Optional remote desktop mode #10
Description
On the radio host GNURadio has an optional GUI mode that is useful for development and debugging. It doesn't seem like there's a way to run it remotely so some kind of graphical environment is needed and I chose to try a VNC based thing to get it working. The following list is my notes from the process of setting it up on the current headless image:
- server:
- libgtk2.0-0
- xserver-xorg
- https://www.raspberrypi.com/documentation/computers/remote-access.html#vnc
- via raspi-config
- for desktop:
- xfce4
- systemctl set-default graphical.target
- for gnuradio:
- gobject-introspection
- gir1.2-gtk-3.0
- client:
- TigerVNC
- if it complains about ZRLE set preferred encoding to raw in options
- Error might indicate old server-side stuff?
- alternatives:
- how does ssh -X work?
During normal operation we probably wouldn't want all of that running since the machine is a bit resource constrained already and normal operation will be the vast majority of the time. Is there an easy way to optionally enable or disable the remote desktop? My one idea is with the systemd.unit=graphical.target kernel parameter, where the default target is left normally at multi-user.target. I think the xserver and the vnc server should only start while booting to graphical.target.