Differences

This shows you the differences between two versions of the page.

--- other:x_conf [2022/08/05 14:55] – [Testing] Added lots of information jypeter
+++ other:x_conf [2022/08/08 15:40] – [If you are connecting with ssh] jypeter
@@ Line 9: / Line 9: @@
 ===== Using an X server on Linux =====
-Linux computers come pre-configured with a running X server (because they need it for displaying local graphics) that will display the graphics generated locally and on remote Linux servers. **You don't need to do anything special!**
+Linux computers come pre-configured with a running //X server// that will display the graphics generated locally and on remote Linux servers
+**You don't need to do anything special!**
@@ Line 26: / Line 28: @@
 Type: <wrap em>free</wrap>
-Download the installer from [[https://sourceforge.net/projects/vcxsrv/|VcXrsv]] and install VcXsrv.
+Download the installer from [[https://sourceforge.net/projects/vcxsrv/|VcXrsv]] and install ''VcXsrv''.
 === VcXsrv Configuration ===
@@ Line 32: / Line 34: @@
 You need to configure ''VcXsrv'' to work in //multiple windows// mode. The following steps will show you how to create a shortcut on your desktop to start VcXsrv in this appropriate mode
-  * Start the configuration tool: ''Start'' => ''VcXsrv'' => ''Xlaunch''
+  * Start the //configuration tool//: ''Start'' => ''VcXsrv'' => ''Xlaunch''
   * Select ''Multiple windows'', then ''Next''
   * Select ''Start no client'', then ''Next''
@@ Line 39: / Line 41: @@
   * Click on ''Save configuration'' and save an ''X_Server.xlaunch'' configuration file on your Desktop, then ''Terminate''.\\ You should now have a new ''X_Server'' icon/shortcut on your Desktop
   * Start the server by double-clicking on the new ''X_Server'' icon
-    * It will seem that nothing happens, but an ''X'' icon appears in the right side of the taskbar (you may have to look for it in the //Display hidden icons// pull-up menu). Your computer is now ready to display remote graphics!\\ {{ :other:vcxsrv_x.png?direct |}}
+    * It will seem that nothing happens, but an ''X'' icon will appear in the right side of the taskbar (you may have to look for it in the //Display hidden icons// pull-up menu). Your computer is now ready to display remote graphics!\\ {{ :other:vcxsrv_x.png?direct |}}
-    * The X server will stop when you close your Windows session or restart the computer. Do not forget to click on the X_Server icon if you know that you will need an X server later
+    * The X server will stop when you close your Windows session or restart the computer. Do not forget to click on the ''X_Server'' icon on your desktop if you know that you will need an X server later
+      * FIXME Document how to automatically start the X server...
     * Note: you can right-click on the ''X'' icon and select ''Exit...'' if you need to quit the X server
-  * You are now **ready**, if you only need VcXsrv to display graphical windows from remote servers
 ==== Installing x410 ====
-Type: <wrap em>commercial</wrap>
+<WRAP center round tip 60%>
+[[https://token2shell.com/x410/|x410]] is a **low cost** commercial //X server// that can be directly installed from the [[https://www.microsoft.com/store/productId/9NLP712ZMN9Q|Microsoft store]].
-[[https://token2shell.com/x410/|x410]] is a low cost commercial X server that can be directly installed from the [[https://www.microsoft.com/store/apps/9nlp712zmn9q|Microsoft store]]. Once installed, it will be automatically updated by the Microsoft Store application.
+This is an //X server//, and you will get the same functionalities as what is already provided for free by [[other:x_conf#installing_vcxsrv|VcXsrv]], **but**:
+  * Once installed, ''x410'' will be automatically updated by the Microsoft Store application
+  * If you move to another computer, you can install ''x410'' again by just [[other:win10config#connecting_to_the_microsoft_store|Connecting the MS Store to your account]] on the new computer. No need to buy it again
+  * There seem to be more (useful) updates than for ''VcXsrv''
+  * The interface is more modern, with more options, and there is a lot of useful information on the web site
+  * The ''x410'' name is easier to remember! :-D
+</WRAP>
-**Starting, configuring and exiting X410**: you can start X410 by clicking on it in the Windows Start Menu, or choose to [[https://token2shell.com/howto/x410/automatically-start-x410-on-login/|Automatically Start X410 on Login]]
-  * Note: nothing actually happens when you start X410, as it is just waiting to display graphics! You will just get a new **X** icon in the //hidden// icons of the taskbar.
