How To Auto Start into Kodi When The Option Is Missing?

Paull999

Hello,
Using Linux Mint 22 Cinamon on a mini PC (not a raspberry pi).
I'm trying to auto boot into kodi at start up. But the option is missing.

To install Retropie on Linux Mint, I followed the instructions on how to install retropie at: https://retropie.org.uk/docs/Debian/
I also updated every thing but it was already up to date after install.

Then I installed Kodi:

RetroPie-Setup Screen,
select Optional Packages,
and choose Kodi.

Restarted the pc.

Then to auto boot into Kodi at start up, I'm supposed to activate the option in:

RetroPie-Setup Screen,
select Configuration and Tools,
select Auto-start Emulation Station / Kodi on Boot
select the correct option

But on that screen where I could select what to auto start at boot, I only have ONE option. I have Start Emulation Station at boot. And it works very well.
But I saw people having more option including Start Kodi at boot.

How to fix that?
How do I make the option start Kodi at boot appear in the list of options?
Or is there another way to auto boot into Kodi at start up?

And then of course be able to switch between Kodi and Emulation Station without dual boot or restarting the pc. Exiting Kodi is falling back into Emulation Station and from Emulation Station I could go back into Kodi, use it and eventually, turn off the pc from there.

Thanks

mitu

For desktop/X11 platforms, there's no additional start-up option besides EmulationStation. But you can disable EmulationStation auto-start and apply the instructions from https://kodi.wiki/view/HOW-TO:Autostart_Kodi_for_Linux#Configure_Kodi_to_autostart to auto-start Kodi when the login

And then of course be able to switch between Kodi and Emulation Station without dual boot or restarting the pc. Exiting Kodi is falling back into Emulation Station and from Emulation Station I could go back into Kodi, use it and eventually, turn off the pc from there.

This feature is not present even on the non-desktop platforms, but users usually modified RetroPie's autostart.sh script file to include both Kodi and EmulationStation commands (in this order), Kodi starts first and then - when exited - EmulationStation will start. I imagine you can do the same with a similar scriptm which you can link to auto-start when your user is logged in automatically in the desktop session.

RapidEdwin08

@Paull999 Easiest thing may be to just create a new shortcut. desktop file that points to autostart. sh, and put it in the User autostart folder.

On Cinnamon, you should be able to open your (Start) Menu, find RetroPie, Right-Click, and Add to Desktop.
Right-Click the new RetroPie shortcut added to Desktop, and open with Text Editor.
Take note of the Exec= line for the command that will be put into autostart. sh.
Should look something like this (may vary):

Exec=gnome-terminal --full-screen --hide-menubar -e emulationstation

Modify autostart. sh with the content of the Exec= command pulled from the RetroPie Desktop shortcut.
Example /opt/retropie/configs/all/autostart.sh:

kodi
gnome-terminal --full-screen --hide-menubar -e emulationstation

Make autostart. sh Executable and Test Run it:

# Make autostart.sh executable
chmod 755 /opt/retropie/configs/all/autostart.sh

# Check Permissions after to confirm you see -rwxr-xr-x
ls -la /opt/retropie/configs/all/autostart.sh

# Test autostart.sh to make sure it runs properly
/opt/retropie/configs/all/autostart.sh

Once you're sure autostart. sh runs as expected, Modify the RetroPie Desktop shortcut and change the Exec= line to point to autostart. sh instead of emulationstation.

Example of updated Exec= line in RetroPie.desktop:

[Desktop Entry]
Type=Application
Exec=gnome-terminal --full-screen --hide-menubar -e /opt/retropie/configs/all/autostart.sh
Hidden=false
NoDisplay=false
X-GNOME-Autostart-enabled=true
Name[de_DE]=RetroPie
Name=RetroPie
Comment[de_DE]=RetroPie
Comment=RetroPie
Icon=/usr/local/share/icons/retropie.svg
Categories=Game
Terminal=false

Test the RetroPie.desktop Shortcut to confirm it runs as expected, then copy/paste the RetroPie.desktop shortcut to the User's autostart folder here:

$HOME/.config/autostart/RetroPie.desktop

Paull999

@RapidEdwin08 --- Thank you.
It worked really well.

@RapidEdwin08 said in How To Auto Start into Kodi When The Option Is Missing?:

Modify autostart. sh with the content of the Exec= command pulled from the RetroPie Desktop shortcut.
Example /opt/retropie/configs/all/autostart.sh:

kodi
gnome-terminal --full-screen --hide-menubar -e emulationstation

There wasn't a file "autostart. sh" at /opt/retropie/configs/all/.
But it was fine, I just created one in that location and continued with your instructions.

Again, it worked very well. Thank you.