dbus interface for control channel #904

totaam · 2015-07-01T09:29:31Z

Issue migrated from trac ticket # 904

component: server | priority: minor | resolution: fixed

2015-07-01 09:29:31: antoine created the issue

Some of the server's features could be exposed via dbus, this would complement the "xpra control" interface.
r9773 + r9774 already moved the dbus bits to their own module.

The service name should contain the display number to ensure it is unique, which also makes it less discoverable...

Some good pointers:

Very simple python-dbus server/client in same process

Python Dbus : How to export Interface property

Adding methods to a dbus object in python

How to write a dbus service for linux (in python)

totaam · 2015-07-08T14:09:10Z

2015-07-08 14:09:10: antoine changed status from new to assigned

totaam · 2015-07-08T14:09:10Z

2015-07-08 14:09:10: antoine edited the issue description

totaam · 2015-09-19T15:33:45Z

2015-09-19 15:33:45: antoine commented

See #476

Create DBus signal dynamically in python

How dynamically export methods to dbus using python, without static decorator?

totaam · 2015-10-04T13:18:50Z

2015-10-04 13:18:50: antoine commented

Stub with 4 methods added in r10734.

totaam · 2015-10-05T07:58:57Z

2015-10-05 07:58:57: antoine changed status from assigned to new

totaam · 2015-10-05T07:58:57Z

2015-10-05 07:58:57: antoine changed owner from antoine to afarr

totaam · 2015-10-05T07:58:57Z

2015-10-05 07:58:57: antoine commented

More improvements in r10735, r10736 and r10738.
Note the namespace is changed in r10738 from /org/xpra/ServerNNN to /org/xpra/Server/NNN. (also edited as per comment:6 to match the service name change)

This could / should eventually replace the "xpra control" interface.

You can see the services using tools like d-feet:
[[Image(xpra-dbus-server-shown-with-dfeet.png)]]

And you can query things using qdbus:

$ qdbus --session org.xpra.Server13
/
/org
/org/xpra
/org/xpra/Server
/org/xpra/Client1

Finds the server started on display 13 and one client connected, then we can list all the methods:

$ qdbus --session org.xpra.Server13 /org/xpra/Server
method QString org.freedesktop.DBus.Introspectable.Introspect()
method QDBusVariant org.freedesktop.DBus.Properties.Get(QString property_name)
method QVariantMap org.freedesktop.DBus.Properties.GetAll(QDBusVariant interface_name)
signal void org.freedesktop.DBus.Properties.PropertiesChanged(QString interface_name, QVariantMap changed_properties, QStringList invalidated_properties)
method void org.freedesktop.DBus.Properties.Set(QString interface_name, QString property_name, QDBusVariant new_value)
method void org.xpra.Server.DisableDebug(QString category)
method void org.xpra.Server.EnableDebug(QString category)
method void org.xpra.Server.Focus(int wid)
method void org.xpra.Server.KeyPress(QString keycode)
method void org.xpra.Server.KeyRelease(QString keycode)
method QDBusVariant org.xpra.Server.ListWindows()
method void org.xpra.Server.MoveWindowToWorkspace(int wid, int workspace)
method void org.xpra.Server.RefreshAllWindows()
method void org.xpra.Server.RefreshWindow(int wid)
method void org.xpra.Server.RefreshWindows(QDBusRawType::ai window_ids)
method void org.xpra.Server.Resume()
method void org.xpra.Server.SetWindowEncoding(int wid, QString encoding)
method void org.xpra.Server.SetWindowScaling(int wid, QString scaling)
method void org.xpra.Server.SetWindowScalingControl(int wid, int scaling_control)
method void org.xpra.Server.Start(QString command)
method void org.xpra.Server.StartChild(QString command)
method void org.xpra.Server.Suspend()
method void org.xpra.Server.Ungrab()

With dbus-send, it's a bit too verbose but here it is:

