Forward Windows applications as X11 clients?

cmtptr · 2011-05-09 00:38:03

I suspect this isn't possible (I've done a fair share of Googling the topic), but I'll ask to be sure:

I know how there are X servers for Windows to allow X11 forwarding over SSH to a Windows machine. I use Xming at work to run applications on my Linux machine remotely from a Windows laptop.

What I want now is the reverse: I want a Linux machine running an X server, and to connect from it to a Windows SSH server and run, for example, notepad.exe via X11 forwarding over SSH. So I can only fathom that for this to be possible, the Windows GUI libraries would need third-party changes to behave with the client-server model that X11 uses. Has this ever been attempted?

Thanks for any suggestions!

ewaller · 2011-05-09 02:33:41

You might look at TightVNC, but it forwards the entire desktop. It can be piped through an SSH tunnel.

jeslinmx · 2011-05-09 06:42:36

If I fully comprehend what you are trying to say, you want Windows applications to act as clients to a remote X11 server, that is, your Linux...workstation?
I don't think Windows applications are designed to draw to Xorg. Probably some system layer that handles graphics. Which means that you probably need some kind of mod of that layer which allows you to forward to Xorg. And that sounds like a pretty massive project. Maybe as complicated as Wine.

cmtptr · 2011-05-09 14:03:31

ewaller wrote:

You might look at TightVNC, but it forwards the entire desktop. It can be piped through an SSH tunnel.

I have, and right now that's my best alternative. Chances are that's the route I'll be taking...

jeslinmx wrote:

If I fully comprehend what you are trying to say, you want Windows applications to act as clients to a remote X11 server, that is, your Linux...workstation?
I don't think Windows applications are designed to draw to Xorg. Probably some system layer that handles graphics. Which means that you probably need some kind of mod of that layer which allows you to forward to Xorg. And that sounds like a pretty massive project. Maybe as complicated as Wine.

I thought it would probably be a massive project, as well, but being that I'm no expert in this area I didn't know if someone might say "oh, as it turns out you just tweak x.dll a bit you can make it call our DLL which will draw to X11!"

Thanks for your responses.

pataphysician · 2011-05-09 14:45:30

Wouldn't rdesktop be a good solution? with the -s option you can tell rdesktop to run a single app instead of a whole desktop.

cmtptr · 2011-05-10 00:53:12

pataphysician wrote:

Wouldn't rdesktop be a good solution? with the -s option you can tell rdesktop to run a single app instead of a whole desktop.

I was not aware of this! That might be exactly what I need. Thanks!

skottish · 2011-05-10 02:26:46

cmtptr wrote:

pataphysician wrote:
Wouldn't rdesktop be a good solution? with the -s option you can tell rdesktop to run a single app instead of a whole desktop.
I was not aware of this! That might be exactly what I need. Thanks!

xfreerdp, a fork of rdesktop, is a better option in that it's receiving more attention from the developer(s).

There's something to be aware of if the Windows machine is on some sort of Windows domain (SBS and such). If that's the case, you're going to need to change the RDP port on the target machine and set up port forwarding on any gateway/router that's in the middle.

Last edited by skottish (2011-05-10 02:55:59)

pataphysician · 2011-05-10 14:15:43

You can run RDP through your SSH tunnel, so no need to forward the RDP port.

HashBox · 2011-05-21 09:43:48

I searched for something like this endlessly in the past to no avail unfortunately. I found a few links to old mailing list posts and abandoned projects, as I suspect the project is just a very complicated one.

There were a few methods and ideas around for a real "Export this windows application to an X11 display":

1. Attempt to rip x11drv out of Wine and somehow get it compile on Windows. This likely won't work without half of the rest of Wine and a port of Xlib.
2. Port Xlib or XCB to Windows, perhaps using Cygwin, and then stub out gdi32.dll (iirc) and replace the drawing calls with Xlib ones by hand. But there may be more than just gdi32.dll to be replaced. I think this method was actually attempted and even partially succeeded (using the Microsoft Detours library with Cygwin), although I was never able to replicate the success
3. Write a display driver that sends everything via Xlib (or XCB etc).

Here are the most relevant links I could find:
http://sourceware.org/ml/win32-x11/2004 … 00053.html
http://sources.redhat.com/ml/win32-x11/ … 00004.html
http://www.winehq.org/pipermail/wine-de … 34195.html
http://sources.redhat.com/XOpenWin/

Sorry I can't be of more help man, I was also unable to get the RDP single application trick working but if that works for you then it's probably the best bet for now.

mseiwald · 2011-05-26 12:23:11

What about seamlessrdp?

twl · 2011-06-01 14:49:45

I dont have much supporting information for this, but I like TigerVNC over TightVNC. Their vision and active development are what makes me prefer TigerVNC

Arch Linux

#1 2011-05-09 00:38:03

Forward Windows applications as X11 clients?

#2 2011-05-09 02:33:41

Re: Forward Windows applications as X11 clients?

#3 2011-05-09 06:42:36

Re: Forward Windows applications as X11 clients?

#4 2011-05-09 14:03:31

Re: Forward Windows applications as X11 clients?

#5 2011-05-09 14:45:30

Re: Forward Windows applications as X11 clients?

#6 2011-05-10 00:53:12

Re: Forward Windows applications as X11 clients?

#7 2011-05-10 02:26:46

Re: Forward Windows applications as X11 clients?

#8 2011-05-10 14:15:43

Re: Forward Windows applications as X11 clients?

#9 2011-05-21 09:43:48

Re: Forward Windows applications as X11 clients?

#10 2011-05-26 12:23:11

Re: Forward Windows applications as X11 clients?

#11 2011-06-01 14:49:45

Re: Forward Windows applications as X11 clients?

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