X-windows exercises:

X-windows allows you to use a remote computer (examples: "sp.uconn.edu") with a graphics user interface. This remote computer is called a client, programs you run on this computer are called client programs. These client applications need to be designed to use x-windows. Your local pc is considered to be the server -- I know, usually the terms are used the other way around, but I can't change it.

Setting up a client involves two commands:

1.) tell the client to direct the display to your local PC;

2.) Start your client application.

One way to do this is to use telnet, and the X-server application in parallel.

As a rule this is more reliable than to launch applications using a telnet connection then from within your x-server (the latter is faster though, if it works).

Launch the X-server by double clicking the yellow X-server icon in the classfolder/MCB. If it opens some default client you can close the client, but leave the server running.

Telnet to your client (sp.uconn.edu) and tell it to export the display

for unix ksh the command is (the k-shell is the default on sp):
"export DISPLAY=your.internet.address.edu:0"

for unix bash and csh:

"setenv DISPLAY=your.internet.address.edu:0.0"

To get your.internet.address.edu for the MACS click on the apple sign on the upper left corner of your desktop, select the control panel and TCP/IP. Your address should be under IP address and should look something like 137.71.68.34. With this your UNIX command would be:
     export DISPLAY=137.71.68.34:0

Possible client applications on UNIX are (try the first 3 in order, make sure to wait long enough):

"xclock &" (the space & after a unix command makes this command run in background, in this case the clock keeps on running until you close the clock window)

"dtpad &" - this starts a text editor on the UNIX machine. This comes in handy if you want to modify a file without FTPing it back and forth to your local PC.

"aixterm &";"xterm &" : terminal windows (instead of your telnet window)

"info" start information/help program

"xcalc &" start a pocket calculator application

"xmaple &" starts a symbolic math computation pack

"xman" UNIX manual

"xloadl" starts loadlevel batch program manager

"mathematica" starts software package

A manual for the UNIX machine is at " http://www.sp.uconn.edu/ "

or use the info-application (see above)