Linux Networking Cookbook

8.18. Customizing the Remote VNC Desktop

Problem

The default VNC remote desktop on Linux is little better than a plain vanilla SSH session—all you get is some barebones window manager like TWM or Metacity, and an Xterm. How do you get the window manager or desktop of your choice?

Solution

Edit your ~/.vnc/xstartup file on the server. This is the default:

	#!/bin/sh
	xrdb $HOME/.Xresources
	xsetroot -solid grey
	x-terminal-emulator -geometry 80x24+10+10 -ls -title "$VNCDESKTOP Desktop" &
	x-window-manager &

If there is no ~/.Xresources file, comment that line out.

Simply replace -window-manager with the startup command for the window manager of your choice, like this:

	icewm &

Whenever you make changes in this file, you need to stop and restart the server:

	$ tightvncserver -kill :1
	$ tightvncserver

Then, log in again from your remote PC.

Table 8-1 lists some startup commands for various window managers, which must be installed on the server if you want to use them.

Table 8-2. Startup commands for popular window managers

Window manager	Startup command
Afterstep	afterstep
Enlightenment	enlightenment
FVWM	fvwm2
Gnome	gnome-session
IceWM	icewm
KDE	startkde
TWM	twm
Xfce	startxfce4

Discussion

Check the logfiles in ~/.vnx first if you have problems making this work.

You'll find all sorts of misinformation on the Internet about how to do this. The VNC documentation isn't exactly helpful, either. Which is too bad, because customizing your remote environment is easy. All you do is edit the ~/.vnc/xstartup file, as this example ...