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Opening GUI windows using X11 forwarding

Owned by Stephen Kolmann
Last updated: Jul 22, 2019
2 min read

It is possible to open programs with a graphical user interface (GUI) on Artemis using X11 forwarding if you have an X server running on your computer and ssh into Artemis using either the -X or -Y options. Programs on Artemis with GUIs include gedit (a text editor), Matlab and Gnuplot. If X11 forwarding is not working as you'd like, you also have the option of opening GUIs using the graphical login node, accessible via NoMachine.

Linux

If you are on a Linux computer, such as Ubuntu or Linux Mint, then you are already running an X server. Therefore, you can open programs with GUIs if you log into Artemis using the -X or -Y options.

ssh -X abcd1234@hpc.sydney.edu.au

MacOS

On MacOS, you need to install XQuartz. After installing XQuartz, you can then open a terminal window using MacOS’s built-in terminal program, then SSH to Artemis using the -X or -Y options, as was the case for Linux.

Windows

On Windows, there are a number of X servers to choose from. The University of Sydney has a site license for Starnet X-Win32. Download and install X-Win32, then use the new connection wizard to set up an Artemis connection:

  • Select SSH and give your connection a name. For example, “John’s Artemis connection”, then click next
  • Enter the hostname: hpc.sydney.edu.au
  • The login name and password are your UniKey credentials
  • In the command to run on remote host, type /usr/bin/xterm -ls -fa 'Consolas' -fs 11.
  • Click Finish

Your new connection will appear in your connections list. To start a command line session on Artemis, click the connection you just made, then click Launch. A command line terminal connection to an Artemis login node will open. If everything was done correctly, you will be able to launch programs such as gedit from the command line.