Newby: how to connect with VNC?

Using Zynthian
1

I’m into music but a total newby with CLI and Linux, so… Ok, so I wanted to see the Pianoteq native UI on my iPad. I have VNC reader installed on the iPad and can acces the screen of my other PI.
I followed all the steps in the wiki “accessing Zynthian from a computer” and installed the VNC server.

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I rebooted and entered # vnc4server but got the message “command not found”. As you can see in the picture vnc4server and blackbox are installed.
So, how do I start the vnc server?
Thanks for replying on a potentially silly question :thinking:

2

If you turn on the vnc server as https://wiki.zynthian.org/index.php/Accessing_Zynthian_from_your_computer#RealVNC

then it should all just work…

depending on the VNC viewer you are using you need to enter the name zynthian.local or the IP address found from the webconf under networking…

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It should ask you for a password which will be the traditional default or what you changed it to… You did change it didn’t you?

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Hi @wyleu I did change the password of the Zynthian and my VNC viewer on iPad sees the Zynthian but cannot connect. I get a time out in the viewer. I don’t know how to turn on VNC on the Zynthian, that I think is the point. I suspect I need to type something in the CLI? (BTW I did all this stuff in the terminal window inside webconfig. That IS the PI CLI isn’t it?)

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Follow the Wiki instructions. :slight_smile:

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but it can get a little confused with layout, but stay with it. it’s what should work !

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Down in the depths of every Pi there is a programme called raspi-config that does low level stuff… IN there you can turn on the vnc service in an approved fashion as possible, with the systemctl mechanism all nicely set up for you.

Enter and Tab are the keys that move you around the menu…

You know what’s coming at the end of this don’t you … ? …:smiley:

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Ok I’ve updated the instruction to actually include some now … :smiley:

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Ok I’m some steps further. I did get the screens in the wiki typing raspi-config. Now the VNC viewer recognizes the zynthian but it refuses the password. To be sure: username & password are the same as the ones I use to login in with webconfig, aren’t they?

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Yes should be… But I would power cycle a couple of times just to make sure everything is fairly sure it knows what is talking to what.

If you can get a login terminal it should work …

Are you running from mac, Windows , Linux or some else…?

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exactly! Thanks a lot helping a newby!

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I’m running from an iPad with RealVNC viewer, I’ll try it from my iMac also.

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Don’t worry you will pay. . . :smiley:

Going back to your original post you want your pianoteq GUI on your ipad…

Using VNC might not be the easiest way to do that, ssh -X might be more suitable. I’ve never done it, I’m sure it can be done,…

But’s let’s persist with VNC to get that going …

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OK! in webconfig in the change password screen there is a button “regenerate keys”. What does that do?

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Runs thsi script . . .

ript . . .https://github.com/zynthian/zynthian-sys/blob/master/sbin/regenerate_keys.sh

ssh-keygen -N “” -t rsa -f /etc/ssh/ssh_host_rsa_key
ssh-keygen -N “” -t dsa -f /etc/ssh/ssh_host_dsa_key
ssh-keygen -N “” -t ecdsa -f /etc/ssh/ssh_host_ecdsa_key

It rebuilds the ssh keys. IT shouldn’t hurt

Can you run a terminal on your mac and try to log in with

ssh -X root@zynthian.local ?

(edited to add the root which you will need …)

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If you want VNC, you can try this tuto :

If you want to access the pianoteq UI on a mac, try this section about X11 :

If you want to access the pianoteq UI on a iPad, you have to install a X11 server (maybe that exist ? I don’t know).

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Hello all, very excited with my new zynthian v4.1 ! its amazing.

I managed to connect to Zythian GUI with VNC viewer, following the information i found on the website. (I ended up working with VNC viewer because i could not get Xquartz to work on macOS11 – i could not confirm that it even works at all with Big Sur.)

Very happy to have the zynthian window on my computer screen, but i would rather like to access Zynaddsubfx’s or PT’s native GUIs …
the information i saw suggests that creating a new synth layer will allow me to see the ui on VNC… but it seems i am missing a key step to get this to work…

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Great

i could not get Xquartz to work on macOS11

I’m on 10.14, I don’t know with OS11

the information i saw suggests that creating a new synth layer will allow me to see the ui on VNC

Not on VNC. VNC show you the Zynthian UI. For engine UI, you need a X11 sever.

Zynaddsubfx’s or PT’s native GUIs

For me, Zynaddsubfx GUI doesn’t work and freeze the zynthian UI. Pure data and Piantoteq works.

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I read that X11 hasn’t been officially supported since Mountain Lion and X.Org has been recently abandoned by Red Hat.
So it’s completely possible that this isn’t going to work on new macs with OS11, especially the silicon ones.
Maybe someone knows a more durable alternative ?

17

Hello again,
thanks for the info @gnuv. So VNC won’t show native UI’s.
But…
I think I have a login issue. I CAN login to webconfig. VNC reader sees the Zynthian but there I can’t login with the same credentials. I suspect it has something to do with the users on the PI.
In webconfig> terminal I see “root@zynthian”
When I activated VNC on the Zynthian, the screen started with user “PI” but I read somewhere that “PI” doesn’t exist on a Zynthian. So I changed that to user “zynthian”. Was that correct?

I installed Xquartz on my Macbook with OS 11 Big Sur. Is seems to work.
When I type “ssh -Y zynthian.local” I get joostovermars@zynthian.local and it doesn’t accept my password (same I use for login to webconfig.)

Well… as I’m not a ‘code animal’ I think I’ll leave it with this. I’m extremely happy with my Zynthian. My main goal was to edit Pianoteq presets but I can do that as well on my Mac and load them into Zynthian.
Thanks everyone for your support. Really appreciate that!

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No : the user is “root”

I installed Xquartz on my Macbook with OS 11 Big Sur. Is seems to work.

Great. Do you have a silicon mac ?

When I type “ssh -Y zynthian.local” I get joostovermars@zynthian.local

You should get : root@zynthian.local
try “sudo ssh -Y zynthian.local”

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Better would be to do ssh -Y root@zynthian.local

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Arg, you’re right ! I correct the tuto.