Skip over navigation

keyword search: ITC

For:

• Students
• Instructors
• Researchers
• Staff
• IT Professionals

• Using Unix Systems From Windows
• Logging in to the Unix System
• File Editing
• Transferring Files
• X Applications

Logging in to the Unix System

It is convenient to give the connection a name, usually the name of the machine to which the connection is made (the default is "New"); it is easy to overlook the topmost field in the "new connection" screen.

File Editing

• Log on to the cluster via SecureCRT or equivalent and use one of the many command-oriented text editors available, such as vi, emacs, pico, or jove.
• Use NoteTab Light, available for download from Software Central. Be sure to export the file to Unix format. Then you can copy the file to the cluster via SecureFX (see Transferring Files).

  

• If you have an X server for Windows, such as eXceed or equivalent, you can use the point-and-click editors gedit or nedit on the clusters.
• If you must use a Windows-only editor, transfer the file and then apply dos2unix or flip to convert it to the correct Unix format. Type man dos2unix or man flip for more information about these commands.

  Transferring Files

  If you have the Home Directory application, you can transfer files from your home directory to your Windows desktop by dragging and dropping the file icon. However, Home Directory requires that cleartext passwords be enabled, or you may prefer to use another method. You can use SecureFX to transfer files. SecureFX opens two panes, one for your local host and one for the remote host. You can drag icons from one pane to another to transfer files.

  

  SecureFX has the advantage of working with all remote file locations and systems, including all temporary storage such as /bigtmp.

  The document Management and Storage of Large Files has some information about using "longtmp" temporary storage from Windows if SecureFX is not suitable for managing files on that filesystem.

  X Applications

  In order to run X (GUI) applications on your Windows system, you must install an X server. ITC licenses eXceed but it is not free to users; there is a small fee for purchase and a nominal fee for upgrades. It is still far less expensive than it would be if purchased at the retail price, however. Exceed should be used in conjunction with SecureCRT; to do so, be sure that "X11 forwarding" is enabled in the "properties" of the connection.

  

  Start SecureCRT, connect to the remote Unix system, then start Exceed running in the background as a toolbar. You can then run X applications from the SecureCRT terminal. The screenshot shows a GUI editor, nedit, running on the remote system and displaying to the local Windows desktop.

  

  To run multiple applications from the terminal, append an ampersand (&) to the end of each command. This places the command into the background. See the Unix basics Web pages and Unix tutorials for more information about running commands in the background.

  For those who want or need a free solution, Cygwin provides xorg. However, xorg is not downloaded by default when the Cygwin setup is run; the user must select it. It is also important to be sure that ssh is selected. Once xorg is set up, it is initiated from the Cygwin shell by typing startx. Unlike eXceed, xorg starts a full window manager environment. You should start an xterm on your local system, then log in to the remote machine with a command such as ssh -X -l mst3k aspen.itc.virginia.edu where your login ID goes in place of "mst3k" and the name of the machine comes last. The -X option enables X11 forwarding under Cygwin.

  

  Help

  • Help Desk (434-924-3731)
  • Help Request Form

  About

  • ITC Services Directory • Contact Info • Feedback Form • Site Info
  • Page Updated: 2008-09-16 • © 2008 by the Rector and Visitors of the University of Virginia

  Standards & Policy

  • Disclaimer
  • P3P Privacy Policy
  • Accessibility: WAI • 508
  • Web Standards: XHTML • CSS

  University of Virginia

  Information Technology and Communication

  108 Cresap Road

  P.O. Box 400217

  Charlottesville, Virginia, 22904-4217 USA

  © 2008 by the Rector and Visitors of the University of Virginia.

  The information contained on the University of Virginia’s Department of Information Technology and Communication (ITC) website is provided as a public service with the understanding that ITC makes no representations or warranties, either expressed or implied, concerning the accuracy, completeness, reliability or suitability of the information, including warrantees of title, non-infringement of copyright or patent rights of others. These pages are expected to represent the University of Virginia community and the State of Virginia in a professional manner in accordance with the University of Virginia’s Computing Policies.