Okay, here's what I've got in es_systems.cfg <system> <name>ports</name> <fullname>Ports</fullname> <path>/home/pi/RetroPie/roms/ports</path> <extension>.sh .SH</extension> <command>bash %ROM%</command> <platform>pc</platform> <theme>ports</theme> </system> And then put this in/home/pi/RetroPie/roms/ports/Kodi.sh #!/bin/bash "/opt/retropie/supplementary/runcommand/runcommand.sh" 0 _PORT_ "kodi" ""

Resolved it by configuring retropie to boot to the command line and then i'll edit .bashrc to house the if logic to launch X or ES depending on TOD and of course if [ "`tty`" = "/dev/tty1" ] Was much easier than I was trying to make it... ##### # Set the hours between which PiClock will Launch #### minHour=6 maxHour=9 #Get Current Hour cHour=$(date +%H) # Get current time and time of boot. # calculate minutes since boot cSec=$(date +%s) sSec=$(date +%s -d "$(uptime -s)") uMin=$(( ($cSec - $sSec)/60 )) # Ensure that we are within 2 minutes of boot. This ensures that user can exit ES to the command line # without this script re-launching ES in an endless loop if [[ $uMin -le 2 ]]; then # Ensure this is tty1 if [[ "`tty`" = "/dev/tty1" ]]; then # If between min and max hour then startx and PiClock else execute autorun if [[ $cHour -ge $minHour && $cHour -lt $maxHour ]]; then startx else bash "/opt/retropie/configs/all/autorun.sh" fi fi fi The issue I see is trying to drop to the command line from ES in which case I believe it will just launch back into ES... i'm ok with this. Maybe some other unintended consequences but I'll find out soon enough. Edit: Added an additional If statement to check for minutes since boot so that one can successfully drop from ES to the CL without

@Thorr69 NOOBS allows you to 'multi-boot' between different OS-es, so there are actually 2 installations - one for Raspbian and one for RetroPie. @79goat5 If you want to switch back to full Raspbian - the other OS - you should use the OS chooser displayed at boot (https://github.com/raspberrypi/noobs/blob/master/README.md), you cannot start the full Raspbian desktop from within RetroPie.

Aha! I found it! I had to type ''sudo apt-get install pi-package'' in terminal. Source: https://www.raspberrypi.org/forums/viewtopic.php?t=127825 Thanks!

@mitu thanks mitu will do

Hi @mitu , not sure why, but it works now. Will also run the apt-get -f install, just in case. Thanks!

@doubleeuroz It's been a while since I installed this way but I'm almost sure that synaptic is included when you install the LXDE/PIXEL Desktop on top of Raspbian Lite.

My bad, I forgot I needed to disable the splash screen for this to work. see here

Thank you @mitu for the quick and, arguably, more importantly, accurate information. Too many times I have been given a solution that just leads me down a rabbit hole that never ends but this was a one-stop solution.!

@rasp_renegade said in Switch to desktop with CLI (not startx): What am I doing wrong? Did you install the desktop environment on your system ? As noted in the https://retropie.org.uk/docs/FAQ/#where-did-the-desktop-go, you need to install the Pixel DM from the script, then exit ES and execute startx only.

@tonytoon Take a look to the NESPi case from retroflag http://retroflag.com/ It's a nice finish with fron USB available and it provides enough ROM for switches ... I think a 1.8" HDD will also fit with an ease

@mitu Thanks, that also was my first guess (although I mentioned it secondly ;) ), but the other options seemed probable, too.

Thank you.

I updated and now I can't get it to start at all. Not even from the terminal

@thewinterdojer yes it's also the emu station Menu

Thanks!