$ dbus-send --session --print-reply --type=method_call --dest='org.xpra.Server13' '/org/xpra/Server' org.xpra.Server.ListWindows
method return sender=:1.551 -> dest=:1.562 reply_serial=2
   variant       array [
         dict entry(
            int32 2
            string "antoine@desktop:~/projects/Xpra/trunk/src"
         )
      ]

Sending a refresh all:

with dbus-send:

dbus-send --session --type=method_call \
    --dest='org.xpra.Server13' '/org/xpra/Server' \
    org.xpra.Server.RefreshAllWindows

with qdbus:

qdbus --session org.xpra.Server13 /org/xpra/Server \
    org.xpra.Server.RefreshAllWindows

@afarr: this is mostly a FYI, unless you can find problems with it or suggest improvements, please close.

totaam · 2015-10-30T23:59:27Z

2015-10-30 23:59:27: afarr changed status from new to closed

totaam · 2015-10-30T23:59:27Z

2015-10-30 23:59:27: afarr set resolution to fixed

totaam · 2015-10-30T23:59:27Z

2015-10-30 23:59:27: afarr commented

Trying to run just for more of a sense, it looks like there's some details required to set up the dbus server, or at least name it 'org.xpra.Server' (or whatever) which isn't set up as a default.

I assume these will be configured/used later on.

Running qdbus --session org.xpra.Server /org/xpra/Server/13 from an ssh connection into a vm running a server, I get the response:
Could not connect to D-Bus server: org.freedesktop.DBus.Error.NotSupported: Unable to autolaunch a dbus-daemon without a $DISPLAY for X11
When I try the same command from an xterm within the session, I just get the message Service 'org.xpra.Server' does not exist.

I suppose I'll need to learn more about using dbus...

In the meantime, I'll close this.

totaam · 2015-10-31T06:28:22Z

2015-10-31 06:28:22: antoine uploaded file `xpra-dbus-server-shown-with-dfeet.png` (250.5 KiB)

d-feet shows our new dbus server - updated picture with new namespace

totaam · 2015-10-31T06:32:01Z

2015-10-31 06:32:01: antoine changed status from closed to reopened

totaam · 2015-10-31T06:32:01Z

2015-10-31 06:32:01: antoine removed resolution (was fixed)

totaam · 2015-10-31T06:32:01Z

2015-10-31 06:32:01: antoine commented

Trying to run just for more of a sense, it looks like there's some details required to set up the dbus server
[[BR]]
I have clarified this in the [/wiki/FAQ FAQ], start your server with:
dbus-launch xpra start ...
(but you probably have that already - that's not the problem, see below)
[[BR]]

Could not connect to D-Bus server .. without a $DISPLAY for X11
[[BR]]
You must tell it where to find the dbus server, either by running from within the xpra session or by setting the environment variables manually to point to that particular session if you are connecting via ssh or a console. (DISPLAY and/or DBUS_SESSION_BUS_ADDRESS depending on the tool used)

[[BR]]

Running qdbus --session org.xpra.Server /org/xpra/Server/13
..
When I try the same command from an xterm within the session, I just get the message Service 'org.xpra.Server' does not exist.
[[BR]]
Sorry about that. That's because I forgot to update this ticket, there were fixes and updates in: r10746, r10745, r10741, r10740, r11102.

In order to support multiple servers on the same system, we have to use a different service name for each server (but we can then use the same paths for each server). The number appended is the display number.
Try:
qdbus --session org.xpra.Server13 /org/xpra/Server
qdbus --session org.xpra.Server13 /org/xpra/Client1
I have updated the examples in comment:4 - you may need to force reload the page to get the update screenshot.
You can always use d-feet for exploring without needing to remember the service name, just search for "xpra" on the session bus.

