Hey I have a virtual server on a UML box (red hat 9 full install with root access - x windows, Gnome, KDE using VNC and NX to connect when I feel like using the GUI. I really want to use Blackbox for its improved speed and style but I just can't get it to work in place of KDE or Gnome, or "with" them as I understand it. I really need the exact bit to put in whichever script to get it to work with switchdesk. (When I use vncserver I think it does something other than use the usual scripts). I'd also like to add ICE adn fvwm as options but I think they all have the same issue. Switchdesk works fine between Gnome and KDE. The speed using VNC's java server or NX is very close to real time - with blackbox I think it will be just like sitting there.

In your ~/.vnc/xstartup script enter the comand that you usually use to start blackbox.

(remove the one that starts kde now)

well apparetnly my setup is not so easy...or maybe it is and I'm just missing something. According to BB man pages I can just add "blackbox" as a command in the right place and all is good. The problem is finding that right place. vncstartup seems to refer to xinit. xinit seems to refer to Xclients. Xclients seems to refer to etc/sysconfig/desktops which doesnt exist. Heres what I have, (sorry for th elong paste but I think others will want to know this too:

@vnc startup script:

#!/bin/sh

# Red Hat Linux VNC session startup script
unset SESSION_MANAGER
exec /etc/X11/xinit/xinitrc





@xinitrc:

#!/bin/sh
# (c) 1999-2002 Red Hat, Inc.

userresources=$HOME/.Xresources
usermodmap=$HOME/.Xmodmap
userxkbmap=$HOME/.Xkbmap

sysresources=/etc/X11/Xresources
sysmodmap=/etc/X11/Xmodmap
sysxkbmap=/etc/X11/Xkbmap

# merge in defaults
if [ -f "$sysresources" ]; then
xrdb -merge "$sysresources"
fi

if [ -f "$userresources" ]; then
xrdb -merge "$userresources"
fi

# merge in keymaps
if [ -f "$sysxkbmap" ]; then
setxkbmap `cat "$sysxkbmap"`
XKB_IN_USE=yes
fi

if [ -f "$userxkbmap" ]; then
setxkbmap `cat "$userxkbmap"`
XKB_IN_USE=yes
fi

if [ -z "$XKB_IN_USE" -a ! -L /etc/X11/X ]; then
if grep '^exec.*/Xsun' /etc/X11/X > /dev/null 2>&1 && [ -f /etc/X11/XF86Con$
xkbsymbols=`sed -n -e 's/^[ ]*XkbSymbols[ ]*"\(.*\)".*$/\1/p' /et$
if [ -n "$xkbsymbols" ]; then
setxkbmap -symbols "$xkbsymbols"
XKB_IN_USE=yes
fi
fi
fi

# xkb and xmodmap don't play nice together
if [ -z "$XKB_IN_USE" ]; then
if [ -f "$sysmodmap" ]; then
xmodmap "$sysmodmap"
fi

if [ -f "$usermodmap" ]; then
xmodmap "$usermodmap"
fi
fi
unset XKB_IN_USE

# run all system xinitrc shell scripts.
for i in /etc/X11/xinit/xinitrc.d/* ; do
if [ -x "$i" ]; then
. "$i"
fi
done

# The user may have their own clients they want to run. If they don't,
# fall back to system defaults.
# set up ssh agent environment if available.

if [ -f $HOME/.Xclients ]; then
[ -x /usr/bin/ssh-agent -a -z "$SSH_AGENT_PID" ] && \
exec ssh-agent $HOME/.Xclients || \
exec $HOME/.Xclients
elif [ -f /etc/X11/xinit/Xclients ]; then
[ -x /usr/bin/ssh-agent -a -z "$SSH_AGENT_PID" ] && \
exec ssh-agent /etc/X11/xinit/Xclients || \
exec /etc/X11/xinit/Xclients
else
# failsafe settings. Although we should never get here
# (we provide fallbacks in Xclients as well) it can't hurt.
xclock -geometry 100x100-5+5 &
xterm -geometry 80x50-50+150 &
if [ -x /usr/bin/netscape -a -f /usr/share/doc/HTML/index.html ]; then
netscape /usr/share/doc/HTML/index.html &
fi
if [ -x /usr/X11R6/bin/fvwm2 ]; then
exec fvwm2
else
exec twm
fi
fi




@Xclients:

#!/bin/bash
# Copyright 1999 - 2001 Red Hat, Inc.
# License: GNU General Public License v2

# check to see if the user has a preferred desktop
PREFERRED=
if [ -f /etc/sysconfig/desktop ]; then
. /etc/sysconfig/desktop
if [ "$DESKTOP" = "GNOME" ]; then
PREFERRED=gnome-session
elif [ "$DESKTOP" = "KDE" ]; then
PREFERRED=startkde
elif [ "$DESKTOP" = "WINDOWMAKER" ]; then
PREFERRED=wmaker
elif [ "$DESKTOP" = "FVWM" ]; then
PREFERRED=fvwm2
fi
fi

if [ -n "$PREFERRED" ] && which $PREFERRED >/dev/null 2>&1; then
PREFERRED=`which $PREFERRED`
exec $PREFERRED
fi

# now if we can reach here, either no desktop file was present,
# or the desktop requested is not installed.

if [ -z "$PREFERRED" ]; then

GSESSION=gnome-session
STARTKDE=startkde

# by default, we run GNOME.
if which $GSESSION >/dev/null 2>&1; then
exec `which $GSESSION`
fi

# if GNOME isn't installed, try KDE.
if which $STARTKDE >/dev/null 2>&1; then
exec `which $STARTKDE`
fi
fi

# Failsafe.

# these files are left sitting around by TheNextLevel.
rm -f $HOME/Xrootenv.0
rm -f /tmp/fvwmrc* 2>/dev/null

# First thing - check the user preferences
if [ -f $HOME/.wm_style ] ; then
WMSTYLE=`cat $HOME/.wm_style |tr A-Z a-z`
case "$WMSTYLE" in
afterstep|windowmaker|mmaker)
exec /usr/X11R6/bin/RunWM --WindowMaker
;;
fvwm95|fvwm|fvwm2)
exec /usr/X11R6/bin/RunWM --Fvwm95
;;
mwm|lesstif)
exec /usr/X11R6/bin/RunWM --FvwmMWM
;;
esac
fi

# Argh! Nothing good is installed. Fall back to fvwm2 (win95-style) or twm
/usr/X11R6/bin/RunWM --Fvwm95 || {
# gosh, neither fvwm95 nor fvwm2 is available;
# fall back to failsafe settings
xclock -geometry 100x100-5+5 &
xterm -geometry 80x50-50+150 &
if [ -f /usr/bin/mozilla -a -f /usr/share/doc/HTML/index.html ]; then
mozilla /usr/share/doc/HTML/index.html &
fi
if [ -f /usr/X11R6/bin/fvwm ]; then
exec fvwm
else
exec twm
fi
}


Any ideas? I know I'm clueless but my UML pre made distro seems different than anything I've worked with so far. (Then again the last redhat I worked on was pre 7)

Just change your script to containing:
blackbox &

but which script?? not trying to be dense but i dont get that response at all. change as in remove everything and add "blackbox&" or add it to the bottom of a script without changing anything? you see my dilemma?

Remove everything.

Kill any vnc proccesses that are running then start VNC again.