Remote X Windows
 

Hello,

I'm sure there's some discussion of this already, but my searches of the forums didn't pop up anything relevant.

Anyway, what i would like to know is what is the minimum I need to install on both a remote and local OS X boxen for me to start an X session on the remote box and control it from the local box.

Basically I want to be able to move some files around from one HD to the other (on the remote box) and other admin tasks.

A little education on how this works and why you need componentes like windowmaker (which I saw mentioned), gnome, etc, would be very much appreciated.

Also, while I"m at it. Is there any way of working with a .dmg file, from the command line, without mounting it?


v

Hello,

OK, installed the dev tools on the remote machine, setup fink and am installing xfree86. Anyone have any info on what I need for the above?

For example, do i need a window manager? to see the hard drives do i need a desktop environment? I really have no clue about how this works and what I need.


thanks,
v

vonleigh,

Ok, let's go slowly, let's start with setting up Fink and Xfree86.

In the remote machine, what's your:

'sw_vers'

'fink -V'

If you have Jaguar installed, did you installed the July (Jaguar) Dev Tools and the August update?

Did you installed Xfree86 with Fink?

Did you set up your environment?

Check the following:

http://fink.sourceforge.net/doc/user...tall.php#setup


Cheers...

Hello,

On both boxes I have the lastest OS (10.2.2) and the latest fink (Package manager version: 0.11.1 Distribution version: 0.5.0.cvs)

I did "fink install xfree86-rootless" on both boxes, besides the selfupdate-cvs and update-all. It just finished compiling everything.

If by "set up your environment" you mean added the init.sh to my zshrc, then that's a yes.



gracias,
v

vonleigh,

Well done.

Have you installed any window manager ?


Cheers...

Hello,

Err no... I'm actually not sure what I should install next and why. A linux using friend told me I needed to install something like gnome or kdx if I wanted access to the hard drives, do I also need a window manager? how do these things interact?

Also, would I install them on the remote or local machine? And finally, how would I connect? I was told I need to do ssh into the box with the -X flag, but after that I'm not sure.


v

vonleigh,

Let's first get XFree86 up and running and then we go into ssh.

Now, I would install other window manager (besides the default install which is twm). Any will do. Of course, you could install with Fink, the Gnome or Kde desktop environment if you want, but these are both big installs.

I would install first, a simple window manager to see how all you settings work. For example, I would run 'fink install blackbox-rootless' or 'fink install windowmaker' on both machines.

Then, you need to configure your ~/.xinitrc file.


Cheers...

Hello,

OK, installed windowmaker on both. Now what?


v


Edit: eek, I lied. How do I look up an alternate location for a file? It's not downloading "ftp://ftp.remotesensing.org/pub/libtiff/tiff-v3.5.7.tar.gz" site seems to be down.

I know I can just manually download it and put it in /sw/src right?

Edit2: Never mind, googled it. Is there a better way of looking for alternate download sites? or would it be up to every package and google is the method?

OK, currently compiling should be done in a while. What's next?

vonleigh,

Well, google is the fastest way to find a file.

Write on both machines, in your home directory a ~/.xinitrc file with only the following lines:

After that, let's check if all works:

Double click the XDarwin.app in your application folder to start XDarwin. Select fullscreen-mode. When Xfree86 comes up, you will see some icons, play around a little bit. Check the preferences panel.


Cheers...

Hello,

It worked, quite fun to play around in a different environment. I can't test the remote machine this way unfortunately, but I don't see why It wouldn't work also.

OK, what's next? :D



v

vonleigh,

Good it works ! I would install several applications with Fink now, as your X11 environment is quite empty. Maybe also Eterm or Aterm or rxvt, and configure them as you want. Color, font, background, scrollbar. Or configure xterm too.

There are several ways you can go now, you must decide:

1- You can use VNC to control your X11 desktop in the remote machine. If you go this way, you need to install VNC or TightVNC with Fink in both machines, and a client like VNCDimension or VNCThing. Check versiontracker.
Then you can use the remote machine as a server, and you open the client in your local machine to connect.

2-Just for information, you can also use OSXvnc to control the MacOS X desktop in the remote machine. And use one of the VNC clients above to connect.

3- You can use ssh -X or xhost. The difference is that ssh -X is secure and I think xhost is not.

To use ssh -X you need to have enabled in the remote machine /etc/ssh_config:

X11Forwarding yes

Also in /etc/sshd_config check you have:

X11Forwarding yes
X11DisplayOffset 10
X11UseLocalhost yes

Later...


Cheers...

Hello,

OK, here you totally lost me sao.

1. What apps would you suggest to install? (I can only think of gimp)

2. What's a VNC? If it's something like ARD or timbuktu:

I didn't want to use something like timbuktu or Apple Remote Desktop because they are dog slow over the internet. I thought that by using remote X-Windows it would be a lot faster since it doesn't send a whole bitmap of the screen.

