does not work on boot.
The upstart file itself seems to be alright, since executing start set-staged in terminal works.

So maybe the "start on" entry point is wrong... but I have no Idea what would be right.
Maybe there are also execution permission issues.

kugiigi

Perhaps try this
start on starting dbus
That's what is used to set scaling from the tweal tool.

dtarrant

@kugiigi @Luksus @MrT10001
Well I tried your suggestions and it still started in Desktop mode.
Here's what I put into ~/.config/upstart:

start on starting dbus
exec gsettings set com.canonical.Unity8 usage-mode Staged

Permissions have been mentioned as a possible issue.
Does anyone have any advice to offer regarding permissions?
(this post has been written and sent from my Lenovo tablet)

kugiigi

Not sure how but maybe make it execute after Unity8 started. My guess is that Unity8 detects something that overrides the usage mode so changing it beforehand will be useless.

dtarrant

@kugiigi @Fuseteam
How did you type the red text Kugi?

kugiigi

@dtarrant Enclose the text with "`" (the special type of single quote). For multiple lines, enclose them with triple of that character.

dtarrant

@kugiigi
Thanks Kugi.
""If you know stuff, you can do stuff""

dtarrant

@kugiigi @Luksus @Pulsar33 @Flohack @dobey @fredldotme
Well I've tried your suggestions so far pretty thoroughly.
I've repeated some of the approaches taking great care with the spellings etc.
So far nothing has worked. Seems to me we don't understand how Ubuntu Touch can be controlled by software to open in a certain way.
I wonder if anyone else in our community might be able to recommend an approach. The names that came to mind were Florian and Rodney (no volcanos please), but there must be others. Alfred?
What do y'all think?

Keneda

@dtarrant
For now i don't use scripting, but from what i understood, you need two files for a script on device startup, one file with the script that you want to run on startup, one other to execute this file on startup, like i said in my post above where i gave you a link to another topic.

dtarrant

@keneda @Luksus @MrT10001 @kugiigi @Pulsar33
I've revisited the links you gave me and am interested by the topic regarding how to auto-execute startup scripts.
I now understand there is a need to put one script in ~/.config/upstart and another script in a different location.
I think I've learnt enough over the last three weeks to be able to give this a try.
So many thanks for suggesting a new line of approach.

Luksus

Hey @all,
it seems that I have solved the issue with always starting in desktop mode...
Turns out that it were some kernel configs, which leads to unity8 thinking, that there is some kind of input device connected... how @kugiigi suggested.
So there is no need anymore for creating an upstart script in this regard.

I am not sure if the boot-image is being updated by the OTA update, so maybe I need to adjust the installer configuration first and you have to reinstall the bootimage with the installer afterwards. I will inform you here, how to proceed.

I additionally got usb-mtp mode working. Which should be available with tomorrows devel-update.

dtarrant

@luksus
Great news, well done!
I look forward to reading your instructions on how to proceed.

Luksus

@dtarrant so it seems, just doing an update in Systemsettings/Updates is enough

dtarrant

@luksus
Cool! When will I be able to update my tablet?
I've not done any updates since I first installed UT.
Didn't want to bork it.
Where can I find SystemSettings? Is it accessible with file-manager?

Luksus

@dtarrant If you installed your device with the Ubports-Installer using the devel channel, you can just go into System-Settings on the device, choose the "Updates" category and let it search for new updates (with a Wifi connection active).
Then if it downloaded the new version, just install it.

Keneda

@dtarrant
System setting is a system app installed by default on any UT device, you can launch it from app tray, its icon is a grey cog wheel.

dtarrant

@luksus
So, I checked for updates and it reported software up to date. On investigation I discovered it was on release candidate channel, so I switched to devel channel and it downloaded 532mb of updates.
I installed the updates and after a couple of trys, I managed to coax it to boot.
Deep joy, it booted into staged mode! So pleased with the result. I am typing this on my Lenovo tab.
Thank you so much for working your magic.