Vnc server session Slackware 9.1
 

Hi people, i'm new to the forum and i have a question for you [duhh]

I recently installed Slackware 9.1 on a server and it works perfectly. I use webmin to be able to handle it remotely [the server is in my basement :D].

Samba ftp etc are all working perfectly, but I also want to run programms like dcgui [dc++]. The problem is that i start this program remotely [via Tightvnc] and the moment i exit my vnc program the session i started with it is closed ass wel.

What i want to acchieve is to be able to run dc++ on the server in the basement without having to have my own computer on all the time.

Is there a way to start the dcgui program remotely and keep it running after i, for instance, close the vnc client i used to start the program. Is there a way in wich you can avoid closing the session you started remotely? Is perhaps using vnc the wrong way to go?

Any tips on this subject are most welcome off course, maybe you think i'm taking the wrong approach?

I guess I'm not sure about tightVNC, but with the standard VNC, the server is independant from the client. As long as vncserver is running, the X session should be running, even when no client is using it.

Could you provide a few more details about how you are starting VNC on your Slackware box, how you are connecting and how you are disconnecting?



And welcome to LQ!

thanks for the reply, here is some more info;

I log in via telnet/ssh and start a session. I am able to log into that session every-time and continue my work, except when i close the telnet dialogue [logout, or simple alt+f4] the session is terminated and i am no longer able to continue my work.
Is there a way to stay logged in without having to log in on the server itself [no keyboard/monitor]?

I'm a little confused about this statement. If you are running the ssh server (sshd) on your Slackware box, you should be able to start an ssh session from your remote machine (no keyboard or monitor needed on the Slack box). Once that is established and you've started vncserver (through ssh) your remote vnc client ought to be able to connect. Again, no need for a keyboard or terminal on the Slack box.

What am I missing?

Well, I think TightVNC requires a secure connection like ssh in order to function securely. If I remember correctly, TightVNC doesn't encrypt traffic by itself, it relies on an ssh tunnel. So if you close the tunnel, you close the secure connection, running programs and all.

So if you use ssh to connect the first time and start vncserver, every time you go back (using ssh and a vnc client) you should see the same vnc session.

Well i dont actually start vncserver when i connect through telnet or ssh [root requires ssh to log in]. I only use telnet/ssh to log in a user and type startx :D. Remote desktop has been enabled for al users. I believe that is the same as enabling vncserver after logging in.

Regular users [not root] can log in via telnet, and after startx i can log in to their desktop and start the program but the same problem accurs when i close the telnet window.

Tightvnc does not encrypt the data, but only the username password [i believe i read something like that on their website] and i do not believe that it relies on a ssh connection for i can simply connect through ie6 with telnet://servername from everycomputer with an internetconnection. after that a vnc session is no problem [for as long as i dont log in as root].

Btw, here's what you are missing :D

If i log in on the server[not over a network], than it does 'remember' its session. So if i've logged in and started x, ican reconnect to that session. I believe it has something to do with the vncserver starting a new display for every new connection. So the display physically on the server is 0, whilst the vncserver starts display 1 for a new connection [actually the problem starts with telnet/ssh taking a new display prolly].

Well there is the problem. You're not really using VNC, but maybe X11 forwarding in which case it is very much tied to the telnet/ssh session. Unfortunatley, I'm not very familiar with X11 forwarding, but there are a couple of alternative, as I see it:

1) Use vncserver on the server end. I know this will do what you want to do.
2) Try adding a & after you type startx (startx &). That may allow X to run after you've logged out.

Maybe someone more familiar with X11 forwarding would contribute an opinion or two.