Launching X Program from SSH

deckmoney · 04-10-2003, 11:01 AM

Quick question: If I'm SSH into a machine that has X running, how do I issue commands on the SSH session to launch programs in the current X display?

For example, I just upgraded GAIM, but before I upgraded it I closed the program. Now I'm trying to launch gaim again, only I'm SSHed in from work. I thought I could do like "gaim 0:0" and that would launch it on the "0" display, but that isn't right. I know VNCing in would be easier, but this is just something I think I should know!!!

Thanks!

nxny · 04-10-2003, 11:27 AM

export DISPLAY=localhost:0
followed by gaim.

If you have a running X server at the ssh client end, you can run gaim ( and what not ) on the ssh server side and see the display on the ssh client end. I configure kernels ( make xconfig ) and compile my kernels at work so that when I go home, it's all good to go. in this case you dont have to worry about setting the DISPLAY env variable since ssh can take care of it automatically. Just enable X11 forwarding on the SSH server and client configs.

footfrisbee · 04-10-2003, 01:37 PM

Don't forget the "-X" switch on the commandline.

Code:

$ ssh -X user@foo.com

nxny · 04-10-2003, 01:44 PM

If you have X11forwarding=yes in the client config which is the default, you wont need a -X flag.

deckmoney · 04-16-2003, 04:34 PM

Thank you both for your replies; that worked great for me. I'm still having problems launching x0rfbserver remotely (it normally popsup a menu asking for input), so I posted on the Software forum hoping for a helpful reply. I have found a few switches for the command, but there is no documentation for them. I will try them later. Thanks again!