[phenixbb] GUI and X servers

[Nathaniel Echols]

On Oct 30, 2009, at 11:10 AM, Leo Sazanov wrote:
> Hi, I am accessing our linux server (where phenix sits) via Exceed X
> server from Windows machine, and everything used to work fine until
> recent (I think from v.1-5-2) versions of phenix.
> Now if I launch new GUI, mouse position is not recognised anymore not
> only by phenix, but then also by other programs - so if I click on
> something, something else completely gets activated.
> I did not change any Exceed settings, so the problem seems to be due  
> to
> phenix.
> Also, same thing happens with Xming server.
> If I access from Mac machine, everything seems to be OK.
> Has anybody seen it and what could be the reason for that?


I had never tried this until now, but I experienced a similar problem  
on our lone Windows system here (XP and Exceed 9, I think).  The GUI  
wasn't really designed to be run remotely over X11 - it should work,  
mostly, but it's not really the most robust method and anything  
involving OpenGL may cause problems.  A better solution is to use  
desktop virtualization software: NoMachine's NX Server is an excellent  
product, which we use extensively.  They have a free version, which  
lacks support but (according to Paul) is otherwise fully functional.   
(The server is only for Linux and Solaris, but there are clients for  
Mac and Windows too.)

-Nat

-------------------
Nathaniel Echols
Lawrence Berkeley Lab
510-486-5136
NEchols at lbl.gov