| Re: IDL without X11? [message #69569] |
Sun, 07 February 2010 12:33 |
Kenneth P. Bowman
Messages: 585
Registered: May 2000
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Senior Member |
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In article
<de638b67-12b8-40f3-83a5-6ac5b27f15d0@q2g2000pre.googlegroups.com>,
TonyL <anthony.leggett@bigpond.com> wrote:
> I use a cron job running on a Linux system that uses the Z-buffer for
> all graphics. That way you avoid any need to define a graphics device
> that has some kind of 'physical' existence. Z buffer uses system
> memory. Of course you will need to change a few commands with the Z
> buffer compared to a window device. I have use Xvfb before but i found
> it was a hassle if the PC was ever restarted and the Xvfb wasn't auto
> started.
>
> Tony
This is a good suggestion, particularly now that the Z-buffer supports 24-bit
color. Downsides are that you have to use TrueType fonts (some may
disagree that that is a downside), and, of course, widgets don't work.
Ken
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| Re: IDL without X11? [message #69574 is a reply to message #69569] |
Sat, 06 February 2010 16:57  |
Karl[1]
Messages: 79
Registered: October 2005
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Member |
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On Feb 5, 10:40 pm, TonyL <anthony.legg...@bigpond.com> wrote:
> On Feb 6, 10:54 am, Karl <karl.w.schu...@gmail.com> wrote:
>
>
>
>> On Feb 5, 3:22 pm, nata <bernat.puigdomen...@gmail.com> wrote:
>
>>> Hi Karl,
>
>>> Thank you for your reply. Finally I got something.
>>> Now, I'm able to run the script but only for the root user (I don't
>>> know why). For the other users I got the following message:
>>> Warning: Cannot allocate colormap entry for default background.
>
>>> This is my final script:
>
>>> export DISPLAY=:2
>>> /usr/X11R6/bin/Xvfb :2 -screen 0 1152x900x16 &
>>> /usr/local/itt/idl70/bin/idl -rt=my_script.sav -args A B C
>
>>> nata
>
>>> PS I realized that I just have to define the screen one time (/usr/
>>> X11R6/bin/Xvfb :2 -screen 0 1152x900x16 &).
>>> Then, if the script will be executed each 10 minutes using the 1st and
>>> 3th lines it's enough
>
>> What got rid of the
>
>> X11 connection rejected because of wrong authentication.
>
>> message?
>
>> I would put a sleep for a few seconds after you kick off Xvfb to make
>> sure it gets started before IDL tries to talk to it.
>
>> Also, I'd put a killall Xvfb after IDL runs. There's no good reason
>> to let the server run. If you have to run it as root, you might want
>> to find some other way to kill it, so you don't kill someone else's
>> Xvfb.
>
>> You don't need a screen that large - you could go really tiny in w and
>> h, and 8 bits for d. This is just a dummy server and you'll save some
>> memory.
>
>> The colormap issue is probably caused by the root user and the "other"
>> users having a different set of X default or config files, or
>> something along those lines. The "other" users may have config files
>> in their home dirs that are trying to init a desktop or who knows
>> what. It is just a warning - the IDL client still runs without being
>> root, right? I wouldn't run it as root if I could avoid it.
>
>> It could be that one of these config files is asking for a 32-bit
>> color spec and your server is 16 bpp. You might try starting Xfvb
>> with 32 bpp. Or move all those X-related config files out of the way
>> in your home dir and see if that helps. Check for X-related env vars
>> as well.
>
> I use a cron job running on a Linux system that uses the Z-buffer for
> all graphics. That way you avoid any need to define a graphics device
> that has some kind of 'physical' existence. Z buffer uses system
> memory. Of course you will need to change a few commands with the Z
> buffer compared to a window device. I have use Xvfb before but i found
> it was a hassle if the PC was ever restarted and the Xvfb wasn't auto
> started.
>
> Tony
I think that one constraint on the original problem was not being
unable to modify the IDL code. I got the impression from the OP that
the app wasn't doing any graphics that were needed, but was doing a
call to WIDGET_BASE anyway. The best solution would be to make the
app Really non-graphical with some sort of startup option. But that
is apparently not a possibility here.
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| Re: IDL without X11? [message #69577 is a reply to message #69574] |
Sat, 06 February 2010 07:30 |
George White
Messages: 10
Registered: November 1998
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Junior Member |
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On Fri, 5 Feb 2010, nata wrote:
> I found this:
>
> Since this program is an X client, it requires the presence of an X
> server,
> making it problematic to automate this process using CRON.
>
> The X version X11R6 was downloaded via anonymous ftp from:
>
> ftp://ferret.wrc.noaa.gov/pub/special_requests/xvfb/solaris/ X11R6/bin...
