X-Win32 2011 Release Notes

Contents

Overview

After more than 20 years of development, X-Win32 has become the most advanced PC X server on the market. An X server allows remote graphical Unix and linux X application to be displayed on your local Windows machine. X-Win32 provides multiple protocols to connect to your remote system thus providing a complete solution for remote networking. For complete mobility, X-Win32 provides the LIVE protocol adding several key support features (suspend/resume multi user support, printing, sound support) not found in traditional X Server.

New in 2011

• New RLM Based Licensing System
• License Server/Monitoring Support
• Graphics Acceleration using Direct 2D
• Fluxbox Window Manager

Features

LIVE Sessions

• Sound Support
• File Transfer Support
• Remote Printing

X11R7 support

Single Window Mode

• Support for Multiple DISPLAY Screens

SSH

• Increased SSH performance (3X faster than previous versions)

OpenGL Version Upgraded

Sessions

LIVE

• Printing Support
• Remote files can now be printed in LIVE Sessions by running the command rxlpr.

• When the LIVE Server is installed as root, users can log in and start the server directly from their unix/linux machine. This feature is referred to as the LIVE Console. Users can suspend their sessions and then reconnect from home using X-Win32. Create a LIVE (Host) session, then Choose Console-{desktop type} to reconnect

• Users can log into a machine running the LIVE server and connect to second machine using the ssh protocol. Users can find this new LIVE (Indirect) option in the Wizard.

• LIVE Sessions can now be stored on the remote Unix/Linux system. System administrators only need to create one session, post it on the remote host and all users can access this session type. It also eases the mobility of moving from one Windows system to another. You no longer need to worry about if you are using the proper name to reconnect. It is right on the session.

• Multiple users can now view and manipulate running LIVE sessions. This allows for easy collaboration between colleagues. The initiator of the Shared session creates a LIVE session and checks the "Allow Sharing" box. Others who want to connect create "LIVE (Slave)" sessions to connect to the running session.

• Rootless LIVE Sessions
• LIVE Sessions allow users to suspend and resume running X sessions on their desktop without loss of data. Based on the NX protocol, LIVE sessions make extensive use of caching allowing speed increases on low bandwidth connections eliminating most roundtrip traffic.
• LIVE sessions can be run in "Rootless" mode enabling applications to run natively on your desktop rather than in a LIVE session window. To enable Rootless mode, create a LIVE session, select Desktop type: Custom, add your remote application in the text field to the right, and check the Rootless box.

SSH

• Kerberos GSSAPI support added for both Microsoft Kerberos and MIT Kerberos
• Kerberos authentication is now available in SSH sessions via Microsoft Single Sign On and MIT Kerberos for Windows
• New SSH Module
• SSH sessions now use plink as the ssh module. This adds an increase in flexibility to the ssh subsystem as well as certain bug fixes that were not found in the previous version of SSH
• SSH is now up to 4 times faster than previous versions

XDMCP

• Sound Support in XDMCP
• XDMCP sessions now support sound by means of the ESD sound server enabled in X-Win32. This feature is currently available in GNOME desktops by running the command: esddsp <application>

Windows

Single Window Mode

• Fluxbox Window Manager
• The fluxbox window manager is now shipped with X-Win32. This allows users to contain all their X Clients in one large window and move them around at will. Fluxbox contains many features such as multiple workspace and window stacking
• Support for Large Screen Sizes
• Remote displays can now be larger than the local Windows screen. This option is specified in the Size section of the Window tab in X-Config
• Single Window Mode Dynamic Resizing
• Single Window mode can be dynamically resized by clicking and dragging on the outside of the window.
• Classic resize scrollbars added in single window mode
• Scrollbars can be added to single window mode allowing users to set the makimum size and shrink the window out of the way when not in use.

Multiple Window Mode

• Window Manager Upgrade
• The window manager has been upgraded allowing for increased stability and performance.

Input

Keyboard

• Keyboards maps can be selected
• Default keyboard maps can now be selected in the Input tab of X-Config. By unchecking the Enable Xkeyboard Extension option, the old style keyboard maps will be used instead. Support for multiple languages as well as nonstandard US keyboards (for example DEC goldkey) are supported

Mouse

• Mouse Wheel Configuration
• The mouse wheel can now be configured as the scrollwheel, Up/Down arrows or turned off in the Input tab of X-Config. This feature is useful for legacy applications which only support three button mice rather than the now standard 5 button mouse.

Japanese IME

• IME input support has now been added in both single and multiple window mode. Single Window mode supports IME by default. In multiple window mode, make sure to set the following environment variables before launching an application with IME
  • LC_CYPTE=ja_JP
  • XMODIFIERS=@im=XIME

Sound

• Sound Support
• XDMCP and LIVE sessions now support sound by means of the ESD sound server enabled in X-Win32. This feature is currently available in GNOME desktops by running the command: esddsp <application>

X Server

• Direct 2D rendering
• Direct 2D offers hardware accelerated performance increases speeding up certain drawing events up tp 1000%! Users with Windows Vista and 7 can take advantage of Direct 2D drawing improving the performance of their X Sessions
• RANDR extentsion implemented
• X-Win32 now supports the Resize and Reshape extension allowing desktops to be dynamically resized and scaled to fit different window configurations. This extension also allows users running in single window mode to resize and scale their windows.

