VNC Server

[Graeme Nichols]

On Fri, 2004-07-09 at 02:22, Rick Stevens wrote:
> Graeme Nichols wrote:
> > On Wed, 2004-07-07 at 03:30, Rick Stevens wrote:
> > 
> >>Graeme Nichols wrote:
> >>
> >>>Hello Rick, I am having trouble with Evolution at the moment where I am
> >>>unable to reply to your post containing the instructions to get VNC
> >>>working. I have tried four times so far and all messages have been
> >>>empty. Perhaps the time has come to invoke yum and update Evolution :-)
> >>>
> >>>Anyway, to continue... The xstartup file created by the first invocation
> >>>of vncserver did not contain the line 'unset SESSION_MANAGER'. After
> >>>inserting that line I managed to get the XWindow I was expecting.
> >>>However, to get the vncviewer to work I had to use the following
> >>>command:- 'sudo vncviewer -via barney barney:1' Without the 'sudo' it
> >>>failed with the 'unable to read password' error. Using sudo it asked for
> >>>root's password on barney, then my user password on barney and it all
> >>>worked.
> >>
> >>On the remote end, you have to run "vncserver" or "xvnc" as the user you
> >>intend to log in as remotely.  
> > 
> > 
> > Hello Rick,  
> > 
> > Yep! I started vncserver as my login name, graeme.
> 
> Ok.
> 
> >>You probably ran vncserver on the remote
> >>end as root, so you have to be root at the local end, too.  
> > 
> > 
> > Nope. Started it as my mortal self.
> > 
> > 
> >>The "can't
> >>read password" error is caused by the vnc server running as root and you
> >>trying to log in as a mortal user.  The mortal user you tried to log in
> >>as probably doesn't have a ~/.vnc/passwd file.
> > 
> > 
> > Maybe I'm wrong, but I don't think so, because if I start vncviewer on
> > the same machine I started vncserver the password is read no problem. It
> > is only when I start vncviewer on the 'other' machine.
> 
> Uh, you realize that using the "-via" bit requires you to use the ssh
> password to get into the machine, then you need the vnc password to
> access the vnc server?  Which password is pooping out?
> 
> >>>One thing I would like to change if I can is the size of the TightVNC
> >>>window that comes up. The argument 'fullscreen' defaults to 'no' but
> >>>that is almost as big as fullscreen. It is larger than the screen size
> >>>and results in a scroll bar right and bottom. Is there a way to set the
> >>>screen size?
> >>
> >>You mean the local VNC window is smaller than the screen size of the 
> >>remote end, hence you have scroll bars.  You can either turn on
> >>fullscreen (which really only works if your local screen size is the
> >>same or larger than the remote end) or you can use the "-geometry"
> >>option to specify your local window size.  If you use a 1280x1024
> >>display locally, fullscreen mode is essentially:
> > 
> > 
> > No, both machines have a 1024x768 screen size, the machine running the
> > server and the machine running the viewer. When I log in from the
> > machine running the viewer the window, labeled 'TightVNC: Graeme's X
> > Desktop etc...', has scroll bars which interfere with the application.
> > The 'actual' window size appears to be 1024x768, the same physical size
> > as the screen, but the scroll bars take up display area causing the
> > problem.
> 
> Ah, yes, that would be an issue.  The scroll bars do occupy desktop
> space.  You could specify a smaller desktop on the server using the
> "-geometry" parameter:
> 
> 	vncserver -geometry 800x600
> 
> The vncviewer should have a bigger desktop than the server to prevent
> that issue.  See next paragraph.
> 
> > 
> > 
> > 
> >>	-geometry 1280x1024x0x0
> > 
> > 
> > If I start vncviewer with the command 'vncviewer -geometry 800x600x0x0
> > -via barney barney:1' to stick the window in the top right corner, or
> > wherever, it still comes up bigger than the screen's real estate with
> > the scroll bars. If I then click on the full screen icon (trc) the
> > scroll bars disappear but the window is slightly larger than the
> > machine's screen resolution/size (1024x768). The docs for X mention the
> > the -geometry option but I wasn't able to get it to work when I start an
> > Xterm for a particular size, simply puts up the usage screen saying the
> > -geometry option was not valid. Perhaps the problem with vncviewer is
> > linked with the X problem, I don't know.
> 
> That's because the server is using a 1024x768 display (default) but
> you've specified an 800x600 window to show it in.  Of course you'll have
> scroll bars.  If you use:
> 
> 	vncserver -geometry 800x600
> 
> on the server and
> 
> 	vncviewer -via barney barney:1
> 
> the viewer shouldn't have scrollbars.  Granted the desktop will be
> smaller, but no scrollbars.
> 
> > Thanks Rick, sorry to be a nuisance but I would like to sort it if I
> > can.

Rick, thank you very much, you're a wiz. I hadn't picked up on the
ability to size the server desktop, I was mistakenly trying to size the
viewer, Duh! As for the password problem I guess it must be the ssh
password. Prefixing the command to start the viewer with 'sudo' results
in being asked for root's password on barney followed later by the
prompt 'password'. Entering my own login password at this prompt up
comes the viewer screen.

It all works like a dream now, thanks in no small measure to your help,
and I now know a LOT more about Linux. The 'fun is in the learning'.

Ta muchly,

-- 

Kind regards,

Graeme Nichols

Public Key available from http://keyserver.kjsl.com:11371/#extract

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