>
> Then it's just a matter of starting the virtual frame buffer program
> on <HOST> to create the virtual display #1:
>
> /usr/X11R6/bin/Xvfb :1 -screen 0 1152x900x8 &
>
> Then within the script that performs <desired batch operations>
> the following line sends graphics output to DISPLAY 1, the virtual
> frame
> buffer we just started:
>
> set DISPLAY=:1.0 ; export DISPLAY
>
> I installed Xvfb and I do:
> Xvfb :5 -screen 0 1152x900x8 &
> set DISPLAY=:5.0 ; export DISPLAY
> idl
> plot, dist(2)
> % Compiled module: DIST.
> X11 connection rejected because of wrong authentication.
>
>
> T_T It doesn't work !
> Help?
> nata
It takes a bit of time for Xvfb to start, so you may need a "sleep"
after starting Xvfb before you can actually use it.
I've been using Xvfb on a number of machines for years. Most of these
machines run for extended periods between boots, so I just start Xvfb
manually after a restart. There is one (headless) machine where we have
to use TCPIP, e.g. DISPLAY=localhost:2 in place of just DISPLAY=:2.
You can query the Xvfb server using xdpyinfo.
--
George White <aa056@chebucto.ns.ca> <gnw3@acm.org>
189 Parklea Dr., Head of St. Margarets Bay, Nova Scotia B3Z 2G6
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| Re: IDL without X11? [message #69579 is a reply to message #69578] |
Fri, 05 February 2010 21:40 |
TonyL
Messages: 14
Registered: November 2008
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Junior Member |
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On Feb 6, 10:54 am, Karl <karl.w.schu...@gmail.com> wrote:
> On Feb 5, 3:22 pm, nata <bernat.puigdomen...@gmail.com> wrote:
>
>
>
>> Hi Karl,
>
>> Thank you for your reply. Finally I got something.
>> Now, I'm able to run the script but only for the root user (I don't
>> know why). For the other users I got the following message:
>> Warning: Cannot allocate colormap entry for default background.
>
>> This is my final script:
>
>> export DISPLAY=:2
>> /usr/X11R6/bin/Xvfb :2 -screen 0 1152x900x16 &
>> /usr/local/itt/idl70/bin/idl -rt=my_script.sav -args A B C
>
>> nata
>
>> PS I realized that I just have to define the screen one time (/usr/
>> X11R6/bin/Xvfb :2 -screen 0 1152x900x16 &).
>> Then, if the script will be executed each 10 minutes using the 1st and
>> 3th lines it's enough
>
> What got rid of the
>
> X11 connection rejected because of wrong authentication.
>
> message?
>
> I would put a sleep for a few seconds after you kick off Xvfb to make
> sure it gets started before IDL tries to talk to it.
>
> Also, I'd put a killall Xvfb after IDL runs. There's no good reason
> to let the server run. If you have to run it as root, you might want
> to find some other way to kill it, so you don't kill someone else's
> Xvfb.
>
> You don't need a screen that large - you could go really tiny in w and
> h, and 8 bits for d. This is just a dummy server and you'll save some
> memory.
>
> The colormap issue is probably caused by the root user and the "other"
> users having a different set of X default or config files, or
> something along those lines. The "other" users may have config files
> in their home dirs that are trying to init a desktop or who knows
> what. It is just a warning - the IDL client still runs without being
> root, right? I wouldn't run it as root if I could avoid it.
>
> It could be that one of these config files is asking for a 32-bit
> color spec and your server is 16 bpp. You might try starting Xfvb
> with 32 bpp. Or move all those X-related config files out of the way
> in your home dir and see if that helps. Check for X-related env vars
> as well.
I use a cron job running on a Linux system that uses the Z-buffer for
all graphics. That way you avoid any need to define a graphics device
that has some kind of 'physical' existence. Z buffer uses system
memory. Of course you will need to change a few commands with the Z
buffer compared to a window device. I have use Xvfb before but i found
it was a hassle if the PC was ever restarted and the Xvfb wasn't auto
started.
Tony
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| Re: IDL without X11? [message #69581 is a reply to message #69579] |
Fri, 05 February 2010 15:54 |
Karl[1]
Messages: 79
Registered: October 2005
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Member |
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On Feb 5, 3:22 pm, nata <bernat.puigdomen...@gmail.com> wrote:
> Hi Karl,
>
> Thank you for your reply. Finally I got something.
> Now, I'm able to run the script but only for the root user (I don't
> know why). For the other users I got the following message:
> Warning: Cannot allocate colormap entry for default background.
