Installing and Running eXceed (v.9.0)

 


What is eXceed?

eXceed is a server for the X window system which runs on PCs running Windows 2000/NT, and Windows 98/ME/XP personal computers. ITC support for this product is limited, but in addition to the current document, we have documentation on the X Window System that is pertinent to using eXceed in single window mode. These are listed below in the References section.

The software CD is available through the Research Computing Support Center. There is fee must be paid by personal check or with a U.Va. Departmental fund code (PTAO). After you have paid for your copy, you will be able to download your license from the RCSC's Software Distribution site. If you install a copy of eXceed on one UVa owned computer that you use at least 80% of the time that computer is in use, then you are permitted to also install a copy of eXceed on your home or laptop computer. This license still does not permit installation on multiple UVa-owned computers or computers on-grounds. A separate license is needed for each of these computers. Basically, Hummingbird is allowing "home use" for UVa-related work, similar to UVa's agreement with Microsoft Office Suite. A student version, valid for one academic year, is available from Hummingbird for $25.

TCP/IP is used for communication between the host machine and your client. Your connection method, should you use a student copy off-Grounds, should be through DSL or CableModem. Phone line transmission is too slow to make the connection worthwhile.

This document focuses on the use of eXceed to show results from other programs, such as Matlab, Mathematica, etc., and on running an X Windows desktop remotely (where configuration files are on a remote server). Details on using a local X console or running local X applications can be found in the documentation that comes with eXceed. Details on the X Windows desktop environment can be found in the References section at the end of the document. We assume you are using UVa's computing environment, and the methods covered are simple and straightforward in an attempt to help you get started with eXceed.

 

Installing eXceed

If you are going to install eXceed 9.0, first uninstall any previous versions of eXceed you have on your computer. If you have only the one version installed, the Setup Wizard can handle it; more than one version and you must manually uninstall each version before installing version 9.0. If Host Explorer or another Hummingbird Host product is currently installed on your computer, you must manually uninstall the product before installing eXceed. If you are using Windows NT/2000/XP, you should log in with administrative privileges before installing, particularly if this needs to be a shared application. eXceed automatically install will install HostExplorer (does not contain ITC's configuration) unless you opt out.

** Note : Currently ITC's downloadable HostExplorer (with ITC's configuration) will not work with Exceed 9.0. The latest CD with Exceed includes the profiles included in the current HostExplorer intaller.

When you insert the installation CD it should start the Hummingbird installer automatically. If the installer does not start automatically use open My Computer, then open your CD disk in the My Computer window and double-click on Msetup.exe.

  1. Choose Install Exceed.
    Exceed installer window with Install Exceed selected
  2. Choose Personal InstallationExceed installer window with Personal Instalation selected
  3. Choose English as the language, click OK
  4. Screen saying Welcome to the Hummingbird Setup Wizard - click Next
  5. Screen with the license - read, choose accept and click Next (if you do not accept the agreement,
    do not install or use the software.)
  6. Customer information screen - your name, Organization University of Virginia, installation type
    will most often be 'Anyone who uses this computer'. Click next.
  7. Destination Folder. Usually this should not be changed from the default. click Next.
  8. Setup Type Typical will leave out Documenation and the Inetd server - Complete installs everything.
  9. If you plan to read the documentation later choose Complete. Click Next.
  10. Ready to Install the Program screen. Choosing to tune the server during installation will result
    in a very long installation time. The server can be tuned later, or left untuned, and will work
    fine in most cases. Make the choice you prefer and click next. (remaining documentation assumes you
    chose to NOT tune the server.)
  11. Installation will start - status changes several times during the installation.
  12. When installation completes the Installation screen changes to Hummingbird Setup Wizard Complete.
    Click Finish.
  13. You will get a Hummingbird Exceed Installer Information Screen. Do not use Exceed until you have
    rebooted your system. Close existing programs before choosing to restart.

 

Click here to access Exceed 9.x Knowledge Base solutions for install problems from Hummingbird.