• X-Config

  • DPI Settings
  • User's DPI settings can now be specified in XServer.config. Edit the file and place the following lines above the </Configuration> line, where ### represents the dpi settings. Common DPI settings are 75, 96, 120.
    • <XDPI>###</XDPI>
    • <YDPI>###</YDPI>
  • Application Data Folder Redirection supported
  • X-Config now supports Mounted filesystems using Folder Redirection on Windows Servers

• Licensing

  • RLM Licensing
  • X-Win32 now uses the RLM licensing system from Reprise Software
  • License Server
  • Administrators now can use a license server to better monitor license usage and kill licenses from unauthorized users.

  Known Issues

  • Characters may repeat when RDPing to a windows machine over the internet
  • Occasional crash when running Slickedit application
  • KDE slows down when screen is locked.
  • This is a known KDE bug with several remote X servers
  • http://bugs.kde.org/show_bug.cgi?id=105897

  System Requirements

  • Windows XP, Windows 2003, Vista and 7 are supported. Direct 2D acceleration is only available for Vista and above.

  Specific Fixes

  Fixes for 2011

  • 2011 Build 154 -- 2011/07/19
    • Fixed an issue where X-Win32 would only launch one instance
    • Never show 2 editors for connection paths
    • Multiple sessions can be edited
    • Fluxbox sorting is case insensitive
    • Add a small delay when new instance is starting to avoid conflicts
    • Fixed a keyboard error which would casuse X-Win32 to crash
  • 2011 Build 144 -- 2011/06/27
    • CRITICAL UPDATE: Fixes regression with Microsoft XP Security Update
    • License Agreement Updated
    • Implemented test button in X-Config Edit Connection dialog
    • Command Field now a large text box
    • Can now highlight multiple Connections in X-Config with CTRL+Click
    • Can launch multiple connections through X-Config
  • 2011 Build 140 -- 2011/06/14
    • Fixed crash on session sharing in LIVE connections
    • Fluxbox client list is alphabetized
    • Keyboard Initialized
    • Better handling of Hostids
    • Checks for an X error header in activation replies
    • Manually activate license implemented
    • Password manager handles LIVE Sessions
    • Eclipse windows appear in proper locations
    • No limit to the number XDMCP session responses in Browser
  • 2011 Build 125 -- 2011/05/10
    • Legacy LIVE Session Support Removed
    • LIVE runs through same ssh session
    • Magellian protocol readded
    • Licensing translations no longer packaged
    • Backing Store Reenabled
    • Modal dialogs now stay on top
    • Node locked systems can now run through RDP
    • LIVE Connections are not started until Checkout License has completed
  • 2011 Build 110 -- 2011/04/15
    • CRITICAL UPDATE: Fixes issue with Microsoft XP Security Update
    • Fixed issue where Solaris exposure event fails with D2D on causing images not to refresh
    • Fixed issue with Japanese keyboard scancodes when XKB is off
  • 2011 Build 103 -- 2011/04/06
    • Fixed issue where numlock status was backwards
    • Added advanced Config option to disable Clipboard
    • Error message displayed if Direct2D engine did not initialize properly
    • Fix a crash if FatalError was displayed Direct2D engine does produce more error messages
    • Fixed RLM character encodings. Fixed a bug in checkout code
    • Added ppk private key option when launching Connections from the command line
    • Added font debugging in the Log Viewer
  • 2011 Build 96 -- 2011/03/01
    • Added new licensing server code
    • Licenses can now be activated behind a proxy
    • Floating licenses silently attempt to reconnect when connection to license server is dropped
    • Licenses do not attempt to reconnect when admin kills a license
    • Fixed issue with Emulate Numlock sending wrong keys
    • Caps Lock now works with XKB turned off
    • Changed unlicensed Grace Period
  • 2011 Build 89 -- 2011/02/15
    • Fixed remnants staying on KDE 3 window with Direct2D enabled
  • 2011 Build 88 -- 2011/02/02
    • Added link to common licensing errors on all license dialogs
    • Activate license become active after dialog disappears
    • License errors give better information
  • 2011 Build 83 -- 2011/01/25
    • License Error not displayed if there are no license files
    • No longer upgrades licenses which do not have maintenance for the current version
  • 2011 Build 82 -- 2011/01/24
    • Fixed issue where flash drives were registering to invalid HostIds
    • Multiple licenses get passed to the activation server when registering from a previous version of X-Win32
    • License.lic file has write permission
    • Fixed "The activation failed.  Failed to open the license file for writing" registration error
    • Error messages pop up when license connections get interrupted
    • Losing a connection a license server reverts to demo mode rather than shutdown mode
  • 2011 Build 78 -- 2011/01/12
    • Fixed a crash when trying to register a license
    • Keymaps upgraded to most current Xorg release
    • Fluxbox Window Manager Added
    • Direct 2D support Added
    • Merged Help and Support Menus together
    • RLM9 licensing system added
    • LIVE Sessions now work if Application Data directory is mounted
    • Log viewer dynamically updates