IRIX and Software

I know teleffect can control the mouse and keyboard across two machines, but I'd like to know if there's a software solution for sharing one monitor on two machines.

I suppose VNC or some remote-X ploy are not the answer you are looking for?

If you wanna go the hardware route, I'd suggest a KVM-switch...

Yeh I agree Spidy, I picked up a cheap older 4 port KVM (can check the brand for you tonight), one that works with unix machines. Unfortunately I can't get the mouse to work, but i think this is a common problem with sgi's and kvm's. i haven't tried VNC on my octane, but I use it with my macs.

Looking into all options now.

I didn't know vnc was available for IRIX 6.5. And kvm switches that don't play nice with mice????

Anyway, I'm sure I'll find something.

Spidy wrote: I know teleffect can control the mouse and keyboard across two machines, but I'd like to know if there's a software solution for sharing one monitor on two machines.

Depends on what two machines, sort of. Two Irix machines is easy - this is X-Window, after all. Other varieties of X can be a problem since the SGI X has some extensions that some programs use. I could always display an OS/2 X program on my Irix desktop but displaying Irix programs on an XFree/86 desktop didn't always work. Hummingbord and the other x-windows adapter programs sorta work usually. You have to experiment. VNC is slow.

To try it out go to your Toolchest, hit tools, then "enable remote display." The start the program on your other box with some variant of <binaryname -display hostname:displaynumber >. Check the docs for better directions

For a really quick tryout go to the 'toolchest', then 'desktop', then 'access files' then 'by remote login.' Fill in the info, maybe choose "toolchest" and you should be able to run most of your programs remotely while viewing them locally. Works good. I'm not sure what the fixation is with KVM's ....

I using pair of stacked Aten Master View CS-104 with all my SGIs, no problem with mouse, but keyboard responds somewhat slow on some keys... What I would like to get is sharing of Wacom serial tablet via KVM since CS-104 has serial ports in addition to PS/2, however seems that thing works either with PS/2 mouse or serial input device but I didn't put much time in hacking this.

You may get CS-104 rather cheap from ebay, check link .

Depends on what two machines, sort of. Two Irix machines is easy - this is X-Window, after all.

O.K.

To try it out go to your Toolchest, hit tools, then "enable remote display." The start the program on your other box with some variant of <binaryname -display hostname:displaynumber >. Check the docs for better directions Smile

Well, I do plan on sharing a single monitor between 2 SGI's, but this method is cumbersome. How do I switch from one to the other?

Also, out of curiousity, what's the exact command of "binaryname -display......." on two SGI's?

If you are behind a secure firewall you can use rlogin to remotely log into the other system from a shell. Once the login is completed your $DISPLAY environment variable will be set correctly so that the remote apps will pop up on you local display. OpenGL graphics apps will be noticably slower, bet regular X/GUI stuff wiill run fine. You can run the remote toolchest/whatever then if you choose from that shell window.

There is also neko_tightvnc is you want the whiole desktop remotely.

BTW, you signature quote is mispelled ( off not of ).

Spidy wrote: Well, I do plan on sharing a single monitor between 2 SGI's, but this method is cumbersome. How do I switch from one to the other?

ah-ha ! we've got two SGI's and I assume you're at home or a small office behind some cheesy router like a D-Link or Linksys ? Do you have everybody happily talking on a network ? If so, this is a picnic. You have to "enable remote display" on each one ("tools" on the toolchest, unless that's something I butchered up myself.) Turn on both computers. Now for starters do 'toolchest-> desktop-> access files-> by remote login' on one box. You'll get a popup asking for a user name and password. Enter what you normally would to log into machine number two. If you choose "toolchest" you'll get the other machine's toolchest opening on the desktop that you are using.. Choose something from that toolchest - maybe open a browser ? Now that browser will be running on machine number two but displaying on machine number one. You needn't "switch between" because everything is displaying on your single desktop. Since they're both SGI boxes almost everything should happily display across the network but run on its own hardware. (You can set up more desks if you like to keep the two machines separated. Toochest, desktop, extra desks.)

Just try it out. It's easy - easier than a kvm (imo) and more practical, especially if both boxes are SGI's. And it's way faster than VNC ...

There is also neko_tightvnc is you want the whiole desktop remotely.

Sqeen, what do you mean by the whole desktop? Is this different to teleffect? I'm using teleffect now, it works well, but I still need two monitors. I thought vnc needed two monitors also.

BTW, you signature quote is mispelled (off not of). Smile

Oops, that's embarrassing. Fixed.

Turn on both computers. Now for starters do 'toolchest-> desktop-> access files-> by remote login' on one box. You'll get a popup asking for a user name and password. Enter what you normally would to log into machine number two.

O.K. so far........

If you choose "toolchest" you'll get the other machine's toolchest opening on the desktop that you are using.

Choose toolchest? From where?

Choose something from that toolchest - maybe open a browser ? Now that browser will be running on machine number two but displaying on machine number one. You needn't "switch between" because everything is displaying on your single desktop. Since they're both SGI boxes almost everything should happily display across the network but run on its own hardware. (You can set up more desks if you like to keep the two machines separated. Toochest, desktop, extra desks.)

This bit I understand. I guess I'll have to try it, just waiting on the RAM to get the second O2 running.

Quote:
If you choose "toolchest" you'll get the other machine's toolchest opening on the desktop that you are using.


Choose toolchest? From where?

Oops, sorry hamei, I see where to make the choice now, too eager...

I may have gotten confused since I haven't used VNC for a while, but I believe x2vnc will just share keyboard & mouse, while using vncclient (from tightvnc) to log into a machine running a vncserver will give you the other machine's desktop-in-a-window.

Sorry if I have it wrong.

Spidy wrote: Sqeen, what do you mean by the whole desktop? Is this different to teleffect? I'm using teleffect now, it works well, but I still need two monitors. I thought vnc needed two monitors also.

TelEffect only forwards keyboard and mouse "data" to the auxiliary system (which has its own screen to output to)... You can compare it best with a Dual Monitor setup in for ex. Windows XP: you just move the mouse to the monitor displaying the app you want to operate.

If you have only one monitor, one of the two systems is headless, so its screen output must be directed to another system for display. This is where apps like VNC or Remote-X come into play.

TelEffect only forwards keyboard and mouse "data" to the auxiliary system (which has its own screen to output to)... You can compare it best with a Dual Monitor setup in for ex. Windows XP: you just move the mouse to the monitor displaying the app you want to operate.

Yep, that's how I have it working at the moment.

If you have only one monitor, one of the two systems is headless, so its screen output must be directed to another system for display. This is where apps like VNC or Remote-X come into play.

From Glock.

And:

I may have gotten confused since I haven't used VNC for a while, but I believe x2vnc will just share keyboard & mouse, while using vncclient (from tightvnc) to log into a machine running a vncserver will give you the other machine's desktop-in-a-window.

From squeen.

Ah, starting to understand it now. That's exactly what I was after, having the other machine's desktop appear in a window!

So, after all that, it does seem possible.

I'll look into it as soon as I get the RAM.

Spidy wrote: Ah, starting to understand it now. That's exactly what I was after, having the other machine's desktop appear in a window!

Spidy, pardon me for sounding snotty but you don't want or need that. This isn't Windows. You've got X , fer chrissakes !!