using the touch screen as a remote control for the desktoppc

[guest]

Hello,

i'm interested in a solution to use the touchscreen as a remote control via remote desktop connection like vnc. Is there already a solution implemented like vnc or is it possible to implement this?

BEst regards Jan

[he_the_great]

The TB comes with a VNC client.

viewtopic.php?f=9&t=326

[soldstatic]

I'm using this as a 'remote control' sort of like vnc. However, I went to the terminal and installed rdesktop which can connect to windows machines.

Open terminal and type this to install:

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sudo -s
ipkg install rdesktop

Then you can run 'man rdesktop' to see how to use it. It's pretty easy, and including the install I was remoting to a machine on my LAN in about 2 minutes. and 1minute, 45 seconds of that was installing rdesktop! OK i don't know how long it actually took but it was quick.

In order for this to work though, you have to enable remote desktop on the host machine.

[Rasputin]

soldstatic, can you give us the command you are using for rdesktop? I can connect to, and control, my Windows machine just fine, but even using the -0 (-zero) option the desktop locks at the login screen. I also want to use the TB as a remote. The server is running Windows XP sp3.

Thanks.

Note:
Currently, I'm connecting using

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redesktop -u username -p password -f -0 ipaddress

[soldstatic]

It's not a command you run on the TB. You have to create a new shortcut on the desktop or somewhere on the windows machine (you can do this while remoting if you want).

You might want to google it, but I think the executable is in system32 on XP. Not sure where it is on other versions of windows. But the program you want to run is called tscon or something. Actually I just googled and i think i found the microsoft page explaining it, link at the bottom. But basically it is a terminal service connector. Your remote desktop session connects to a terminal, the console terminal, on the server machine. That redirects the console output (console being the "main screen" basically)to the client. Then if you log off, it just disconnects your connection but leaves the screen locked. But if you use TSCON on the windows machine while you are still logged in via remote desktop, it will redirect the output to the screen. Your rdesktop client will think you've been disconnected prematurely because it will also disconnect you, but that's ok. no worried.

So right click on the desktop, create new, create a new shortcut to tscon.exe (i think it's in c:/windows/system32/ on XP but I can't remember exactly) and edit the command to follow the syntax on this page. I think for vista you use 1 instead of 0 in the command.

http://episteme.arstechnica.com/eve/forums/a/tpc/f/99609816/m/253002392731

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/302801

This is for anything before vista i think:

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tscon 0 /dest:console

And vista and later I think its:

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tscon 1 /dest:console

Course your shortcut may need to be more like:

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C:\Windws\system32\tscon.exe 0 "/dest:console"

but I can't remember mine off the top of my head. If you can't get it to work let me know, I'll have a look.

I use this to control my DJ program when I'm at gigs, so I can walk around and dj from the dance floor even, but then I hated having to log back in when I got back to the booth.

[Rasputin]

After visiting the first link you gave I see what you're doing. Your shortcut takes the server back to the desktop rather than leaving it at the login screen.

What I want to do, and what I thought you were doing, is sit on my couch and use the TB as a remote control to operate the PC that I have set up as a media center for watching downloaded television shows. It seems that this would work well using rdesktop if only the server wouldn't go to the login screen. My understanding is that the -0 option is supposed to accomplish this, but that didn't do it for me.

Thanks for your tip, though. I will definitely use that as I hate having to login every time I use Remote Desktop. Have to hunt down the wireless keyboard and mouse and all.

[soldstatic]

AHHH i see what you want.

I'm not sure how to do it, but let me look into it. I know there is stuff like a 'wifi' keyboards etc. And bluetooth. I know there is some bluetooth keyboard emulators for linux, there was one for the maemo devices.

[Rasputin]

Okay, got what I was looking for using VNC. I'm using RealVNC as the server and vncviewer as the client. Unfortunately, vncviewer does not permit scaling and scrolling on the TB is a real bear. Not the best setup, so I'll keep looking around now that I know I can do what I want.

[soldstatic]

OK i did a bit of googling for you, initially was looking for wifi keyboard and stuff and that just turns up hardware crap.

But I did find this:

http://synergy2.sourceforge.net/

It's a "virtual kvm" (kvm = keyboard video mouse) switch. Used to be hardware versions that when you flicked a switch sent your keyboard input to another computer, but this one just works over LAN, so you could use it over wifi. I think You'll want to install the server on the touchbook, and the client on the other machine. Let me know how that works for you, I'd be interested to hear.

[Synackaon]

I am not certain if Synergy2 includes a clone or mouse redirection option that would make it viable to use from a TB server.