Accessing a console X session from a remote system later?

[Dan Nelson]

In the last episode (Apr 03), Joey Teel said:
> Is it possible to setup an X session at the console then later access
> that same session by remote without having to use saved sessions?
> Basically I need to leave an X app running on my console, and later
> access the session (or at least the application) from another system,
> usually over my LAN, but occasionally I may need to do so over
> internet.
> 
> If it is, what would be the easiest way of setting this up?  I need a
> method that will let me run my TV viewing software at the console,
> which eliminates VNC, I tried that already, and fxtv core dumps
> almost immediately under VNC, but runs fine in a normal X session
> using KDE as my window manager.

There's an XFree86-4 module you can load that provides vnc access to a
physical session; take a look at http://xf4vnc.sourceforge.net
Unfortunately, it requires a custom video driver also, so you're stuck
with support for the video cards they provide binaries for.

If you don't want to replace your driver binaries or want to control an
X server that's already running, take a look at the x0rfbserver
package.  It is slower (it basically takes X screenshots and sends
changes over the VNC protocol, sort of like VNC for windows does), but
is less invasive to the system.  You'll have to build the ports
yourself from http://www.freebsd.org/cgi/query-pr.cgi?pr=33749 and
http://www.freebsd.org/cgi/query-pr.cgi?pr=33750 ; I have ports for a
newer version that I should probably submit (hopefully my PRs won't be
unnecessarily closed like those two were).

-- 
	Dan Nelson
	dnelson at allantgroup.com