After 9.0 is installed, it is *HIGHLY RECOMMENDED* you also install the Hummingbird Connectivity Security Pack included on the CD. It provides a Secure Shell TCP tunnel for communications between clients and hosts on a network, which is required to make connections through firewalls.

Open My Computer, right-click on the CD drive (usually D:) and choose Explore. Double-click on the "CSS 9.0" folder, double-click on msetup.exe (or msetup if you have extentions turned off.)

 

Configuring eXceed

Once eXceed has been installed, you may modify the settings for The configuration options we suggest will give the program the same desktop appearance as is in ITC's public labs. Choose Start -> Programs -> Hummingbird Connectivity v 9.0 -> Exceed -> Xconfig to bring up the folder of configuration options.


  • Keyboard Input

Select the Mouse Keyboard and Other Input Devices icon from the Xconfig window. On the Keyboard Input window that appears make sure "Use Keyboard Hook" is unchecked. Choose "Validate and Apply Changes" to save.

  • Communication
Go back to the main Xconfig screen using the large green arrow and select the Network and Communication icon. In the Communication window that appears
  • Change mode to XDMCP-indirect
  • Display Number is 0


Click the 'Configure' button XDMCP Startup Modes window, modify the entries to contain the Connect Host, Display Class, and Key as shown below. Check both "Exit Kills All Clients" and "Select First Display Manager". Close the XDMCP Startup Modes window by clicking "OK". Close the remaining Communication (shown above) window by clicking "Validate and Apply Changes".

  • Screen Definition

    • Use the green arrow again to get back to the Display and Video icon. In the Screen 0 window, the settings should be as follows:

    • Under Window Mode, choose "Single"
    • Root size (pixels): "Full Screen" not checked
    • Root size (pixels): "Width" 0 and "Height" 0
    • The "File:" entry (under Auto Load XRDB) is xrdb.txt
    • Under the Common Settings tab
      • "Enable Server Reset" checked
      • "Close Warning On Exit" checked

Close the Screen Definitions window by clicking "Validate and Apply changes". See both screen images below.

 

  • Font

If you will be using a program that needs special fonts, e.g. Mathematica, click the Font icon in the Xconfig folder. In the Font tab that opens click Edit under Font Database.


In the Font Database window that appears, click "Add Font Server "
A window titled Add Font Server opens. Modify its entries as follows:

  • For Host , enter "fonts.itc.virginia.edu"
  • Port is "7734"
  • For Transport, choose "tcp"
  • Under Status...State, select the radio button for "Load"
  • Choose "OK" to close the Add Font Server window
 
You should be back in the Font Database window. Select "L     fonts.itc.virginia.edu/fonts.itc.virginia.edu:7734" as shown below, and click the "Move Up" button on the right until this entry is at the top of the list.


Click "OK" to close the window.

Choose "Validate and Apply Changes" to close the remaining Font window.

  • Security

    • Exceed is an insecure application. The default configuration is the equivalent of typing "xhost +" in a Unix-like X Windows environment. That command, translated, means that ANY host can display on the desktop - jobs you are running, and jobs anyone else has directed at your IP address! To enable security in Exceed, click the Security, Access Control and System Administration category and make the following changes under the Security tab:

    • Choose "Enabled ( no host access)"
    • Check "Allow Clients To Modify Host Access Control List"
    • Choose "Validate and Apply Changes" to close the Security window.


Close the Xconfig window. You are now ready to run eXceed.

Using Exceed

Before using Exceed, you must have a valid (userid/password) account on a UNIX host. For most users this will be an account on blue.unix.virginia.edu. This is the same account you use for your personal web site on www.people.virginia.edu. You can check to see that you have an account there by going to the Home Directory Service web page. If you do not, there is a link through which you can request one from the ITC Accounts Office.

First-time users: If you have not yet logged into your blue.unix account for an interactive session, you must do this before using eXceed for the first time. You will not have the necessary X-Windows configuration files unless you have done this, and any connection you try to make with eXceed will fail. Your using the Home Directory Service from your desktop or through a web interface is not sufficient. The only action that will force the system to install the X dot-files is a direct login through a telnet application like SecureCRT.

