Problem of remote X-window display on OpenSuSE 12.2

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1

Dear OpenSuSE users,

I just installed 64-bit OpenSuSE 12.2 desktop, and found this remote X-window display problem, if someone has some idea on how to fix it, it would be much appreciated.

The problem happens when a program Mercury (from Cambridge Crystallographic Data Center) is initiated from a remote workstation and its GUI displays on my local
OpenSuSE desktop, the program Mercury displays its GUI, but the major box of the GUI is black and empty, it is supposed to display some molecule structure, and there
is no response to mouse click when the cursor is in the major box.

The previous version (12.1) does not have this problem, and I checked CygwinX/Windows and other Linux distribution, they all work normally.

So I wonder if some default settings for remote X display of OpenSuSE 12.2 have been changed?

Jyh-Shyong Ho

2

So the display system of mesa and xorg have been updated in openSUSE 12.2. From an outside perspective, the whole video system is now much faster. But perhaps, not as compatible with your application. I really feel the simple solution is to go back to openSUSE 12.1. Failing that, an upgrade of the kernel can provide a better video driver base, though I don’t know what video system you use. To upgrade the kernel, have a look at these:

For any kernel version, have a look at these three bash scripts:

S.A.K.C. - SUSE Automated Kernel Compiler - Version 2.78: https://forums.opensuse.org/blogs/jd…rsion-2-50-34/

S.A.K.R. - SUSE Automated Kernel Remover - Version 1.0.4: https://forums.opensuse.org/blogs/jd…ion-1-0-0-111/

S.G.T.B. - SuSE Git Kernel Tarball Creator - Version 1.85: https://forums.opensuse.org/blogs/jd…rsion-1-31-53/

For Video, if its nVIDIA, have a look at these:

Installing the nVIDIA Video Driver the Hard Way: https://forums.opensuse.org/blogs/jdmcdaniel3/installing-nvidia-video-driver-hard-way-29/

LNVHW - Load NVIDIA (driver the) Hard Way from runlevel 3 - Version 1.46: https://forums.opensuse.org/blogs/jdmcdaniel3/lnvhw-load-nvidia-driver-hard-way-runlevel-3-version-1-10-32/

For Intel, a newer kernel is all you need and if its ATI or some dual graphics thing like Optimus, no video driver upgrade may be able to help. As I said, using openSUSE 12.1 may require a reinstall, but you found it works. Upgrading the kernel with SAKC is painless and easy to try. And easy to remove it if does not help. Loading the nVIDIA video driver gives the fastest display driver you can get and perhaps more compatible, but its hard to revert back to the open source video driver later without doing a re-installation of openSUSE.

Thank You,

3

Thanks for your reply. I upgraded the NVIDIA video driver 310.19 (from 304), the remote display problem remains, there is no display of molecule
structure in Mercury’s window.

As you explained that the upgrade of mesa of xorg11 in 12.2 is not compatible with the application Mercury, I wonder will this problem be solved
in the next version of OpenSUSE? Or the application Mercury has to be modified so its remote display can run normally in the new environment?

Go back to 12.1 is a easy way for Mercury, but that means the OS will not be upgraded any more.

4

If this Mercury’s is an important application, it might be time to get more involved with it and even see if you can contribute to it being upgraded to work with the latest video systems. Its also no sin to drop back to openSUSE 12.1 to see how the next version develops. I do not know how well it might work, but running openSUSE 12.1 as a VirtualBox Guest to a openSUSE 12.2 host is also a possible thing to try.

So I am using VirtualBox 4.2.4, the latest of which you can find links for here: https://forums.opensuse.org/english/…box-4-2-a.html, and suggestions on how to install you can find here: https://forums.opensuse.org/content/…alization.html, this info provided for those not yet using VirtualBox which is a very good VM to try in my opinion.

Thank You,