GUI For X Forwarding
 

**UPDATE SEE HERE

AirX and MediaMote can now be used together, but Pexpect package MUST BE INSTALLED FOR EITHER TO WORK! Get it HERE!
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Yo!

I just started tinkering with a little application I thought some of you might be interested in, and I'd like to get a few comments about it. (If you think it's a good idea or not).

Remember seeing on my site that I was using firefox to watch youtube videos on my n770? (If not, check here). This was done using SSH and X Forwarding.

Usually, this has to been done from a command line, but I ended up building a GUI tool that allows you to simply put in the information and pick the app you want to run on your tablet. Any app that your linux computer can run. Firefox, gimp, gedit, open office, etc, etc...

Would anyone use this?

Thanks, much appreciated :)

Re: GUI For X Forwarding
 

i would happily test that (though it is easily done on the command line)

Re: GUI For X Forwarding
 

The trick I want to see is it the other way around. I'd like to be able to fire my N800 apps on my Linux device. There is another post about this issue and there is also a bug on bugzilla :)


-Rip

Re: GUI For X Forwarding
 

I would use this.
Because I'm to lazy for commandlines and like guis (especcially on the tablets!!!)

Re: GUI For X Forwarding
 

I'd love to use an app like that. Will come often in handy!

Re: GUI For X Forwarding
 

Alrighty, AirX is posted here, I'm releasing it under the GNU GPL: http://itablet.garage.maemo.org/airx_0.1-1_armel.deb

But, packaging that was too easy ;) I must have missed something... Hm, please tell me if there are any problems (If it won't start, please run it from the command line as "airx" and tell me what it says) Thanks :D

Re: GUI For X Forwarding
 

IMHO this isn't a bug. You need to configure /etc/sshd_config to alloww x11 forrwarding. Until then it won't work. After, it does.

Re: GUI For X Forwarding
 

There is no /etc/sshd_config? I don't think Xhost or Xauth were included in the IT's X server for some reason.

Re: GUI For X Forwarding
 

A few things I've noticed:

1. The deb needs to list some dependencies, like python2.5-gtk2, python2.5-cairo, python2.5-hildon
2. All the input fields are set to auto-capitialise, which is wrong for username (and really hostname too).
3. The password entry box isn't a password field, so it both auto-capitalises (see above) and shows it in clear-text.

Finally, whenever I set it up and clicked the button, the app froze; I was asked if I wanted to kill it, and eventually it unfroze and did nothing. Running it from the terminal didn't show any errors.

However, running:

...worked fine.

Re: GUI For X Forwarding
 

While it is not all that hard to perform the same job in the shell, on the tablets it is certainly easier to use well crafted GUI tools for convenience.

I've set up pass-key protected public-key authentication for ssh on my n800. I use ssh-agent and ssh-add to cache my passkey for a period, so I don't get bothered very time I log in somewhere. This also helps me use (g)rsync for remote backups to my NSLU2 (running Debian Etch).

I've also got a fairly large .ssh/config file with many host aliases and other options. This means that I don't need to quote a username or a password, or the port number on the remote host (which aren't the default 22 for "security through obscurity" purposes).

So, I'll have a hack in the airx python script to see If I can get this to work.

Being able to modify things like this isn't a big deal, so I'm sorry if I'm preaching to the coverted, but I though some new users might start to see the benefit of FOSS and Linux if they see how they can use it to get what they want without relying on others.

I have a couple of other ideas too. Why not add some more utility to this app, and allow for the user to configure ssh tunnels, SOCKS5 proxies, launch an ssh-agent and manage keys with ssh-keygen and ssh-add. It would then be a bit like the Windows app, Putty (without the built-in shell and the crappy OS).

This sounds like an interesting project to work on. I've not dabbled with GUI stuff before, so this would be a good chance to learn. Aisu, if you're up for elaborating and collaborating, I am too.

Re: GUI For X Forwarding
 

... ^^''''

This was just a learning app for me that I thought might be of use to others, I really didn't intend to start a new project... You can do what you like with whatever I have up, it's GPL'd. But, I really don't intend to do much more with it.

@Andrew: The fields are capitalized by default for some reason, didn't bother finding out how to change it for the above reason. It's a pain to list dependencies because of the way I have to rig these packages. Mu scratchbox will not install Python for the life of me, so I have to package it on my laptop i386, then change the control file around by hand. If you know the gtk widget for a password box, please tell me. I have no idea why it doesn't work for you. Mine and those of a few friends I had test it work fine.

Re: GUI For X Forwarding
 

Thanks ! Works like a charm (N800/2008).

I only had to open a pinhole from blue to green network so ssh was allowed !

I guess you already think about it but just in case :

* Some options for configuring applications allowed
* An option for having a certificate on the N800 to avoid user/pass
* As said fnordianslip, this could lead to really nice & mighty putty-like app.

GREAT idea and weldone. Thanks.
D.

Re: GUI For X Forwarding
 

FYI my password field is also a plain text.
D.

Re: GUI For X Forwarding
 

@divinerites: Oh, heh, I meant the application, not the password box, I know it is plain, I couldn't find the widget for a password entry in PyGtk, I will need to find out... Sorry bout that ^^

Oh, and you can type in your own app command, as long as you know it, you don't need to select one from the list :)

Thanks a lot for the advice and confirming that I didn't completely screw the thing up, much appreciated :D

Re: GUI For X Forwarding
 

n800 no keyboard when loading apps via airx . Is this a bug or just no local keyboard ?

computerfreek

Re: GUI For X Forwarding
 

That is something that is currently impossible to change, I'm sorry. But, what I've been doing is having maemo pad open at the same time and just copying and pasting whatever text I need... ^^'''

Re: GUI For X Forwarding
 

Doh !!! Thanks for pointing __obvious__ things.:o

This AirX is really precious app. And work like a charm with my Dell BT keyboard. Thanks.

Re: GUI For X Forwarding
 

No problem :) Glad you like it!