Tcl - Tcl/Tk GUI Across Serial Link

Author

Tcl/Tk GUI Across Serial Link

randy1200

2005-04-25, 3:59 pm

I have a Tcl/Tk GUI running on linux box, which is my target box.

Is it possible to run the GUI from a remote PC, via a serial link? Right
now, I'm using a command line interface to my target box using minicom on
linux hosts, and hyperterm on my windows hosts.

I imagine this is just a question of serial terminal configuration on the
remote PCs. Any pointers on how to do this would be greatly appreciated.

Randy

Roy Terry

2005-04-25, 4:00 pm

"randy1200" <randy1200@yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:2cb81b12290e0be5bf2516c6b28061c1@lo
calhost.talkaboutprogramming.com...
> I have a Tcl/Tk GUI running on linux box, which is my target box.
>
> Is it possible to run the GUI from a remote PC, via a serial link? Right
> now, I'm using a command line interface to my target box using minicom on
> linux hosts, and hyperterm on my windows hosts.
>
> I imagine this is just a question of serial terminal configuration on the
> remote PCs. Any pointers on how to do this would be greatly appreciated.
>
> Randy
>
The short answer is no.

X-servers don't run over
serial links.

One possible approach would be to
build a "client" version of your GUI that
used the serial line to send higher level
commands.

Better, if you can find a way to truely network
the machines then you run remotely provided
you put an X-server on the remote PC. There are
probably packages you can find to network through
a serial line but I've no idea where to start looking
for those.

Roy

Donald Arseneau

2005-04-25, 8:58 pm

"randy1200" <randy1200@yahoo.com> writes:

> I have a Tcl/Tk GUI running on linux box, which is my target box.
>
> Is it possible to run the GUI from a remote PC, via a serial link? Right
> now, I'm using a command line interface to my target box using minicom on
> linux hosts, and hyperterm on my windows hosts.
>
> I imagine this is just a question of serial terminal configuration on the
> remote PCs. Any pointers on how to do this would be greatly appreciated.

No, you have to create a data path through the serial link,
and that could be done with a "slip" (old) or "ppp" (newer)
internet connection. Run a local X display.

I find Tk (at least grid) does a lot of X transactions and runs
very slowly over a slow tcpip connection, and I think it would be
hopeless over serial.

--
Donald Arseneau asnd@triumf.ca

Robert Heller

2005-04-25, 8:58 pm

"randy1200" <randy1200@yahoo.com>,
In a message on Mon, 25 Apr 2005 11:52:39 -0400, wrote :

"> I have a Tcl/Tk GUI running on linux box, which is my target box.
">
"> Is it possible to run the GUI from a remote PC, via a serial link? Right
"> now, I'm using a command line interface to my target box using minicom on
"> linux hosts, and hyperterm on my windows hosts.

There exists (or used to exist) a UNIX tool that implemented the X11
protocol over a serial interface. I don't know if this utility still
exists and don't know if there is every was a MS-Windows port.

">
"> I imagine this is just a question of serial terminal configuration on the
"> remote PCs. Any pointers on how to do this would be greatly appreciated.

Note there is something call VNC, but this expects some sort of TCP/IP
interface going. Note that any Linux box can be a PPP server, so
instead of using minicom/hyperterm, you can create a PPP connection from
the 'client' machine to the 'server' (your 'target') and then use SSH
and/or VNC -- slogin alone is enough for the Linux clients, but you'll
need VNC or a MS-Windows X11 server on the MS-Windows clients. VNC
itself is freely available. All modern MS-Windows systems come with a
PPP client, but I don't know if the MS-Windows PPP can be 'fired up'
with out it wanting to actually talk to a modem and dialing out. Linux's
PPP daemon can be configured to speak directly (eg via a NULL modem).

">
"> Randy
">
">

\/
Robert Heller ||InterNet: heller@cs.umass.edu
http://vis-www.cs.umass.edu/~heller || heller@deepsoft.com
http://www.deepsoft.com /\FidoNet: 1:321/153

Robert Heller

2005-04-25, 8:58 pm

"Roy Terry" <royterry@earthlink.net>,
In a message on Mon, 25 Apr 2005 18:24:11 GMT, wrote :

"T> "randy1200" <randy1200@yahoo.com> wrote in message
"T> news:2cb81b12290e0be5bf2516c6b28061c1@lo
calhost.talkaboutprogramming.com...
"T> > I have a Tcl/Tk GUI running on linux box, which is my target box.
"T> >
"T> > Is it possible to run the GUI from a remote PC, via a serial link? Right
"T> > now, I'm using a command line interface to my target box using minicom on
"T> > linux hosts, and hyperterm on my windows hosts.
"T> >
"T> > I imagine this is just a question of serial terminal configuration on the
"T> > remote PCs. Any pointers on how to do this would be greatly appreciated.
"T> >
"T> > Randy
"T> >
"T> The short answer is no.
"T>
"T> X-servers don't run over
"T> serial links.
"T>
"T> One possible approach would be to
"T> build a "client" version of your GUI that
"T> used the serial line to send higher level
"T> commands.
"T>
"T> Better, if you can find a way to truely network
"T> the machines then you run remotely provided
"T> you put an X-server on the remote PC. There are
"T> probably packages you can find to network through
"T> a serial line but I've no idea where to start looking
"T> for those.

Network over a serial line == PPP! Comes with Linux (both sides) and
MS-Windows (client side for sure).

"T>
"T> Roy
"T>
"T>
"T>

\/
Robert Heller ||InterNet: heller@cs.umass.edu
http://vis-www.cs.umass.edu/~heller || heller@deepsoft.com
http://www.deepsoft.com /\FidoNet: 1:321/153

Michi

2005-04-26, 8:59 am

Robert Heller wrote:

> Note there is something call VNC, but this expects some sort of
TCP/IP
> interface going. Note that any Linux box can be a PPP server, so
> instead of using minicom/hyperterm, you can create a PPP connection
from
> the 'client' machine to the 'server' (your 'target') and then use SSH
> and/or VNC -- slogin alone is enough for the Linux clients, but
you'll
> need VNC or a MS-Windows X11 server on the MS-Windows clients. VNC
> itself is freely available. All modern MS-Windows systems come with
a
> PPP client, but I don't know if the MS-Windows PPP can be 'fired up'
> with out it wanting to actually talk to a modem and dialing out.
Linux's
> PPP daemon can be configured to speak directly (eg via a NULL modem).

Only to complete: VNC runs also with any internet browser on the client
(e.g. the Internet Explorer can do that). The only thing you need is a
route to your server...
Michael

Sponsored Links