CONTEXT:
Lots of people have Microsoft Windows workstations, but they also want to have "complete" access to remote unix servers where they may run applications with graphical interfaces such as MatLab.
In order to allow a remote unix system to "forward" the graphical application to your windows desktop, it is necessary to setup some kind of "X_Windows Server" on your MS_Windows machine.
In the past, 3rd party (non-free) software such as "Hummingbird XTerminal" was used for this function, but now there are good open-source (free) alternatives available which are simple to download, install and use.
I recommend typically that people install "CygWin/X" onto their windows sytem. An installation takes approximately 30 minutes (Includes the time to download the software from the internet) and once completed, you have a start-menu item which allows you to easily launch a local "Xterminal". From there it is trivial to connect to remote (unix) systems and redirect GUI Unix applications back to your MS_Windows Desktop.
A concise summary of the process might be as follows: (for extra help you could chat with Tim Chipman)
- Visit the CygWin/X Homepage, at the URL, http://x.cygwin.com/
- Download the setup.exe installer application
- Run the installer, choosing a local mirror and ensure ALL packages are togged for installation
- If/When prompted, choose defaults otherwise. Let it proceed, may take ~30minutes
- Once complete, you should have a start menu item for CygWin-X apps including "Xterm"
- JUST THE FIRST TIME, choose the desktop shortcut for "Start XWindows Server".
- When prompted by WinXP Firewall notification, choose "UNBLOCK ALWAYS"
- Now, from start menu, choose CygWin-X-> Xterminal
- In the Xterm, initiate an SSH Session to the unix host where you wish to run the remote app, as illustrated below:
ssh -Y USERNAME@anchor.phys.ocean.dal.ca <give pass at prompt> Type "xload" or "matlab" to get a GUI app launched You are all set - In theory.