How to Display Running Application on Remote Machine with SHH

anamericanjoe · 09-13-2006, 09:04 AM

I know how to launch an application through ssh so that I use that application on a remote machine, but is there a way to view an application that is already running on the host machine without having to launch a new process.

For example, if I'm running gaim on my host machine and I'd like to check out what's going on in gaim through a remote ssh connection without launching a new gaim process.

Is this even possible?

tredegar · 09-14-2006, 07:35 AM

You need to look at "Desktop sharing".
If you are using KDE, then krfb does the business.

HTH

anamericanjoe · 09-14-2006, 09:45 AM

Thanks for the suggestion, tredegar. Is krfb vnc?

I would like the connection to be secure, so I guess would look into tunneling vnc (krfb) over an ssh connection -- unless krfb is known to handle security well.

I figured if ssh offered the capability to share GUI applications across the network, instead of merely launching new ones, I could save the extra work of having a vnc connection running on top of ssh.

tredegar · 09-14-2006, 11:39 AM

Quote:

Thanks for the suggestion, tredegar. Is krfb vnc?

No, I don't think it is, but it appears to work in a very similar way. It is not encrypted, but I only use it on my network, behind my firewall.

AFAIK ssh can't share applications/desktops over the network.

You should look into desktop sharing with (tight)vnc and ssh tunneling if you want your connection to be secure. Search this site, or google. I looked into it once, and it seemed straightforward, but as I said, I stay behind my firewall so do not need the added complexity.

HTH