NCSA Mosaic for MS Windows User Guide: Advanced Features


You can set up a session of Mosaic to run in kiosk mode. A kiosk is a Mosaic display with a limited set of features. This is useful for organizations (e.g., libraries) that want to keep users within a set of files or want to protect their systems from potentially destructive users. By removing most menu options, a user cannot, for example, select Save As....
Using the -k Switch
You can invoke NCSA Mosaic in the kiosk mode in one of two ways. Both use the -k switch (include a space between the executable name and the -k switch). See "-k" on page 5-14 for additional information.
- Change the Microsoft Windows Program Item Properties by selecting the NCSA Mosaic icon and then selecting Properties... from the File menu (or enter Alt+ENTER). Windows opens the program properties dialog box. Enter the
-k option (e.g., c:\mosaic\mosaic.exe -k) to the end of the Command Line: field. After this modification, Windows continues to associate the -k option with the Mosaic icon. Also change the Description field to reflect this change in the Mosaic application (e.g., name the icon "Kiosk Mosaic").
- A less permanent way of invoking Mosaic in kiosk mode is through the Microsoft Windows Program Manager's File menu. Select Run... to start Mosaic with the -k feature (e.g., c:\mosaic\mosaic.exe -k). Windows starts one session of the application.
Because Mosaic in kiosk mode still uses the mosaic.ini file that resides in your Windows menu, you need to configure the desired environment before you use the -k option. For example, determine the size of your screen and the desired hotlist menu items before launching in kiosk mode.
Kiosk Menus
The menus and menu items that are available in kiosk mode are:
File Open URL... (Ctrl+O)
- Edit
- Find... (Alt+F3)
-
- Find Next (F3)
- Navigate
- Session History
- Help
- Online Resources
-
- About Mosaic
- Hotlists
The Hotlists menu is totally configurable by the system administrator.

