How X (X Window) looks?

ravisingh1 · 09-15-2013, 02:12 AM

I am confused as when X is started, how it is visible on screen. Does a new Window appears or not!!
Much confusion!
I booted, opened a shell terminal.
Below is regarding my local machine:
Entered

Code:

xterm

The terminal emulation window(xterm) appeard. Now, I conclude that X is already running and so is X server.
Then I entered in terminal

Code:

startx

It resulted in a different screen. Looked like normal screen when system is booted. But that screen has no menus. If 2 windows are opened one above the other, I can't bring the bottom one on top simply by clicking it. I can't enlarge it, I can't move it.
Also, it's not so easy to close it. May be no menu is there for that X client.
Now one doubt: Earlier before running command

Code:

startx

,was X running as if so when I again ran X by the above command , why it opened a new screen? That means, X is running again with a different look (i.e. different desktop)

One thing I w'd like to add. Once I run 'startx' and a new screen/desktop appears, it's not a direct easy way to come out from there. Right now I experimented. I wasn't able to come out from that desktop. button function 'alt-tab' doesn't work there. To escape from there back to my original desktop, i pressed ctrl-ALT-F1 and entered shell prompt. there I pressed ctrl-alt-F7 to return back to my original desktop.

Below is regarding my remote machine:

Quote:

One thing I w'd like to tell w.r.t. my remote server. When I connect remote server of mine (VPS) I see the desktop or the screen on the remote box which is same screen/window as what I saw on my local machine when I ran on my local machine

Code:

startx

. From this I feel that something like startx is running on my remote server as a result of which I am not able to see the normal desktop as seen on local (having menus on left, etc).
There was no menu visible as is visible on my local machine. You can see the screen shot for clarity of how my remote destop looks like when I connect to remote machine. The menu visible on the screen shot is of my local machine. The top most window is my remote machine. There also I can't change size of any window. It works the same way as when here locally I ran

Code:

startx

.
If there everytime something (as told above) is running, how to stop and get back to my normal desktop that we all (ubuntu 13.04 users)see after the system is booted.
Now please tell me what can I do so that I get menu on my remote machine. What to do so that the remote also looks the same as my local box. Both local and remote has ubuntu13.04

It's too unclear as how X looks.

jdkaye · 09-15-2013, 02:57 AM

I'm not sure I understand your question but with ubuntu you boot straight into your gui. startx is run automatically. But as I said, I don't really understand what you are asking. When you boot up are you getting a black background white lettered TTY screen?
jdk

ravisingh1 · 09-15-2013, 03:43 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jdkaye

When you boot up are you getting a black background white lettered TTY screen?
jdk

In my local box, it's perfectly booting fine and having menu on left of screen as you all get.
But for my remote box, I don't get any menu. My screen shot says what I see there. Please see it attached in my last post. Also in my last post , I have detailed how my remote box works (my text written within quotes)

jdkaye · 09-15-2013, 10:11 AM

I'm afraid I have no experience with "remote boxes". Is that anything like using ssh?
jdk

frankbell · 09-15-2013, 08:53 PM

Are you using a thin client, that is, connecting to a server and using the X-server and GUI applications located on that server?

ravisingh1 · 09-16-2013, 09:55 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by frankbell

Are you using a thin client, that is, connecting to a server and using the X-server and GUI applications located on that server?

I am using NX (http://www.nomachine.com/download.php)
I have NX client installed on my local and the 3 packages of NX (client, server and node) installed on remote.
Then I connect to the remote machine by providing my IP address. That's all. Regarding X-server and GUI applications on the remote server, I am not using that (I haven't specified anything like X-server for connection). When I am connected, I get the screen as shown in the screen shot of my 1st post.

frankbell · 09-16-2013, 08:41 PM

I visited the website. It looks like some sort of proprietary VNC software.

I don't know enough to even venture a guess. I notice, though, they do have a support page and a knowledge base. Have you looked there?

ravisingh1 · 09-16-2013, 10:33 PM

Yes, I had emailed them explaining the issue. But yet no reply. They have my credentials to login to my remote server. They told they w'd investigate on this matter as why my remote desktop appears like that (without menu, etc.)
Also the reason I feel may not be related to them (nomachine.com). It's something to be done on my remote server. You know why I say this: Because the same sort of screen as visible on remote machine was visible on my local machine when I run on my local machine

Code:

startx

.
I repeat when I connect to remote, I see what I have shown in screen shot. That remote machine shows the same screen/desktop as is visible on my local box when I run locally

Code:

startx

.
One thing I w'd like to add. Once I run 'startx' and a new screen/desktop appears, it's not a direct easy way to come out from there. Right now I experimented. I wasn't able to come out from that desktop. button function 'alt-tab' doesn't work there. To escape from there back to my original desktop, i pressed ctrl-ALT-F1 and entered shell prompt. there I pressed ctrl-alt-F7 to return back to my original desktop. (this point I have added in my 1st post by editing it)

pan64 · 09-17-2013, 12:41 AM

this is not the intended usage of startx. I mean you need not use startx but something else. You may want remote login, ssh, remote desktop, or anything. I suggest you to explain what do you really want to achieve and we will try to explain how can you do that. At this moment I'm a bit confused and I only know starx is not the right way.