-  * You can configure (and exit) X410 by right clicking on its **X** icon
-==== Installing MobaXterm ====
 Type: <wrap em>commercial</wrap>
-Available at [[https://mobaxterm.mobatek.net/|MobaXterm]], not tested. This seems to be more than just an X server, and may be an overkill if you just need an X server
+Buy and install ''x410'' from the [[https://www.microsoft.com/store/productId/9NLP712ZMN9Q|Microsoft store]]
+=== x410 configuration ===
+  * Start ''x410'': ''Start'' => ''X410''
+    * It will seem that nothing happens, but an ''X'' icon will appear in the right side of the taskbar (you may have to look for it in the //Display hidden icons// pull-up menu). Your computer is now __almost__ ready to display remote graphics!\\ {{ :other:x410_x.png?direct |}}
+  * Right-click on the ''X'' icon to open the **X410 settings**
+    * Select ''Auto copy to Windows after selection''\\ {{ :other:x410_settings.png?direct |}}
+  * It's possible to **automatically start ''x410''**! Otherwise, it will stop when you close your Windows session or restart the computer, and you will have to restart it by hand (''Start'' => ''X410'') if you know that you will need an X server later
+    * Open the **Windows Task Manager** (Right-click on ''Start'' and select ''Task Manager'')
+    * Go to the ''Startup'' panel (if there are no panels, select ''More details'')
+    * Right-click on ''X140'' and select ''Enabled''
+  * Note: if you need to quit the //X server//, you can right-click on the ''X'' icon, and then click on the //Display// number at the lower left (usually ''0'') and select ''Shut down''
 ===== Using an X server on an Apple computer =====
-===== Configuration on the remote machine =====
+===== Configuration on the remote Linux server =====
 ==== If you are connecting with ssh ====
-Nothing special to do!
+Nothing special to do, if you are using [[other:ssh#using_an_x_server_to_display_graphics|"ssh -X" or "ssh -Y"]] to connect to a remote Linux server
 ==== If you are using WSL ====
-If you have installed [[other:win10wsl|WSL+Ubuntu]] on your local machine, and you need your X server to display graphics generated in WSL, you need to define the DISPLAY variable: ''export DISPLAY=localhost:0.0''
+If you have installed [[other:win10wsl|WSL+Ubuntu]] on your local machine, and you need your //X server// to display local graphics generated in WSL, you need to **define the ''DISPLAY'' variable** in your terminal:
+  * //bash// shell: ''export DISPLAY=localhost:0.0''
+  * //tcsh// shell: ''setenv DISPLAY localhost:0.0''
+  * You probably want to define the ''DISPLAY'' variable automatically in one of the shell configuration files
@@ Line 80: / Line 99: @@
   * Open a terminal and check that the ''DISPLAY'' environment variable is correctly defined on the local machine
   * Connect to the remote machine
-  * Check that a (new) ''DISPLAY'' variable is defined on the remote machine
+  * Check that a (new) ''DISPLAY'' variable is automatically defined on the remote machine
   * Check that you can start an application using graphics (e.g. ''xterm'') on the remote machine
@@ Line 106: / Line 125: @@
 ==== On a Windows computer with only an X server installed ====
-Some basic commands in a ''Powershell'' (''Start'' => ''Windows Powershell'' => ''Windows Powershell'')
+We just open a ''Powershell'' window (''Start'' => ''Windows Powershell'' => ''Windows Powershell'') and type some basic commands
 <code>PS C:\> $env:computername
@@ Line 128: / Line 147: @@
 [Remote] $ xterm</code>
-  * Check the machine name, and check if the ''DISPLAY'' variable is defined
-    * You should get something similar to the following if you are connected with ''ssh -X'' or ''ssh -Y''\\ <code>$ hostname
-ciclad-ng.private.ipsl.fr
-$ echo $DISPLAY
+==== On a Windows computer with PuTTY and an X server installed ====
-localhost:68.0
-</code>
+We assume here that [[other:putty_conf|PuTTY is already installed and configured]] and **correctly** configured (with ''Enable X11 forwarding'')
-    * You should get something similar to the following if you are using WSL\\ <code>$ echo $DISPLAY
-SOMETHING
+We just have to open a pre-configured //PuTTY Session// on a remote server
-</code>
+<code>[Remote] $ hostname
-      * Otherwise, type ''export DISPLAY=localhost:0.0''
+name_of_the_remote_server
-  * Type ''xterm'' and check that a new //xterm// terminal appears (it may appear //iconified//)
-    * FIXME
+[Remote] $ echo $DISPLAY
+localhost:19.0
+[Remote] $ xterm</code>
+==== On a Windows computer with WSL+Linux and an X server installed ====
+  * FIXME ''export DISPLAY=localhost:0.0''
 ===== Troubleshooting =====
+==== Nothing works! ====
+That's unfortunate, but:
+  * Have you turned on your computer?
+  * Do you have network access, and an account on a remote server?
+  * Have you run the [[other:x_conf#testing|Tests]]?
+  * Have you installed and configured the //X server// correctly? Is it really running?
+  * Have you configured [[other:putty_conf|PuTTY]] and/or other required applications correctly ?
+  * Is the ''DISPLAY'' variable defined correctly on the local and remote computer?
 ==== OpenGL related settings ====
-It's hard to know what the best OpenGL settings for your X server are: it depends on your local computer, the remote computer, the network speed, the application generating the graphics, the libraries' versions...
+It's hard to know what the best //OpenGL// settings for your //X server// are: it depends on your local computer, the remote computer, the network speed, the application generating the graphics, the libraries' versions...
-  * If ''Native opengl'' is activated in VcXsrv, you //may// have to also use the following environment variable on the remote computer: ''export LIBGL_ALWAYS_INDIRECT=1''
+  * If ''Native opengl'' is activated in ''VcXsrv'', you //may// have to also use the following environment variable on the remote computer: ''export LIBGL_ALWAYS_INDIRECT=1''
     * or maybe not! You can try to understand the [[https://unix.stackexchange.com/questions/1437/what-does-libgl-always-indirect-1-actually-do|What does LIBGL_ALWAYS_INDIRECT=1 actually do?]] thread...