f16, vncserver, screen geometry

[Mike Wright]

Hi all,

Finally have f16 installed into a xen box.

After some confusion with systemctl I managed to get vncserver hooked up 
and started; however, it's config file (/etc/sysconfig/vncservers) seems 
to get ignored WRT -geometry.

I use that same file on all of my other fedoras without a hitch.

I did find that I could enlarge the vnc window by using f16's 
systemSettings->display but none of the the built-in resolution choices 
fit my display full screen: either too small or too large with scroll bars.

Ideally vncserver would honor the -geometry setting in its config file 
but since the vncserver window's size can be forced by changing the 
display's size it should be possible to add another size to the list of 
those available.

I guess this is two questions in one.  1) Has the config file for 
vncserver moved or is f16's vncserver implementation broken?  2) Is it 
possible to add a custom display size somewhere?  (looking to add 
1670x1020).

Thanks for any help,
Mike Wright

[Lets Go Canes]

>  I guess this is two questions in one.  1) Has the
>  config file for vncserver moved or is f16's vncserver
>  implementation broken? 
It has moved and now has a different format.  Copy /lib/systemd/system/vncserver@.service
to /lib/systemd/system/vncserver@:1.service (change :1 to whatever vnc display number you
want to use), and then edit it to have the correct username.  I use the following lines in
mine:

ExecStart=/usr/bin/vncserver %i -geometry 1100x900
ExecStop=/usr/bin/vncserver -kill %i

where %i is the username defiend earlier in the file.

>   2) Is it possible to add a
>  custom display size somewhere?  (looking to add
>  1670x1020). 
add the geometry argument as above.

[I am thinking there may have been another step or two to add the customized file to
systemctl, but it escapes me at the moment.]

Note that in my experience, vncserver does not start properly as part of system boot.  I
have to login over ssh and issue the systemctl start command by-hand.  Another poster told
me they had a similar problem, and use a cron job to make sure it is started.

[Joe Zeff]

On 04/27/2012 10:30 AM, Lets Go Canes wrote:
>  Note that in my experience, vncserver does not start properly as part
> of system boot.  I have to login over ssh and issue the systemctl start command by-hand. 
> Another poster told me they had a similar problem, and use a cron job to make sure it is
> started. 
It might be enough to put the command in rc.local.

[Bill Davidsen]

Lets Go Canes wrote:
> > I guess this is two questions in one.  1) Has the
> > config file for vncserver moved or is f16's vncserver
> > implementation broken?
>
>  It has moved and now has a different format.  Copy /lib/systemd/system/vncserver@.service
> to /lib/systemd/system/vncserver@:1.service (change :1 to whatever vnc display number you
> want to use), and then edit it to have the correct username.  I use the following lines in
> mine:
>
>  ExecStart=/usr/bin/vncserver %i -geometry 1100x900
>  ExecStop=/usr/bin/vncserver -kill %i
>
>  where %i is the username defiend earlier in the file.
>
> >    2) Is it possible to add a
> > custom display size somewhere?  (looking to add
> > 1670x1020).
>
>  add the geometry argument as above.
>
>  [I am thinking there may have been another step or two to add the customized file to
> systemctl, but it escapes me at the moment.]
>
>  Note that in my experience, vncserver does not start properly as part of system boot.  I
> have to login over ssh and issue the systemctl start command by-hand.  Another poster told
> me they had a similar problem, and use a cron job to make sure it is started.
>  
I sometimes do this another way, using the "-vnc N" option to kvm,
starting some 
VMs from command line. That doesn't seem to have an option to set the geometry 
(I might have missed it) but in looking at one VM I use, which I created by "dd"

to a file from the original drive, it had VNC access enabled and I can get at it 
using a VNC connection to the host or to the VM. I'm not sure this is good for 
anything, but it's a way to allow VNC access to machines which can't provide 
their own, so I though I'd mention it.

-- 
Bill Davidsen <davidsen(a)tmr.com&gt;
   "We have more to fear from the bungling of the incompetent than from
the machinations of the wicked."  - from Slashdot

[Mike Wright]

On 04/27/2012 10:30 AM, Lets Go Canes wrote:
> > I guess this is two questions in one.  1) Has the
> > config file for vncserver moved or is f16's vncserver
> > implementation broken?
>
>  It has moved and now has a different format.  Copy /lib/systemd/system/vncserver@.service
> to /lib/systemd/system/vncserver@:1.service (change :1 to whatever vnc display number you
> want to use), and then edit it to have the correct username.  I use the following lines in
> mine:
>
>  ExecStart=/usr/bin/vncserver %i -geometry 1100x900 
Thanks for the response, LGC.

Here is my config line:

ExecStart=/sbin/runuser -l mike -c "/usr/bin/vncserver %i -geometry 
1670x1020 -name f16"

Did:
     systemctl stop vncserver@:1.service
     systemctl daemon-reload
     systemctl start vncserver@:1.service

which throws no errors, starts, and still gives a small screen.

Anything obvious to you?  Oblivious to me ;/

[Lets Go Canes]

--- On Fri, 4/27/12, Mike Wright <mike.wright(a)mailinator.com&gt; wrote:

>  From: Mike Wright <mike.wright(a)mailinator.com&gt;
>  On 04/27/2012 10:30 AM, Lets Go Canes
>  wrote:
>  > ExecStart=/usr/bin/vncserver %i -geometry 1100x900 
>  Here is my config line:
>  
>  ExecStart=/sbin/runuser -l mike -c "/usr/bin/vncserver %i
>  -geometry 1670x1020 -name f16" 
Note I use ExecStart to run "vncserver" with the user argument, rather than
using it to run "runuser".  I don't recall why I changed it - I was
following a how-to I found via google - but that might make a difference.