>
> This is my final script:
>
> export DISPLAY=:2
> /usr/X11R6/bin/Xvfb :2 -screen 0 1152x900x16 &
> /usr/local/itt/idl70/bin/idl -rt=my_script.sav -args A B C
>
> nata
>
> PS I realized that I just have to define the screen one time (/usr/
> X11R6/bin/Xvfb :2 -screen 0 1152x900x16 &).
> Then, if the script will be executed each 10 minutes using the 1st and
> 3th lines it's enough
What got rid of the
X11 connection rejected because of wrong authentication.
message?
I would put a sleep for a few seconds after you kick off Xvfb to make
sure it gets started before IDL tries to talk to it.
Also, I'd put a killall Xvfb after IDL runs. There's no good reason
to let the server run. If you have to run it as root, you might want
to find some other way to kill it, so you don't kill someone else's
Xvfb.
You don't need a screen that large - you could go really tiny in w and
h, and 8 bits for d. This is just a dummy server and you'll save some
memory.
The colormap issue is probably caused by the root user and the "other"
users having a different set of X default or config files, or
something along those lines. The "other" users may have config files
in their home dirs that are trying to init a desktop or who knows
what. It is just a warning - the IDL client still runs without being
root, right? I wouldn't run it as root if I could avoid it.
It could be that one of these config files is asking for a 32-bit
color spec and your server is 16 bpp. You might try starting Xfvb
with 32 bpp. Or move all those X-related config files out of the way
in your home dir and see if that helps. Check for X-related env vars
as well.
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| Re: IDL without X11? [message #69583 is a reply to message #69581] |
Fri, 05 February 2010 13:22 |
natha
Messages: 482
Registered: October 2007
|
Senior Member |
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Hi Karl,
Thank you for your reply. Finally I got something.
Now, I'm able to run the script but only for the root user (I don't
know why). For the other users I got the following message:
Warning: Cannot allocate colormap entry for default background.
This is my final script:
export DISPLAY=:2
/usr/X11R6/bin/Xvfb :2 -screen 0 1152x900x16 &
/usr/local/itt/idl70/bin/idl -rt=my_script.sav -args A B C
nata
PS I realized that I just have to define the screen one time (/usr/
X11R6/bin/Xvfb :2 -screen 0 1152x900x16 &).
Then, if the script will be executed each 10 minutes using the 1st and
3th lines it's enough
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| Re: IDL without X11? [message #69584 is a reply to message #69583] |
Fri, 05 February 2010 13:01 |
Karl[1]
Messages: 79
Registered: October 2005
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Member |
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On Feb 5, 1:16 pm, nata <bernat.puigdomen...@gmail.com> wrote:
> I found this:
>
> Since this program is an X client, it requires the presence of an X
> server,
> making it problematic to automate this process using CRON.
>
> The X version X11R6 was downloaded via anonymous ftp from:
>
> ftp://ferret.wrc.noaa.gov/pub/special_requests/xvfb/solaris/ X11R6/bin...
>
> Then it's just a matter of starting the virtual frame buffer program
> on <HOST> to create the virtual display #1:
>
> /usr/X11R6/bin/Xvfb :1 -screen 0 1152x900x8 &
>
> Then within the script that performs <desired batch operations>
> the following line sends graphics output to DISPLAY 1, the virtual
> frame
> buffer we just started:
>
> set DISPLAY=:1.0 ; export DISPLAY
>
> I installed Xvfb and I do:
> Xvfb :5 -screen 0 1152x900x8 &
> set DISPLAY=:5.0 ; export DISPLAY
> idl
> plot, dist(2)
> % Compiled module: DIST.
> X11 connection rejected because of wrong authentication.
>
> T_T It doesn't work !
> Help?
> nata
I was going to suggest Xvfb as well. The only other way I can think
of is find another machine that is running an X server all the time,
set up authentication (xhost or whatever), and then have your IDL
process point its DISPLAY at that machine. But this seems fragile.
What you are doing should work. Things to look at:
Is your Xvfb server really running? Check process list.
Can you run another X11 non-IDL client such as xclock to the Xvfb
server?
The error message really suggests that there is an SSH issue somehow.
I know that you are logging into this headless server with SSH and
that you want the Xvfb server and IDL client to both run on the
headless server, but something isn't getting set the way you think it
is. Check your env vars, etc. Might try using set DISPLAY=localhost:
5:0 just to be explicit.
Might also try turning off X11 tunneling in your initial connection to
the headless server, just to rule that out. It turns out that if you
have X11 tunneling enabled in SSH, not only will SSH set your DISPLAY
to localhost:10.0, but it will also put an authentication cookie in
your ~/.Xauthority file. You are undoing the effect of SSH setting
the DISPLAY to :10, but not the effect of the cookie. Might try
renaming the ~/.Xauthority file or something.
Try googling on the error message text for a number of other
possibilities.
