Mate 1.8 on Ubuntu 14.04 over vnc

taylorkh · 04-29-2014, 06:28 PM

I hope this is the appropriate forum - in not, moderators please feel free to relocate the thread. TIA.

On my headless Ubuntu 12.0 server I have installed gnome-shell and vnc4server. When and if I need a gui on the server - mainly to shuffle around a bunch of files with gnome-commander or Beyond Compare - I connect with ssh, invoke my vnc desktop on the server and access it with vinagre.

I am now trying to do the same thing on 14.04 server but using the Mate 1.8 desktop. I have installed mate-core, mate-desktop-environment, and mate-notification-daemon per various instructions I have found. The gui does not load on the server console - which is exactly what I want. Is this part of the problem, I am not sure? However, when I start my desktop session in vncserver and connect to it all I see is a pale blue screen with 3 check boxes in the upper right having to do with configuration of vnc. I have no desktop.

I believe the issue is in ~/.vnc/xstartup. As created the first time I invoke vncserver I find

Code:

  # Uncomment the following two lines for normal desktop:
  #unset SESSION_MANAGER
  #exec /etc/X11/xinit/xinitrc
  [ -x /etc/vnc/xstartup ] && exec /etc/vnc/xstartup
  [ -r $HOME/.Xresources ] && xrdb $HOME/.Xresources
  xsetroot -solid grey
  vncconfig -iconic &
  x-terminal-emulator -geometry 1280x1024+10+10 -ls -title "$VNCDESKTOP Desktop" &
  x-window-manager &

In the file on my 12.04 server I have

Code:

  # Uncomment the following two lines for normal desktop:
  unset SESSION_MANAGER
  # exec /etc/X11/xinit/xinitrc
  gnome-session --session=gnome-classic &
  [ -x /etc/vnc/xstartup ] && exec /etc/vnc/xstartup
  [ -r $HOME/.Xresources ] && xrdb $HOME/.Xresources
  xsetroot -solid grey
  vncconfig -iconic &
#  x-terminal-emulator -geometry 1280x1024+10+10 -ls -title "$VNCDESKTOP Desktop" &
#  x-window-manager &

The red line is of course not present in the file on the Mate machine. I am guessing that I need to tell vnc to run the Mate desktop. However, I have no idea of the syntax and have not been able to find reference to it. '

Can someone suggest the syntax I need?

TIA,

Ken

p.s. For the record, here is a log from the Mate machine

Quote:

ken@vmUbuntuServer14:~$ cat /home/ken/.vnc/vmUbuntuServer14:1.log

Xvnc Free Edition 4.1.1 - built Jan 14 2013 22:28:40
Copyright (C) 2002-2005 RealVNC Ltd.
See http://www.realvnc.com for information on VNC.
Underlying X server release 40300000, The XFree86 Project, Inc

Tue Apr 29 19:19:04 2014
vncext: VNC extension running!
vncext: Listening for VNC connections on port 5901
vncext: created VNC server for screen 0
error opening security policy file /etc/X11/xserver/SecurityPolicy
Could not init font path element /usr/X11R6/lib/X11/fonts/Type1/, removing from list!
Could not init font path element /usr/X11R6/lib/X11/fonts/Speedo/, removing from list!
Could not init font path element /usr/X11R6/lib/X11/fonts/misc/, removing from list!
Could not init font path element /usr/X11R6/lib/X11/fonts/75dpi/, removing from list!
Could not init font path element /usr/X11R6/lib/X11/fonts/100dpi/, removing from list!
Could not init font path element /usr/share/fonts/X11/Type1/, removing from list!
Could not init font path element /usr/share/fonts/X11/75dpi/, removing from list!
Could not init font path element /usr/share/fonts/X11/100dpi/, removing from list!

ivtec · 04-30-2014, 05:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by taylorkh

I hope this is the appropriate forum - in not, moderators please feel free to relocate the thread. TIA.

On my headless Ubuntu 12.0 server I have installed gnome-shell and vnc4server. When and if I need a gui on the server - mainly to shuffle around a bunch of files with gnome-commander or Beyond Compare - I connect with ssh, invoke my vnc desktop on the server and access it with vinagre.

I am now trying to do the same thing on 14.04 server but using the Mate 1.8 desktop. I have installed mate-core, mate-desktop-environment, and mate-notification-daemon per various instructions I have found. The gui does not load on the server console - which is exactly what I want. Is this part of the problem, I am not sure? However, when I start my desktop session in vncserver and connect to it all I see is a pale blue screen with 3 check boxes in the upper right having to do with configuration of vnc. I have no desktop.

I believe the issue is in ~/.vnc/xstartup. As created the first time I invoke vncserver I find

Code:

  # Uncomment the following two lines for normal desktop:
  #unset SESSION_MANAGER
  #exec /etc/X11/xinit/xinitrc
  [ -x /etc/vnc/xstartup ] && exec /etc/vnc/xstartup
  [ -r $HOME/.Xresources ] && xrdb $HOME/.Xresources
  xsetroot -solid grey
  vncconfig -iconic &
  x-terminal-emulator -geometry 1280x1024+10+10 -ls -title "$VNCDESKTOP Desktop" &
  x-window-manager &

In the file on my 12.04 server I have

Code:

  # Uncomment the following two lines for normal desktop:
  unset SESSION_MANAGER
  # exec /etc/X11/xinit/xinitrc
  gnome-session --session=gnome-classic &
  [ -x /etc/vnc/xstartup ] && exec /etc/vnc/xstartup
  [ -r $HOME/.Xresources ] && xrdb $HOME/.Xresources
  xsetroot -solid grey
  vncconfig -iconic &
#  x-terminal-emulator -geometry 1280x1024+10+10 -ls -title "$VNCDESKTOP Desktop" &
#  x-window-manager &

The red line is of course not present in the file on the Mate machine. I am guessing that I need to tell vnc to run the Mate desktop. However, I have no idea of the syntax and have not been able to find reference to it. '

Can someone suggest the syntax I need?

TIA,

Ken

p.s. For the record, here is a log from the Mate machine

You should not install other desktops in ubuntu 14.04 then the ones supported by ubuntu, at list now till everything is bug free or at list more stable,i use gnome2 flashback and like it very much.you might not have a nicer desktop as Mate but it's efficient.

taylorkh · 04-30-2014, 06:27 PM

Thanks ivtec,

Mate 1.8 is in the Ubuntu 14 repos so I think it is supported to some degree. And this is only a test installation at this point. I am not familiar with gnome2flashback. I will look into that. I need only a very basic desktop for this situation.

Ken

p.s. You did not really need to quote my entire post. It is after all only one entry above yours.

ivtec · 05-02-2014, 02:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by taylorkh

Thanks ivtec,

Mate 1.8 is in the Ubuntu 14 repos so I think it is supported to some degree. And this is only a test installation at this point. I am not familiar with gnome2flashback. I will look into that. I need only a very basic desktop for this situation.

Ken

p.s. You did not really need to quote my entire post. It is after all only one entry above yours.

Nothing better then Gnome2 flashback as a basic and simple workable desktop just like winxp desktop feel.