# UnixGeeks: an X Window Client/Server Question from a Mac X user **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [September 4, 2002, 4:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unixgeeks-an-x-window-client-server-question-from-a-mac-x-user/126979 "2002-09-04T16:29:48Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 6\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![AHunter3](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ahunter3/32/368_2.png) [@AHunter3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AHunter3)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2002, 4:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unixgeeks-an-x-window-client-server-question-from-a-mac-x-user/126979/1 "2002-09-04T16:29:48Z")
I’m in an X Darwin environment and I’m using ssh -x to connect to a Linux box down the hall. I’m authenticated, the command prompt shows me as myname@linuxbox and all that. I created a directory from the command prompt and then displayed it with ls. I’m in. I want a full GUI connection. I type DISPLAY=my.ip.add.ress:0 & It kind of nods and reports back with a number in brackets e.g., [1696] or [1697] or [1711] or [1719] when I do that or try variants. Usually if I try a variant (entering my computer’s name as [computername.wins.ourdomain.com](http://computername.wins.ourdomain.com), or redirecting input to :1 instead of :0, etc) it says "Done " followed by previous DISPLAY params. What it doesn’t do is create a display window and/or take over my screen with the GUI of the Linux box down the hall. I run xhosts and instruct my own machine to be nice and accept stuff from the IP address of the Linux box and it reports that it has added it. Repeat previous steps. Still no GUI. 😕 ---
**Author:** ![Giraffe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/giraffe/32/129_2.png) [@Giraffe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Giraffe)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2002, 5:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unixgeeks-an-x-window-client-server-question-from-a-mac-x-user/126979/2 "2002-09-04T17:28:33Z")
What shell are you using on your Linux box? I don’t know bash, but if you’re using csh or tcsh, then you have incorrect syntax for setting your DISPLAY variable. try: setenv DISPLAY [your ip address]:0.0 Don’t use the & – that instructs the shell to run the command in the background. ---
**Author:** ![AHunter3](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ahunter3/32/368_2.png) [@AHunter3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AHunter3)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2002, 5:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unixgeeks-an-x-window-client-server-question-from-a-mac-x-user/126979/3 "2002-09-04T17:43:58Z")
It was bash, and it turns out that the syntax is: export DISPLAY [myipaddress]:0.0 which works fine. I just ran a Linux-only app in an XWindow, which is pretty cool. ---
**Author:** ![AHunter3](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ahunter3/32/368_2.png) [@AHunter3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AHunter3)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2002, 8:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unixgeeks-an-x-window-client-server-question-from-a-mac-x-user/126979/4 "2002-09-04T20:15:21Z")
Hello SDMB! Posted using a Linux browser called “Konqueror” which is running on the PC next door. I’m logged in and running it from my Mac! (Konqueror is also a really nice file browser. I can use it to find and select the remote programs I want to launch instead of mucking around on bloody command lines). ---
**Author:** ![AHunter3](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ahunter3/32/368_2.png) [@AHunter3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AHunter3)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2002, 8:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unixgeeks-an-x-window-client-server-question-from-a-mac-x-user/126979/5 "2002-09-04T20:33:52Z")
Hello SDMB! Posted using a Linux browser called “Konqueror” which is running on the PC next door. I’m logged in and running it from my Mac! (Konqueror is also a really nice file browser. I can use it to find and select the remote programs I want to launch instead of mucking around on bloody command lines). ---
**Author:** ![AHunter3](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ahunter3/32/368_2.png) [@AHunter3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AHunter3)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2002, 8:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unixgeeks-an-x-window-client-server-question-from-a-mac-x-user/126979/6 "2002-09-04T20:36:09Z")
And the hamsters work equally well for Linux browsers, too!