VNC Viewer for OS/2 PM, Version 1.00
akira@sra.co.jp
_What is VNC ?
VNC stands for Virtual Network Computing, developed by ORL.
Jan. 1999, ORL has been acquired by AT&T to form AT&T
Laboratories Cambridge.
See VNC site ] [ ... ]
Connecting server is specified with 'host:display' format, as
snoopy:2
'host:display' may be changed with 'session dialog' after program
startup.
If you connecting to UNIX server, server report host and display
number on it startup.
If you connecting to Windows Server, display number is usually 0.
There are following options. Options are also changed with 'option
dialog' after program startup.
Pixel Format
-true Request '32 bits True Color' to server. Viewer hold
display image with 24 bits true color.
-bgr233 Request 'bgr233' 8 bits pixel format to server.
Viewer hold disoplay image with 8 bits bitmap.
-tiny Request 'bgr233' 8 bits pixel format to server.
Viewer convert it to default 16 colors.
-gray Request 'bgr233' 8 bits pixel format to server.
Viewer convert it to 4 level gray scales.
Default is '-true' color. PM converts any bitmap to real display
depth. So, you can use any pixel format without your local
display. But each format have onw problems.
o Server convert colors if you request 'BGR233' format. If
you using graphic apllications requring exact colors, then
use True Color format.
o True Color uses lot of (three times) network traffic than
BGR233. If you using slow network, or slow server, then
try BGR233 format.
o If you using PM with 256, or 16 colors, color conversion in
local PM side eat up lot of processor power. In those case,
try '-tiny' option. It convert BGR233 colors to default 16
colors.
o '-tiny' reduces colors, but it sometimes cause trouble on
visual effects. On those case, try 'gray' scaling.
Encoding
-hextile prefer Hextile encoding
-corre prefer CoRRE encoding
-rre prefer RRE encoding
-raw prefer RAW encoding
Default prefers 'Hextile' encoding. But for current version,
rectangle fill (used by Hextile/RRE/CoRRE) is bit slow. If you
think it slow, and using fast network, then try 'Raw' encoding.
Off course, 'Raw' encoding performs no compression, so, it causes
tourble on slow network.
I noticed Java Version running on OS/2 also speed up on 'Raw'
encoding.
'CopyRect' encoding is always effective in this version.
Misc. options
-shared share disktop with another viewer
-viewonly disable mouse/key inputs
-deiconify request to restore on 'BELL' if iconified.
-dialogAtCenter
-dialogAtMouse
specify position of dialogs. With '-dialogAtCenter',
all dialogs are shown at center of screen. With
'-dialogAtMouse', all dialogs are shown at near
mouse pointer. Default is near mouse position.
-passwd passwd-file
If you can access to server's passwd file, this
option supress password dialog. It is useful when
using with Xvnc for OS/2.
-keymap keymapfile
With 'keymapfile', you can specify mappings between
PM's scan key code and VNC's key definition. With
this, you can distinguish right/left Shift/Control
keys usually not distinguished, or send NLS keys to
VNC server.
See 'Keymap File' section for more details.
_Session / Option Dialog
VNC viewer shows 'session dialog' on its startup.
+---+-----------------------------------------------------+
| | PM VNC Viewer - connect to |
+---+-----------------------------------------------------+
| +-----+ +---------------+---+ +---------+ |
| | VNC | VNC Server : | | V | | Connect | |
| | | +---------------+---+ +---------+ |
| +-----+ +---------+ |
| Use host:display | Cancel | |
| +---------+ |
| e.g. snoopy:2 +---------+ |
| |Options..| |
| +---------+ |
+---------------------------------------------------------+
Server name field shows server name (host:display) given in command
line. If no server specified, then it shows last server name.
Server name field is pull down list, it holds servers previously
used. You can select those servers from it.
For confirm options, push 'Options' button, and invoke 'option
dialog'.
+---------------------------------------------+
| Session Options for |
+---------------------------------------------+
| +-------------------+---+ |
| Pixel Format | True Color | V | |
| +-------------------+---+ |
| +-------------------+---+ |
| Preferred Encoding| Hextile | V | |
| +-------------------+---+ |
| +---------+ |
| o Request shared session | Connect | |
| +---------+ |
| o View only +---------+ |
| | Back | |
| o Deiconify on Bell +---------+ |
+---------------------------------------------+
If you specify some options on command line, those options are shown
in this dialog. If you specified nothing, then, last setting for
selected server are shown. Otherwise, default settings are used.
