2Geckos Consulting, LLC: Using Dropbox to control a FileMaker Kiosk

I was recently asked to develop a Kiosk for the lobby of Casa Grande Chamber of Commerce.We developed a standalone FileMaker 11 Pro Adv Kiosk application that is relatively simple.

It displays a rotating menu of items in the FM webviewer including webpages, photos or and videos. In addition all activity is logged.

The Chamber Kiosk is a standalone device with a wireless connection and may not always be on-line. Our Chamber Kiosk application was designed as a Kiosk with local administration and for Remote management using Dropbox to exchange menu content and visitor log files.

By installing a Dropbox folder on the Kiosk and another Dropbox folder on the workstation that will be managing the Kiosk they can transfer menu and visitor log files, in FileMaker format.

When you run the Chamber Kiosk application for the first time. it asks is this is a Kiosk or Management console.

Kiosk Mode In Kiosk mode it will load, export visitor activity logs and begin cycling through its menu content.

At intervals of about 10min it checks to see if a new menu content file has been deposited in its Dropbox. If update are detected then they are imported, error checked, then replace existing menu content. At the same time the current Activity logs are exported to the Kiosk Dropbox.

The 360Works ScriptMaster function, CallScriptAtScheduledTime, is used to schedule the Windows Shutdown.exe command to power off Kiosk in 120 sec, it allows the Kiosk application time to close down cleanly. The Kiosk’s computer is programmed to automatically boot up at 8am M-F and auto start the FileMaker Kiosk.

Management console In Management console mode you can edit menu content, view visitor statistics, and other Kiosk controls. Supports internet connected PC, laptop, MAC, and any iOS device.