This page has instructions for setting up a recommended VNC setup on the cluster head node.
Steps
Start by logging into the cluster head node via ssh:
ssh cscluster
Enter your username and password when prompted.
Next, kill your current VNC session (you won’t need to do this if you don’t have a VNC session running):
vncserver -kill :N
Replace N with your session number in the command above.
Next, run the following commands to save your old .xsession file and then create a new .xsession file with the recommended settings:
cd
[ ! -e .xsession ] || mv .xsession SAVE-xsession
cp /usr/local/data/example-xsession .xsession
Now, create a new VNC session:
vncserver -geometry WxH
Replace W and H with your preferred horizontal and vertical resolution.
Using the VNC session
Right-clicking on the desktop brings up the Openbox menu. A couple useful menu items are:
- Terminal emulator opens a terminal window
- Debian → Applications → Editors → Gedit starts the GNOME text editor
Advanced
The recommended setup uses the Openbox window manager and the tint2 taskbar. This is a lightweight but useful setup.
If you would like to customize your desktop, feel free to edit your .xsession file. You will need to kill and restart your VNC session each time you make changes.
If there are particular window manager or taskbar programs you would like me to install, let me know.
