Ubuntu
vnc4 package

vnc4server startup script error

Bug #257724 reported by Topi Rinkinen on 2008-08-13

This bug affects 1 person

Affects		Status	Importance	Assigned to	Milestone
	vnc4 (Ubuntu)	Triaged	Low	Unassigned

Bug Description

Binary package hint: vnc4server

UBUNTU VERSION: Ubuntu 8.04 LTS Desktop Edition - Supported to 2011
UBUNTU VERSION: Standard personal computer (x86 architecture, PentiumTM, CeleronTM, AthlonTM, SempronTM)
UBUNTU VERSION:
    # lsb_release -rd
    Description: Ubuntu 8.04.1
    Release: 8.04
PACKAGE VERSION:
  # apt-cache policy vnc4server
  vnc4server:
    Installed: 4.1.1+xorg1.0.2-0ubuntu7
    Candidate: 4.1.1+xorg1.0.2-0ubuntu7
    Version table:
   *** 4.1.1+xorg1.0.2-0ubuntu7 0
          500 http://fi.archive.ubuntu.com hardy/universe Packages
          100 /var/lib/dpkg/status

FILE: /usr/bin/vnc4server
LINE: 47
CHANGE FROM: exec
CHANGE TO: .

DESCRIPTION:
The script (/etc/X11/xinit/xinitrc) can not be started due to missing access rights (/etc/X11/xinit/xinitrc is -rw-r--r--), thus exec is not valid for non-root users).
Without modification users are not able to set "normal desktop" as described in line 45.

Revision history for this message

Eddy Mulyono (eddymul) wrote on 2008-10-18:

debdiff xinit_1.0.9-2 xinit_1.0.9-2ubuntu1~ppa1 Edit (616 bytes, text/plain)

Test in intrepid:
0. sudo apt-get install vnc4server
1. vncserver
2. vncserver -kill :1
3. edit ~/.vnc/xstartup to be:
unset SESSION_MANAGER
exec /etc/X11/xinit/xinitrc
4. vncserver
5. Open "Remote Desktop Viewer"
6. "Connect" to "localhost:13"

Expected:
GNOME session starts.

Bug:
Nothing starts.

I think the bug is in xinit. I checked Fedora 9, and they have xinitrc set to 755.

I modified xinit-1.0.9-2 to, at postinst, chmod o+x xinitrc.

It seems to fix it for me.

Revision history for this message

Steve Beattie (sbeattie) wrote on 2009-04-08:

The right way to fix is to source the xinitrc file; e.g. change it to:

unset SESSION_MANAGER
. /etc/X11/xinit/xinitrc

Changed in vnc4 (Ubuntu):
importance:	Undecided → Low
status:	New → Triaged

Revision history for this message

hamish (hamish-b) wrote on 2011-05-07:

Still present in Lucid.

here's a post-install patch which fixes it for all users:

--- /usr/bin/vnc4server.ORIG 2011-05-07 21:16:26.546670598 +1200
+++ /usr/bin/vnc4server 2011-05-07 21:31:46.036742257 +1200
@@ -54,7 +54,7 @@
     = ("#!/bin/sh\n\n".
        "# Uncomment the following two lines for normal desktop:\n".
        "# unset SESSION_MANAGER\n".
- "# exec /etc/X11/xinit/xinitrc\n\n".
+ "# exec sh /etc/X11/xinit/xinitrc\n\n".
        "[ -x /etc/vnc/xstartup ] && exec /etc/vnc/xstartup\n".
        "[ -r \$HOME/.Xresources ] && xrdb \$HOME/.Xresources\n".
        "xsetroot -solid grey\n".