How can I get "gedit" to work on remote VPS?

rblampain · 09-03-2011, 02:07 AM

I am trying to set up a remote VPS with a standard Debian 5 install. I know nothing about window managers etc and some users on that VPS need to use "Gedit".

When as root I try the following line on the VPS:
myvps:~#

Code:

gedit progr.htm

I get:

Code:

cannot open display:
Run 'gedit --help' to see a full list of available command line options.

I get the same result as a normal user:
user0001@myvps:~$

Code:

gedit progr.htm
cannot open display: 
Run 'gedit --help' to see a full list of available command line options.

The solution seems to be: "xhost +",
:myvps~#

Code:

xhost +

this gives:

Code:

-bash: xhost: command not found

I then type: myvps:~#

Code:

find / -name xhost
myvps:~#

It looks like "xhost" is not installed

So I type the following line:
myvps:~#

Code:

apt-get install xhost

which gives the following result:

Code:

Reading package lists... Done
Building dependency tree       
Reading state information... Done
Package xhost is not available, but is referred to by another package.
This may mean that the package is missing, has been obsoleted, or
is only available from another source
However the following packages replace it:
  x11-xserver-utils
E: Package xhost has no installation candidate

I understand I should use another window manager but, if so, I do not know what I should do to have "gedit" working.

Can someone help?

Thank you for your assistance.

EricTRA · 09-03-2011, 02:28 AM

Hi,

Do you have a particular reason why your users need gedit? Why not use Nano, vi, vim, ... which all do a pretty good job and don't need Xserver as Gedit does. Without Xserver you cannot get gedit to work in my opinion. Another point is, how do you access your VPS? Through SSH right? So, if you install the full Xserver on your VPS just to use Gedit, will you enable remote login to the graphical display too? Or will you configure SSH to forward X? I personally would go with Nano if your users are not used to the console and forget about installing Xserver just to use Gedit. Just my opinion.

Kind regards,

Eric