But maybe if there's one that's faster (I tried both of those mentioned above, and they were too slow to be useful).

3. How do I use the ssh -X option? If I do that, nothing happens.

4. I can't find those parameters in the ssh_config file. Should I just add those parameters at the end of the file?


thanks,
v

vonleigh,

1- Well, for what will you want to run an XFree86 session on a remote box if you don't have some applications to run, except xterm. Unless you just want to move some files around...

2- VNC it is remote control software which allows you to view and interact with one computer (the "server") using a simple program (the "viewer") on another computer anywhere on the Internet. It allows a person at a remote computer to assume control of another computer across a network, as if they were sitting in front of the other computer.

Please, check here:
http://www.realvnc.com/what.html

I installed with Fink and use TightVNC, check the following:
http://www.tightvnc.com/

3- To use ssh:

First go into the "Sharing" System Preferences pane on your remote computer and switch on "Remote login". This effectively starts sshd. In case you have "Firewall" activated in the same preferences pane, make sure the port "Remote login - SSH (22)" is enabled.

Then go to /etc/sshd_config and check you have the following:

X11Forwarding yes
X11DisplayOffset 10
X11UseLocalhost yes

If you don't have them, add them. After changing, sshd needs to be restarted (reboot, or kill -9 on the PID of /usr/sbin/sshd plus "sudo /sbin/sshd")

Then in an XFree86 session in your local machine run in an xterm:

% ssh -X -C remotehostname@ipaddress


Let me know how it goes.


Cheers...

Hello,

I set those three options in my sshd_config file (uncommented and set to yes). Restarted ssh and started a wm session on my box. Then I logged in via ssh with the -X option and I got:

/usr/X11R6/bin/xauth: creating new authority file /Users/me/.Xauthority

Does that mean It's working? since I don't have any proggies installed I'm not sure what should happen.

What window manager would allow me to see the hard drives so I can move files around with drag and drop?



thanks,
v

vonleigh,

Sorry I didn't answer before, was a little busy with Fink.

Speaking about ssh, I think we will be better off with the help and services of osxpez or MervTormel. Please....

I myself having changed the passwd in one of my machines I'm having problems to connect now with ssh. I keep getting after typing my password:

"Permission denied (publickey,password,keyboard-interactive)"

Somebody would understand if I post the debuging messages I got after I tried the command with ssh -vvv ?

On the other hand, I can guide you with VNC if you would want. It's a very simple affair. I posted one screenshot of TightVNC running through vncviewer in xfree86-rootless mode for your viewing pleasure here:

http://homepage.mac.com/sao1/PhotoAlbum7.html


Cheers...

Sao - I really dig that Dock (Apple, not X11 or other) you've got in that screenshot of VNC. Do tell how you got it?

Bluehz,

You can install the prefPane 'Skin a Dock'. I'm using the BBX_Dock2 Skin.

You can download it from here:

http://www.ittpoi.com/sad.html

And download skins from here:

http://www.ittpoi.com/sad.html


Cheers...

PS: Some of the skins look quite cool. :)

Thx for info Sao. D/l and installed, then I saw the dread "Application Enhancer". Not sure if you remember - but Merv I believe it was finally diagnosed a problem I was having with XWindows as issues with Unsanity's Application Enhancer. Ever since disabling teh AE and Fruit Menu I have had the most stable system I have had since I switched to OS X in the beta days. I am dumfounded at how many mysterious crashes, freezes, etc. have been eliminated since disabling that.

I went ahead and installed anyway - I just gotta give it a try...I like livin' on the edge.

---

On another note - one thing you might want to discuss in this thread is the difference between using an SSH X Windows session (e.g. ssh -X server@host) as opposed to using TightVNC. I sort of understand the concept from my many years using Timbuktu - but other readers might not completely understand it and I for one wouldn't mind some finer points of the usage comaprison.

Sao - sorry to be off topic...what did you use to change the system menubar color the yellow/orange color. I toyed with someofthe "themeing apps" in the past but found them a bit firghtful. Just wondererd what you were using.

bluehz,

I don't use any themes.app, In OS 9, I just put the file Extras.rsrc from the theme I want to use in OS X in:

/System/Library/Frameworks/Carbon.Framework/Versions/A/Frameworks/HIToolbox.framework/Versions/A/Resources/

Be sure to keep the original in a safe place and don't forget to put the original back, before upgrading OS X.

I'm using MakkiX 2.0 (For MacOS X 10.2) made by Takashi Izawa

http://www.resexcellence.com/themes/


Cheers...

bluehz,

The best would be you install with Fink TightVNC in two machines and we take it from there. Then you could experience firsthand VNC.

Cheers...