Printing text to console/tty6 from user script

[electrolux]

Is this just silly:

/etc/inittab

Code: Select all

#6:23:respawn:/sbin/getty 38400 tty6
6:23:respawn:/root/stream_data_to_tty6.sh 38400 tty6

/root/stream_data_to_tty6.sh

Code: Select all

#!/bin/bash
cat /home/electrolux/bin/msfifo > /dev/tty6

And in my music playing script there's a line

Code: Select all

cat /mnt/msrd/playing.txt > ~/bin/msfifo

playing.txt contains metadata from the internet radio stream I am playing, usually artist/track or show information. I'm trying to display the metadata on the monitor even if X isn't running (pynotify is used when X is running).

I guess this is risky 'cause of handling data off the internet as root, but it does work! Is there another neat hack to do this, or a better program?

I guess I could use tail -f on playing.txt with this arrangement, too. No idea if it'd be better in any ways.

Cheers, 'lux

PS If this isn't just nuts, how can the machine switch to tty6 at boot?