DonationCoder.com Software > Coding Snacks
Lightweight App that displays files in folders/subfolders & allows launching
Shades:
LTSC versions of Windows 10 is intended to be used on computers with a specific use-case in mind. Windows 10 Enterprise, Pro or Home for anything else. Kiosks are in principle generic computers and Windows 10 LTSC is not intended for them. Microsoft's rules, not mine.
These Microsoft instructions might be of some use to you. But from your post I gather that things might get too technical too quickly with these instructions. Still, checking these out won't hurt.
Lots of extra features are not available for LTSC versions of Windows. That doesn't mean those cannot be installed later through official or not so official means, but you shouldn't count on such tricks for production machines. That will bite you in the long run.
How often do the files change in the folders you wish to make available? If those are pretty static, then it might be an option to use a generator for static HTML pages. Pages can be maintained by using MarkDown files (or AsciiDoc...yep, harping on that again), the generator will turn the adjustments into static HTML pages and these could then be served to users that can only open a browser that is hard-coded to only open these static HTML files.
With AsciiDoc you do have syntax that creates tree views in a HTML version of a Windows explorer screen. If I read the cheat-sheet of AsciiDoc correctly, that is. But something like that will likely also be available for MarkDown.
It won't be too easy to create, but in your post you indicated that you are capable of working with HTML and that makes working with MarkDown or AsciiDoc a breeze. My current expectation is that after the initial setup has been fleshed out, maintaining it afterwards should not be too much of a problem for yourself or probably even for someone less skilled than yourself. If such a thing is of consideration, of course.
dcsev:
How often do the files change in the folders you wish to make available? If those are pretty static, then it might be an option to use a generator for static HTML pages. Pages can be maintained by using MarkDown files (or AsciiDoc...yep, harping on that again), the generator will turn the adjustments into static HTML pages and these could then be served to users that can only open a browser that is hard-coded to only open these static HTML files.
-Shades (December 11, 2020, 01:22 AM)
--- End quote ---
I don't know how but we have plans to go with Kiosk mode in LTSC, but those plans are severely delayed due to COVID19. I've already checked out kiosk mode and custom apps on my home computer but I don't think it would work for our needs.
The files will change constantly (every 6 months most likely but most likely every year). I don't know HTML, but I did find a very cool app called Snap2HTML that creates a directory of files to HTML. The only problem is unsecured HTML is not allowed on the computers anymore :( I tried to compile the HTML into an EXE using a specialized app, but there's limitations since HTML cannot open local files. I got "file not found" errors and the dev confirmed there's no workaround and that i'll have to find another solution.
dcsev:
I started investigating using Snap2HTML code of the folders in combination with local HTML + Google --app or --kiosk mode.
I am still very interested in a lightweight app to do this though too if possible.
wraith808:
My quick solution was going to be to use AppLocker (https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/configuration/lock-down-windows-10-applocker) and Fences (https://www.stardock.com/products/fences/).
Fences allows you to set a region of a desktop to point to a folder on your machine and launch applications from there. Lock down the machine so that you can't launch explorer, have that fence on the desktop, and can launch items that are of the desired extensions and you should be set.
This shows how I have part of my desktop set up:
Each one of those different areas are fences that are showing the contents of a folder. If there were other folders in those folders, it would allow you to navigate them, right in the fence. It has a UI to allow you to navigate up and down folders, and stay within the same fence.
Shades:
Is this for local use? Or in a network (LAN) you control? Or is this for a machine that "faces" the internet?
In case of the first situation, you can get away with the use of HTTP protocol, instead of the HTTPS protocol. And if the files are stored on the computer running the kiosk software, the only thing you need to do to create a link in the HTML is: file:///C:\example\folder\structure\example_file_name.mp4 This will result in click-able links that open the linked file in the browser, not the default configured application. Depending on the file type you may need to install extensions in the browser to allow the browser to open them.
In case of the second situation, you can still get away with the use of the HTTP protocol, as your traffic remains in the LAN network you control. You will need to make the files available on a share if these files are located on a different computer in your network. You can assign a drive letter to that share and use: file:///Z:\example\LAN_share\example_file_name.pdf File will still be available as a link, your browser will still be able to open these if the appropriate extensions are installed.
In case of the 3rd situation, on a machine that "faces" the internet, you will need to use the HTTPS protocol. Most browsers won't allow any cross-link to the HTTP protocol anymore and only if the files are stored on the internet facing computer it might still be possible to link them in HTML using: file:///<drive letter>:\example\folder\example_file_name.rtf From a security standpoint, files stored directly on such a computer likely end up being more trouble than they are worth.
Unless I misread your request, a solution like: NextCloud may be much more useful. You have a nice web interface for file management, you can create a user in that ecosystem, which can only open files and nothing else, remove the password for that user and you have already practically all you need. Unfortunately, it is not a lightweight solution. And there is no version of NextCloud to install on Windows. Given the stance of the developers, there never will be a version for Windows either.
You'll need a computer (virtual or on real hardware), install Linux on it, turn that into a LAMP server, then install NextCloud on that machine, configure it with user accounts/rights/extensions to your needs and finally add the files you wish to be available in the NextCloud instance, turned into a kiosk of sorts. VirtualBox (for creating virtual computers) is freeware, Linux is open source and can be freely downloaded (Ubuntu Server LTS version, it is one of the simplest ones you can use, because the installer has an option to turn it into a LAMP server immediately), NextCloud is open source and can also be freely downloaded.
What it will cost, is time. How much time? If you are a quick learner, not as much as you would think. Configuring NextCloud will be a bit of a time sink, because you'll see what nice things the default version can do and then you'll get a whiff of the available extensions. You'll likely end up dreaming up much more use-cases for that NextCloud server. There is an on-line demo available where you can try out NextCloud and get a glimps of it's features (for the instant trial, the password is: demo). It can be as open or as closed off as you want it to be. And it runs just as well on-premise as it does in any type of cloud setup too.
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