DigiKiosk Documentation

DigiKiosk is a macOS application for creating and deploying digital signage projects. Design screens, add components, configure transitions, and export content for the DigiKiosk Player app to display on kiosks, displays, or multi-screen setups.

This tutorial covers both the main features and the more technical aspects of the app. Whether you are creating a simple slideshow or a complex multi-screen campaign, you will find the information you need here.

Getting Started

First Launch

When you first launch DigiKiosk, a Welcome window appears with an overview of the main capabilities: managing up to 50 screens per project, a drag-and-drop component library, a powerful Inspector window, and deployment to DigiKiosk Player. Click Get Started to dismiss it and begin.

Creating a New Project

Use File → New (or ⌘N) to create a new project. A setup sheet appears where you configure:

• Project Name — Used for the document title and bundle filename.
• Description — Optional notes about your project.
• Deploy Password — Password required to exit display mode in DigiKiosk Player. This is used only by the Player app, not by DigiKiosk itself.
• Screen Orientation — Horizontal or Vertical.
• Default Resolution — XGA (1024×768), HD 720p (1280×720), Full HD 1080p (1920×1080), or custom dimensions (minimum 1024×768).
• Number of Screens — How many screens to create initially.

Once configured, click Create Project. A new document opens with a default screen named "Start" and the main canvas ready for design.

Document Format

Projects are saved as .digi files. These are package documents containing your project data. You can open, save, and export them like any document. Use File → Save (⌘S) to save your work.

Main Windows

DigiKiosk uses a multi-window layout. The main document window shows the canvas; additional palettes are opened from the toolbar or the Window menu.

Document Window (Canvas)

The central document window displays the design canvas for the currently selected screen. The canvas size matches the screen resolution (e.g. 1920×1080 for Full HD). Use the toolbar to open the Screens, Components, and Inspector palettes, and to access project settings, preview, and deploy options.

Screens Palette

The Screens window lists all screens in your project. You can add new screens, delete screens (except the first), reorder them by drag-and-drop, and edit each screen’s name and duration. Click a screen to select it and edit its content on the canvas.

Components Palette

The Components window shows a grid of available component types: Image, Title, Label, Text Area, Web View, Video, Shape, and Icon. Drag a component from this palette onto the canvas to add it to the current screen. Each card shows the component type and its icon.

Inspector Palette

The Inspector window shows properties for the currently selected component or screen. When you select a component on the canvas, the Inspector updates to show its position, size, text, colors, and other properties. Edit values here to change the component’s appearance and behavior.

Component Types

DigiKiosk supports several component types. Each has its own properties and behavior in the Player.

Editing Components

Select a component by clicking it on the canvas. Use the Inspector to change its properties. You can resize components by dragging the resize handles when selected. Drag components to reposition them. Use Delete or the trash icon in the toolbar to remove the selected component.

Copy, Paste, and Duplicate

Use Edit → Copy Component (⌘⇧C), Paste Component (⌘⇧V), and Duplicate Component (⌘D) to copy components between screens or within the same screen. Paste places the component at the center of the current screen.

Screens and Transitions

Screen Duration

Each screen has a duration (in seconds) that controls how long it is displayed before automatically advancing to the next screen in the Player. The minimum duration is 3 seconds. Edit the duration in the Screen Edit dialog, accessible from the Screens palette.

Transitions

You can configure a transition effect when moving from one screen to the next. Available effects:

• None, Fade, Cross Fade
• Move Right, Move Left, Move Up, Move Down
• Zoom In, Zoom Out
• Wipe Right, Wipe Up
• Pixel Dissolve, Star Reveal, Page Turn

Each transition has a duration (0.5 to 2.0 seconds). Set transitions in the Inspector when a screen is selected, or in the Screen Edit dialog.

Screen Background

Each screen can have its own background: a solid color, a gradient, or an image. Use the Inspector’s background controls when a screen is selected. Gradients support predefined presets (Sunset, Ocean, Forest, etc.) or custom colors and directions.

Project Settings

Open the project settings via the gear icon in the toolbar. You can change:

• Project Name — Updates the document title.
• Description — Project notes.
• Default Resolution — Affects new screens and the canvas size.
• Screen Orientation — Horizontal or Vertical.
• Grid — Show grid, snap to grid, grid size.
• Deploy Password — Password for DigiKiosk Player exit mode.

Changing the default resolution updates all screens in the project to match. Custom resolutions can be defined in the settings (minimum 1024×768 pixels).

Preview

Use the Play button in the toolbar to preview your project in full-screen mode. The preview window shows the slideshow with automatic transitions between screens. Use the Escape key or the close button to exit the preview. Zoom controls are available in the preview overlay.

Deploying

Use the hammer icon in the toolbar to open the Deploy dialog. This generates a .bundle file that DigiKiosk Player can load and display.

Deploy Steps

1. Download the latest DigiKiosk Player app from the Help menu.
2. Click Generate Content… and choose a destination folder.
3. A bundle file named [ProjectName].bundle is created.
4. Read the generated ReadMe file for setup instructions.

High-Performance Mode

When enabled, High-Performance mode generates optimized slides instead of full project data. Only images and durations are exported, creating a lighter bundle for slideshow playback. Note: Video and Web View components are not supported in this mode. Choose JPG or PNG for the output format.

DigiKiosk Player

DigiKiosk Player is a separate application that displays your deployed content. To use it:

Setup

Place the DigiKiosk Player app in the same folder as your .bundle file. When you launch the Player, it automatically detects the bundle and loads the content. If no bundle is found, the Player shows a message asking you to place a bundle in the same folder.

Display Mode

The Player runs in full-screen display mode. It cycles through screens according to their duration and transition settings. To exit display mode, use the configured password: press ⌘⌥P to open the password dialog, then enter the project’s deploy password.

Multi-Screen

When multiple displays are connected, the Player can show different content on each screen. Each display gets its own full-screen window.

Technical Reference

Keyboard Shortcuts

Supported Resolutions

Standard resolutions include XGA (1024×768), HD 720p (1280×720), and Full HD 1080p (1920×1080), in both horizontal and portrait orientations. Custom resolutions must be at least 1024×768 pixels.

File Format

Projects are saved as .digi files using the UTI com.xproline.digikiosk.project. The deploy process creates a .bundle package containing the project data and resources (images, videos) in the expected structure for DigiKiosk Player.

Trial Limitations

In trial mode, DigiKiosk has limits on screens per project (3), components per screen (5), and deploy count (3). Licensed or Mac App Store versions have no limits. Trial status is shown in the Deploy dialog. License entry is available from the application menu.

System Requirements

DigiKiosk requires macOS 14.0 or later and is built with Swift and SwiftUI. DigiKiosk Player has the same macOS requirement.

Undo and Redo

DigiKiosk supports undo and redo for component moves, resizes, additions, deletions, and screen edits. Use Edit → Undo (⌘Z) and Edit → Redo (⌘⇧Z) to revert or repeat changes.

Canvas Zoom

The toolbar includes zoom controls for the canvas. Use the minus and plus buttons to zoom out or in (10% to 300%). The zoom level affects only the editor view; the deployed content uses the screen’s actual resolution.