Linux VNC client + OS X Leopard Screen Sharing: Copy / Paste Issues

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Linux VNC client + OS X Leopard Screen Sharing: Copy / Paste Issues

I'm connecting to my Mac from my Linux machine via VNC. I've enabled screen sharing as well as clicked the box to enable VNC clients to connect. And in doing so, my connection works nicely.

However, copy and paste functionality between the two hosts does NOT work. In fact, whenever the client attempts to send the cut buffer or selection buffer to my Mac, the screen sharing session freezes and I have to close the client and re-connect.

I've tried this with a number of vnc clients available for the linux platform and they all exhibit the same behavior. I've also installed the VNC Vine server on my Mac and connected to it using my linux vnc client and this has no problems with copy and paste. So, I think w/o question - the problem lies within the Screen Sharing application.

Does anyone have this working? Or, has anyone seen similar behavior?

Environment Info:
Mac: OS X v. 10.5.5, Build 9F33

Help!

Thanks,
Mike

MBP, Mac OS X (10.5.5)

Posted on Oct 2, 2008 1:45 PM

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Answer 1

Tim Haigh

Level 7

24,198 points

Oct 3, 2008 5:14 PM in response to mikelenner

I would guess that not all the screen sharing functionality is available when connecting from anything other than another macs screensharing app.

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Answer 2

mikelenner Author

Level 1

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Oct 23, 2008 6:56 AM in response to Tim Haigh

That would surprise me if OS X's intention was to not support this facet of VNC. Per the help Mac help page on screen sharing:

"Mac OS X screen sharing is compatible with Virtual Network Computing (VNC), an industry standard for remote controlling computers on a network using TCP/IP."

Would seem odd that Apple would choose to support this protocol only partially. Makes me think this is a bug in OS X's implementation of a VNC compatible server.

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Answer 3

BobHarris

Level 9

53,147 points

Oct 23, 2008 8:25 AM in response to mikelenner

As an experiment, try the *Vine Server*
<http://www.versiontracker.com/dyn/moreinfo/macosx/16699>

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Answer 4

mikelenner Author

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Oct 27, 2008 7:34 PM in response to BobHarris

That's a good thought - and one that I had already tried.

The Vine server works perfectly - cut & paste included. The problem is that because it's not integrated with the OS (I guess), it's MUCH slower than the screen sharing server. Almost to the point where it's unusable. So, I switched back to the screen sharing and am just hoping to find a solution to the cut & paste issue.

Thanks for the help!

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Answer 5

BobHarris

Level 9

53,147 points

Oct 28, 2008 8:35 AM in response to mikelenner

I've found that the *Vine Server* used in conjunction with *Chicken of the VNC*, or any other TightVNC compliant VNC client works *Good Enough*.

I've also found that if I do not need full color depth, I could get improved performance using 16 bit color, or even dropping it to 8 bit color (useful when connecting to my Mom's Mac over very slow DSL uplink on my Mom's system).

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Answer 6

mikelenner Author

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Nov 7, 2008 6:47 AM in response to BobHarris

Yeah - I've experimented with a number of combination. Not only do none seem to reach the speed of screen sharing, but many also don't handle some of the little extras as well as screen sharing does - i.e. correctly mapping the option and command keys, integrating the spaces / expose key strokes.

I think it's clear that a bug exists in Mac OS X's implementation of a VNC server. Is there any recourse for me to help resolve that? Any formal bug submital process? Or, I'd even take some help regarding how (if it's possible) to see the source itself of their implementation.

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Answer 7

BobHarris

Level 9

53,147 points

Nov 7, 2008 7:27 AM in response to mikelenner

Is there any recourse for me to help resolve that? Any formal bug submital process?

There is the Apple Feedback web page:
<http://www.apple.com/feedback/>

If you sign up for the Free Apple developer account, you can use the bug submit process:
<http://developer.apple.com/>
<http://developer.apple.com/faq/bugreporting.html>

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Answer 8

Dec 2, 2008 5:14 PM in response to mikelenner

I have a similar problem: text copy and paste does not work between my VNC server on a Linux box, and my Screen Sharing (v. 1.0.1) client. There are no other problems, i.e. nothing freezes up or anything like that; it's just that copy and paste do not work.

I am curious to know if anybody has this working...

Edin

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Answer 9

BobHarris

Level 9

53,147 points

Dec 2, 2008 6:50 PM in response to Edin Zulich

I have a similar problem: text copy and paste does not work between my VNC server on a Linux box, and my Screen Sharing (v. 1.0.1) client. There are no other problems, i.e. nothing freezes up or anything like that; it's just that copy and paste do not work.

I use TightVNC on Mac OS X to connect with my Linux vncserver process.

TightVNC does require X11 on your Mac, but then you can then use Option-Click (middle mouse button) to paste either selected text or text in the copy buffer. I use USBOverboard so that I can program one of the buttons on my mouse to be Command-V for Mac apps, and Option-Click when in X11.

You can install TightVNC using MacPorts.org. It will put vncviewer executable in /opt/local/bin/vncviewer

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Answer 10

Dec 2, 2008 9:33 PM in response to BobHarris

Thanks! I should have thought of that... I already have macports and X11 on my Mac, and actually sometimes use the java version of TightVNC on my Mac (which works fine).

So I just installed native tightvnc via macports, as you suggested, and it's a lot faster than Screen Sharing over VPN. Also, it supports the copy and paste between hosts in a more direct fashion than java tightvnc, which requires going through the clipboard.

Thanks again!

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