xfce4-session doesn't work under vnc

[Matthew Caron]

This used to work under edgy. I believe it stopped working when I upgraded xserver-xorg-core. My ~/.vnc/xstartup contains just:

/usr/bin/startxfce4 &

I start vnc with:

vnc4server -fp /usr/share/fonts/X11/misc/ -depth 24 -geometry 1280x1024

(the -fp line is because of the bug reported in bugs 3593, 75451, and 71598).

The following is logged to the logfile:

The program 'xfce4-session' received an X Window System error.
This probably reflects a bug in the program.
The error was 'BadRequest (invalid request code or no such operation)'.
  (Details: serial 74 error_code 1 request_code 146 minor_code 2)
  (Note to programmers: normally, X errors are reported asynchronously;
   that is, you will receive the error a while after causing it.
   To debug your program, run it with the --sync command line
   option to change this behavior. You can then get a meaningful
   backtrace from your debugger if you break on the gdk_x_error() function.)
Agent pid 16789 killed

Xfce doesn't start, and you just get the nice grey background.

[Cody A.W. Somerville (cody-somerville)]

What version of Xubuntu are you using, 6.06 or 6.10? Are you able to ensure that you can login normally or is the box remote?

Thanks for your bug report.

[Matthew Caron (matt-mattcaron)]

This is 6.10. It worked correctly in 6.06. I can login locally just fine.

[Jani Monoses (jani)]

could you check if the problem is there with feisty?

[Matthew Caron (matt-mattcaron)]

Once I upgrade my boxen to feisty, I would be happy to do so. Problem is, I'm moving my household and all my computers are unracked and in piles. All that works is my laptop, and I'm not willing to upgrade that and potentially leave me with no working machines. :-)

[Peter Clifton (pcjc2)]

Looks like a similar problem I've noticed when running GTK apps under VNC shipped with FIesty.

The VNC server is advertising the XFIXES extension, which GTK Tries to use (understandably).

When it does so, the X Server rewards it with an XError, killing the program. I'm about to file a bug specifically for this issue.

[Peter Clifton (pcjc2)]

I forgot... the most useful thing I have to add to this thread!

Try running the VNC server with the option

-extension XFIXES

This disables the offending advertisment of XFIXES, and is useful workaround for me with GTK applications.

[Matthew Caron (matt-mattcaron)]

This bug still exists with feisty. Peter's suggestion of the:

-extension XFIXES

option seems to work around this issue.

[RedCharlie (redcharlie)]

see thread
http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=487737&highlight=xfce+vnc
specifying
-extension XFIXES
works for me, but this is a hack. Somebody fix this for real please!!

XFCE is ideal for use with VNC, and works well on CentOS and Fedora. It's quite annoying to be so flaky on (x)ubuntu.

[Jérôme Guelfucci (jerome-guelfucci-deactivatedaccount)]

Do you still have this issue in Ubuntu Feisty or Gutsy ?

[Matthew Caron (matt-mattcaron)]

I no longer have this problem in Gutsy. I will test it in Feisty when I have a chance and let you know.

[Matthew Caron (matt-mattcaron)]

I no longer have this problem in Feisty either.

Propose that we close this bug as resolved.

[Lionel Le Folgoc (mrpouit)]

Thanks for the feedback.