Select server to connect, confirm options, and then push 'Connect'
button to start connection to VNC server.
_Authentication
If specified VNC server exist and working, then server request user
authentication.
+---+-----------------------------------------------------+
| | PM VNC Viewer - authentication |
+---+-----------------------------------------------------+
| +---------+ |
| +------+ +---------------+ | OK | |
| | VNC | Session password:| | +---------+ |
| | | +---------------+ +---------+ |
| +------+ | Cancel | |
| +---------+ |
+---------------------------------------------------------;
Password is one you set in server side. It is 'vncpasswd' for Xvnc,
or 'Property' for WinVNC.
If you use '-passwd' option, this dialog is not appear.
_Remote Desktop
If password was correct, then VNC session begin and viewer displays
remote desktop image.
If you once connected to given server, previous window's position
and size are used. Connecting to new server, and remote desktop
is smaller than PM screen, then entire desktop will shown.
Otherwise, part of remote desktop will shown.
You can change local window size with dragging size border, but you
cannot enlarge local window larger than remote desktop. If local
window is smaller than remote desktop, then scrool bar appears.
When minimized, viewer not send request (FramebufferUpdateRequest)
to server. You can reduce network traffic, server load by
minimizing viewer.
_Key and Mouse
If local mouse is in local window, then mouse movements, button
clicks are send to remote desktop. If local window get focus, then
also key events are send to remote desktop.
But, this viewer does not change PM's standard hooks, and they are
all process in PM side. For example,
CTRL-ALT-DEL Reboot OS/2
CTRL-ESC Shows task list
ALT-TAB Chnages local side focus
If you want to use those hooked key combinations to remote machine,
use menu or keyboard accelerators. All ALT key combinations are
processed locally, and never send to remote machine.
_Menu and Accelerator
Menu Items Accelerator
-----------------------------+--------------
Connection options... Alt-O
Connection info Alt-I
Request screen refresh Alt-R
Copy Alt-Y remote to local clipboard
Paste Alt-P paste to remote desktop
Send Control Key
Ctrl Key Toggle Alt-C
Ctrl Key Down
Ctrl Key Up
Send Alt Key
Alt Key Toggle Alt-A
Alt Key Down
Alt Key Up
Send Function Key
F1 ... F12
Send C-A-D Alt-D
Send Ctrl-Esc Alt-E
Send Alt-Tab Alt-T
About VNC Viewer Alt-B
Ctl/Alt key status is shown in 'CTL' 'ALT' window in titlebar. You
can toggle their state with clicking those windows, and also you can
use popup menu on those windows.
_Keymap File
Keymap file defines mappings between PM's scan key code and VNC key
events send to VNC server.
This viewer usually does not check scan key code (in WM_CHAR message).
Because, scan key code depend on your keyboard, and no generic way to
handle scan key codes.
But for this, viewer does not distinguish left/right shift/control
keys (both send as left side one), and cannot distinguish keypad
keys.
This causes some remote applications does not work correctly. So fix
this problem, I introduced scan key mapping to VNC key events.
With this function, you can distinguish left/right control/shift
keys or enable NLS keys.
Keymap file is a text file, each line defines mapping between PM's
scan key code to VNC's key event code. Lines beginning with '#' are
treated as comment line. For example, following definition
distinguishes right Shift/Control keys on my keyboard.
# Right Shift Key -> XK_Shift_R
36 FFE2
# Right Control Key -> XK_Control_R
5B FFE4
First digits defines PM's scan key code (in hex-decimal). This is
keyboard dependent, so adjust to your environment. I use good old
'keylook' sample in Petzold's book to confirm these values.
Next digits defines key event code send to VNC server. It is really
X keysym definition. Take a look at 'keysymdef.h' in the archive to
describe value of key event.
Archive contains two sample keymap files, works on my environment.
right.map Distinguish right Shift/Control keys
keypad.map Distinguish keypad keys.
Of course, they works only my local environment. If you want to use
those mapping, adjust scan key code to your environment.