 

Non Secure Connection

Your PC is configured just like the ones in the public labs. Use of XDMCP for communication enables specific behavior of X on your PC, and using eXceed on your PC should be the same as using the lab PC's.

  • Choose Start -> Programs -> Hummingbird Connectivity v 8.0 -> Exceed -> Exceed
    You should see a desktop that
    • shows a grey thatched background
    • has an XDMCP Menu of machines (that can support X Windows) in the center

  • Select a XDM Host from the scrollable list in the XDMCP Menu
    • For blue.unix.virginia.edu, choose one of the node#.unix.virginia.edu hosts
    • click the "accept" button

     

    • a login window opens for the XDM Host (or specific node) you selected
    • enter your login id for that host
    • click the password field and enter you password (nothing appears as you type)
    • press the keyboard Enter key to logon

     

    • control of your screen is "taken over" by that host

     

 

Secure Connection

Xstart is an application for automating access to hosts and starting applications. Use it to create Xstart (.xs) startup files and create shortcut icons to UNIX, Linux, and X applications. You can also set up a connection to run through a secure link to blue to allow you to tunnel through any firewalls or local routers which may interefere with connections. Clicking one of these icons automatically establishes a host connection, logs on, and then starts an X client. An X client can be a character-based host application in a terminal emulator window. Use of these procedures requires that you installed the SSC 9.0 package above.

Choose Start -> Programs -> Hummingbird Connectivity v 9.0 -> Exceed -> Xstart

  • Start Method: choose Secure Shell (TCP/IP)
  • Click on the ... button to the right of "Secure Shell Profile" window and click on the 'add new tunnel' button in the lower left.

    Enter a name (above it is UVA) a host name, we recommend Blue, your user name, and leave the TCP port as 22, click OK. The tunnel name will appear in the Open Tunnel Window. Right-click and choose Properties.

    In the properties window if the Port Forwarding list has a + next to it click on that to get the extended list and click on the X11 item. Check the Enable X11 port Forwarding box and click on the OK in the lower left.

    With the UVA profile selected click on the OPEN button in the lower right of the Open Tunnel window.
    This takes you back to the Xstart window.
  • Program Type: choose XWindow
  • Host: enter localhost for connection
  • Host Type: choose UNIX
  • Command: enter a startup script to give you the desires X session (e.g. startx)
  • Information Prompt: choose one
  • Description: optional. Useful if saving this startup for later execution.

  • Click on the Other: button under settings and change the Close timeout to -1 and click OK.

 

If saving this setup for later execution, select File -> Save As and enter a File name.

To execute select File -> Open and select, under Files:, the desired startup and click OK.

Click Run! at the top to execute. You will be prompted for your the user id and password for the tunnel to blue, then prompted again for your password.

 

To install an execution icon on your Desktop, on the Xstart window click File -> Install..

  • Program Group Description = Desktop
  • Files = select the desired startup file

Click OK to install.

 

Your monitor is now just a Display Device for communication. Access to your PC is not lost - you can still use the Start menu or Task Bar. Using Alt-tab at any time opens a window with icons for the other applications that are running on your PC. If you choose one of those tasks, it will just appear on top of the X Window desktop, and disappear if you click in the X Window background.

There is a sequence of files that is read from your login directory on the host machine you have chosen to be your X server. For a more detailed discussion of the sequence, functions, and contents of these files, please see documents U-014 and U-014a in the References section below. The important files for making your X Windows desktop look as you'd like ... colors, fonts. menu lists, etc. are listed here and are discussed in detail in the U014 and U014a documents.