I think you are on the right track - something simple must be wrong.
Of course it would be better if you were allowed to change the IDL
code to not do this :-).
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| Re: IDL without X11? [message #69590 is a reply to message #69584] |
Fri, 05 February 2010 11:16 |
natha
Messages: 482
Registered: October 2007
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Senior Member |
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I found this:
Since this program is an X client, it requires the presence of an X
server,
making it problematic to automate this process using CRON.
The X version X11R6 was downloaded via anonymous ftp from:
ftp://ferret.wrc.noaa.gov/pub/special_requests/xvfb/solaris/ X11R6/bin...
Then it's just a matter of starting the virtual frame buffer program
on <HOST> to create the virtual display #1:
/usr/X11R6/bin/Xvfb :1 -screen 0 1152x900x8 &
Then within the script that performs <desired batch operations>
the following line sends graphics output to DISPLAY 1, the virtual
frame
buffer we just started:
set DISPLAY=:1.0 ; export DISPLAY
I installed Xvfb and I do:
Xvfb :5 -screen 0 1152x900x8 &
set DISPLAY=:5.0 ; export DISPLAY
idl
plot, dist(2)
% Compiled module: DIST.
X11 connection rejected because of wrong authentication.
T_T It doesn't work !
Help?
nata
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| Re: IDL without X11? [message #69594 is a reply to message #69590] |
Fri, 05 February 2010 10:25 |
natha
Messages: 482
Registered: October 2007
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Senior Member |
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It works for plots....
set_plot, 'NULL'
plot, DIST(20)
It's OK for that but it still cause problems with widgets:
set_plot, 'NULL'
a=WIDGET_BASE()
X11 connection rejected because of wrong authentication.
Cheers,
Bernat
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| Re: IDL without X11? [message #69595 is a reply to message #69594] |
Fri, 05 February 2010 09:19 |
pgrigis
Messages: 436
Registered: September 2007
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Senior Member |
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Have you tried
set_plot,'NULL'
?
Ciao,
Paolo
On Feb 5, 11:59 am, nata <bernat.puigdomen...@gmail.com> wrote:
> Thanks for your reply Gianguido but this is not what I'm looking for..
>
> I can't use ssh -X user@machine because the idea is execute the
> program as a script.
> So, I created a SHELL SCRIPT that calls IDL:
>
> idl -rt=program_script.sav -args A B C
>
> And the computer runs this script automatically. I used the crontab
> command, so when the script is running it has no X.
> So the question is still the same:
> 1) Is it possible to run IDL without X?
> 2) Is there a way to activate the X before the command 'idl -
> rt=program_script.sav -args A B C' and deactivate it after ?
>
> Thanks,
> Bernat
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| Re: IDL without X11? [message #69596 is a reply to message #69595] |
Fri, 05 February 2010 08:59 |
natha
Messages: 482
Registered: October 2007
|
Senior Member |
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Thanks for your reply Gianguido but this is not what I'm looking for..
I can't use ssh -X user@machine because the idea is execute the
program as a script.
So, I created a SHELL SCRIPT that calls IDL:
idl -rt=program_script.sav -args A B C
And the computer runs this script automatically. I used the crontab
command, so when the script is running it has no X.
So the question is still the same:
1) Is it possible to run IDL without X?
2) Is there a way to activate the X before the command 'idl -
rt=program_script.sav -args A B C' and deactivate it after ?
Thanks,
Bernat
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| Re: IDL without X11? [message #69599 is a reply to message #69596] |
Fri, 05 February 2010 08:50 |
cgguido
Messages: 195
Registered: August 2005
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Senior Member |
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On Feb 5, 10:37 am, nata <bernat.puigdomen...@gmail.com> wrote:
> So my question is if there is a way to run IDL without X ?
No idea. But if there is then the following is useless :-|
> Or, if you are good using Linux, how can I activate the X before the
> command
> idl -rt=program_script.sav -args A B C
> and how can i deactivate after ?
Well, you say you're working on a remote machine. This implies you
need to connect with X11-tunneling turned on. this is done with
ssh -X user@machine
Next, you should test x11 by, say, starting an xterm. If xterm won't
show up on the machine you are sitting at, then you need to debug your
X11. Probably soething to do with your DISPLAY variable in your shell.
If all works ok, then run your program and follow it with (assuming
BASH is your shell, find out with: echo $SHELL)
OLDDISPLAY=$DISPLAY
export DISPLAY=blahblahblah
this will "break" X11 on your local machine untill you set:
export DIAPLAY=$OLDDISPLAY
This prevents things from showing up n your local machine, but doesn't
actually break the X11 tunnel. Not sure how to do that. If it's
possible it should be a man or google away :-)
Let us know if this helps,
Gianguido
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