can't run remote x-windows apps using ssh -X

jcurts71 · 06-04-2007, 06:51 AM

Hi

I have two servers using Centos (Red Hat ES rebranded) 5.0 and a desktop using Centos 4.4.

From my desktop I can access both machines by typing "ssh -X user@192.168.X" but only one of the machines will allow me to run it's X windows apps.

For example, if I type "yumex" to get the graphical configuration app for yum, on the failing machine I get the message:

"ERROR: Unable to initialize graphical environment. Most likely cause of failureis that the tool was not run using a graphical environment. Please either start your graphical user interface or set your DISPLAY variable."

I didn't install gnome, kde or X windows when I built either of the machines so I don't get what the difference is.

I've got reasonable command line knowledge but know nothing about X - can someone direct me to which files I should install / configure to resolve this?

Many thanks

James

b0uncer · 06-04-2007, 07:02 AM

1) make sure sshd allows X11 forwarding
2) try to launch the app and define the DISPLAY variable, for example

Code:

DISPLAY=:0 someprog

if that was a good format in your case. The above (setting DISPLAY to :0) worked for me when I ran some apps with Wine over ssh; other programs worked just fine with X11 forwarding but Wine didn't do anything before setting DISPLAY.

jcurts71 · 06-04-2007, 08:06 AM

Hi

Thanks for coming back to me so quickly. Much appreciated.

Quote:

Originally Posted by b0uncer

1) make sure sshd allows X11 forwarding

Forgot to say in the original post that sshd is configured to allow forwarding

Quote:

Originally Posted by b0uncer

2) try to launch the app and define the DISPLAY variable, for example

Code:

DISPLAY=:0 someprog

if that was a good format in your case. The above (setting DISPLAY to :0) worked for me when I ran some apps with Wine over ssh; other programs worked just fine with X11 forwarding but Wine didn't do anything before setting DISPLAY.

Just tried to do this with one of the redhat configs:

Code:

DISPLAY=:0 system-config-users

and get

Code:

system-config-users requires a currently running X server.

when I try yumex, I'm now getting a different error:

Code:

[root@xxxxxx ~]# DISPLAY=:0 yumex
Traceback (most recent call last):
  File "/usr/share/yumex/yumexmain.py", line 24, in ?
    import gtk
  File "/usr/lib64/python2.4/site-packages/gtk-2.0/gtk/__init__.py", line 76, in ?
    _init()
  File "/usr/lib64/python2.4/site-packages/gtk-2.0/gtk/__init__.py", line 64, in _init
    _gtk.init_check()
RuntimeError: could not open display
[root@xxxxxx ~]#

jcurts71 · 06-05-2007, 04:33 AM

After more reading, I resolved this one:

The problem was that I needed need to have xorg-x11-xauth file installed. In centos this can be done by typing:

Code:

yum install xorg-x11-xau*