  • Configure your desktop to suit your needs by modifying these files
    • .xinitrc - basic initialization for use of X Windows
    • .xinitrc.ksh - further initialization for your particular shell (here, ksh)
    • .variables.ksh - environment variables for your particular shell (here, ksh)
    • .twmrc (if you use TWM as your window manager) - Window Manager configuration
    • .Xresources (or .Xdefaults) - specific behaviors for programs

  • If you experience strange behavior in using eXceed (something other than predicted above)
    • check the dates for these startup files on the host computer. The command
      Use the command "ls -al" to produce a detailed listing of information:
      including modification date, size, etc.
    • if your files are several years old, replace them
      • use the command "install.startup" on the Unix computer
      • check "man install.startup" for details, ...
      • old files containing personal modifications are stored in .BackupDotFiles
      • check the .BackupDotFiles directory for personalized files
      • move any personalized application files up one level and back into place
        From the .BackupDotFiles directory, use "mv .myfile . ." (mv dot-myfile dot-dot)


Quitting eXceed

Before quitting eXceed for the first time, read U-014 Introduction to the X Window System. Quitting the application is a two-step process:

  • "Shut Down" your X-Windows application using the root menu described in the document
    Note: You have only severed your connection to the server
  • Kill the XDMCP window by clicking the X in the upper right corner of the window
    Note: This ends the eXceed process on your PC


Troubleshooting

There is a built-in Help for eXceed. Make this your first stop if you have trouble. Click the ? symbol in the icon box at the lower left of the eXceed screen to open the Help window. As with most PC applications, you can use the Table of Contents, Index, or Search to locate a topic. Here are a few common situations and their solutions:
  • Programs and/or settings not working as expected?
    You are probably running an individual application or series of commands and using Microsoft Windows as your window manager. Your .Xresources file is not being read, because you are not using your unix account. You must supply the information by hand, as part of the command.

    For ksh users, choose "Start -> Run" and enter a command similar to the following (all on one continuous line):
    . /etc/profile ; . .kshrc ; . .variables.ksh ;
          export DISPLAY=@D ; xrdb -merge .Xresources; command_to_run

    For (t)csh users, choose "Start -> Run" and enter a command similar to the following (all on one continuous line):
    source /etc/csh.login ; source .cshrc ; source .variables.csh ;
          setenv DISPLAY @D ; xrdb -merge .Xresources ; command_to_run


  • Keep getting thrown back to the chooser?
    If the list of servers keeps returning after you have made a selection, the cause may be a simple line in a startup file: if you have a variable that you export AND have the "set -a" command in your .variables.ksh, this can cause eXceed some trouble. If your .variables.ksh file has two lines (not necessarily one after the other) similar to these

    set -a
    export PATH=${HOME}/bin:${PATH}:/matlab/bin

    • leave " set -a" at the beginning of the file
    • remove the word "export" from the beginning of its line

the new line would simply read as follows:

    PATH=${HOME}/bin:${PATH}:/matlab/bin


  • Need to use a computer not listed in the chooser?
    Referring back to the section on Configuration, above, go to Start -> Programs -> Hummingbird Connectivity v 8.0 -> Exceed -> Xconfig to open the folder of options. Click the Communication icon and change the mode, which had been "XDMCP-indirect" to "XDMCP-query". Click the Configure button. Enter in Connect Host the name of the host you want to access (instead of juno.acc.virginia.edu), and click "OK" close the windows. The next time you start eXceed, it should connect to that host and prompt you to login.


  • Check the online support at Hummingbird's website


As stated at the beginning of this document, ITC support for this product is limited. If you are still having trouble, please call the HelpDesk at 924-3731, or send email to consult@virginia.edu. Be as specific as possible, since the problem may be with a third-party application that uses X Windows, and not with eXceed, per se.


References

U-014 Introduction to the X Window System :
http://www.itc.virginia.edu/desktop/unix/docs/u014.xwindows.html

U-014a More about X Windows:
http://www.itc.virginia.edu/desktop/unix/docs/u014a.xwindows.html

ITCWeb Hints:Unix:X
http://www.itc.virginia.edu/desktop/cgi-dtc/newhints.cgi?unix/x

eXceed Users' Mailing List Archives
http://www.hummingbird.com/exceedusers/

Hummingbird's eXceed Website
http://www.hummingbird.com/products/nc/exceed/index.html


Desktop Computing Support
consult@virginia.edu
 

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