Cygwin Remote: Want to implement a Citrix Metaframe alternative

[Thomas Chadwick]

>From: <choice15@gmx.de>
>Reply-To: <choice15@gmx.de>
>To: <cygwin-xfree@cygwin.com>
>Subject: Cygwin Remote: Want to implement a Citrix Metaframe alternative 
>Date: Tue, 8 Oct 2002 09:41:45 +0200
>
>Hi all,
>
>I am a Newbee to the X11 System (ok i can  configure an compiled it) but,
>the Steps for Remote Working (like an ICA Metraframe Client) for
>Cygwin/Xfree86 is
>not really easy.
>
>In Think i have two choices:
>
>1)
>Remoteauthentication via the Remote Dektopmanager Control Protocol,
>(But Everyon tells me it is complex an still unsecure?)
>
>2)
>Using the "sure" way over an OpenBSD SSH-Shell
>(thins is the actually configuration, but not a Release Candidate.
>
>The SSH way works fine, but the Problem is the Logon Interface (Bash shell)
>add xhost, DISPLAY=xxx.xxx.xxx.xxx:0.0; export DISPLAY startkde (catch an
>Error)
>
>Wow! My Boss is killing me for this nasty Way.
>
>Ok, iam a Programmer, and i think (write a little Windows Application for
>Logon to
>the X-Remote Server (but still the non-interactive SSH Shell is bugging me.
>
>(I have read from "empty Keyphrase Trick"???)
>
>Ok Guys, what the best and fastest Way (non commercial, Software must be
>free)?


I think I follow what you're trying to do in #2 above.  May I suggest the 
following?

On the remote system, create a shell script which contains something like 
the following:

  #!/bin/sh

  # Launch an Xterm (run in the pack ground)
  xterm -title `whoami`@`hostname` &

  # Launch WindowManager (run in the foreground)
  mwm

On the local (Cygwin) system, create a shell script that contains something 
similar to the following, and save it as .xinitrc in your home directory:

  #!/bin/sh

  ssh  -X  remoteusername@remotehostname  pathtoremotescript

The "pathtoremotescript" is referring to the script on the remote system I 
suggested above.

On the local (Cygwin) system, edit the file .bash_profile in your home 
directory and add /usr/X11R6/bin to your path:

  export PATH=$PATH:/usr/X11R6/bin

Finally, on the Cygwin system, create a Windows shortcut with the following 
target:

  C:\cygwin\bin\bash.exe --login -c "xinit -- -nodecoration"

When you double click the shortcut, the following sequence of events will 
happen:

1) Windows will run bash.  The --login parameter tells it to source your 
.bash_profile file, adding /usr/X11R6/bin to your PATH.
2) Bash will run xinit, which will start up the X server, then source the 
.xinitrc file.
3) .xinitrc will execute ssh.
4) ssh will connect to the remote system and prompt you for a password.  It 
will then enable X11 Forwarding, assign the appropriate value to DISPLAY, 
and will execute the remote shell script.
5) The remote shell script will run, launching an xterm and window manager 
which will appear on your Cygwin X server screen.
6) Close things down by quitting the window manager on the remote system or 
by killing the Cygwin X server with Alt-F4.


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