Finally, it's worth mentioning that there is a new debug category for this: -d dbus.

totaam · 2015-11-13T19:12:33Z

2015-11-13 19:12:33: maxmylyn changed status from reopened to closed

totaam · 2015-11-13T19:12:33Z

2015-11-13 19:12:33: maxmylyn set resolution to fixed

totaam · 2015-11-13T19:12:33Z

2015-11-13 19:12:33: maxmylyn commented

Using a Fedora 20 trunk 11211 client against a Fedora 21 11211 Server:

dbus commands appear to be working through d-feet (as best I can hand them arguments)

StartChild() will launch children fine

MoveWindowToWorkspace() also works. It was entertaining to move Firefox about. (Apparently I am easily entertained)

However, I cannot figure out how to assign a display properly to get it working through SSH.

I've been attempting unsuccessfully with:
[max@schlafanzug ~]$ export DISPLAY=:13
[max@schlafanzug ~]$ qdbus --session org.xpra.Server13 /org/xpra/Server
Service 'org.xpra.Server13' does not exist.
Update:

Added a DBUS_SESSION_BUS_ADDRESS (gotten from d-feet)

Found the session.

totaam · 2015-11-14T07:14:59Z

2015-11-14 07:14:59: antoine commented

Other possible ways of finding the value you need to use for DBUS_SESSION_BUS_ADDRESS:

env | grep DBUS_SESSION_BUS_ADDRESS from within the session

xpra info | grep DBUS_SESSION_BUS_ADDRESS
(there may be more I can't think of)

totaam · 2016-04-01T13:06:47Z

2016-04-01 13:06:47: antoine commented

See #486: we now have much better namespace support, so the data will come through in a much more structured format (needed fix in r12300), we also have a GetInfo which takes a subsystem as argument to reduce the amount of data returned

totaam · 2017-06-14T15:22:25Z

2017-06-14 15:22:25: antoine commented

fix in r16067 for MouseClick, which can be used with:
gdbus call --session --dest org.xpra.Server1  --object-path /org/xpra/Server  --method org.xpra.Server.MouseClick 1 4 true 800 350 []
gdbus call --session --dest org.xpra.Server1  --object-path /org/xpra/Server  --method org.xpra.Server.MouseClick 1 4 false 800 350 []
This will send a scroll-up to window 1, with the mouse position at 800x350.

Beware:

my server is called "Server1" because it is on display 1

this dbus command must be executed from the session environment (or you would need to point it to the correct dbus instance)

each command may print some output, which can cause the xterm to scroll (and make it look like it failed to cause any scrolling)

totaam · 2017-06-14T20:48:02Z

2017-06-14 20:48:02: antoine commented

As of 16074, the dbus interface for MouseClick is simplified:

MouseClick(button, pressed)

ie:

gdbus call --session --dest org.xpra.Server1  --object-path /org/xpra/Server  --method org.xpra.Server.MouseClick 4 true
gdbus call --session --dest org.xpra.Server1  --object-path /org/xpra/Server  --method org.xpra.Server.MouseClick 4 false

totaam closed this as completed Nov 13, 2015

totaam added the v0.15.x label Jan 22, 2021

totaam mentioned this issue Jul 10, 2022

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dbus interface for control channel #904

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dbus interface for control channel #904

dbus interface for control channel #904

Comments

totaam commented Jul 1, 2015

2015-07-01 09:29:31: antoine created the issue

totaam commented Jul 8, 2015

2015-07-08 14:09:10: antoine changed status from new to assigned

totaam commented Jul 8, 2015

2015-07-08 14:09:10: antoine edited the issue description

totaam commented Sep 19, 2015

2015-09-19 15:33:45: antoine commented

totaam commented Oct 4, 2015

2015-10-04 13:18:50: antoine commented

totaam commented Oct 5, 2015

2015-10-05 07:58:57: antoine changed status from assigned to new

totaam commented Oct 5, 2015

2015-10-05 07:58:57: antoine changed owner from antoine to afarr

totaam commented Oct 5, 2015

2015-10-05 07:58:57: antoine commented

totaam commented Oct 30, 2015

2015-10-30 23:59:27: afarr changed status from new to closed

totaam commented Oct 30, 2015

2015-10-30 23:59:27: afarr set resolution to fixed

totaam commented Oct 30, 2015

2015-10-30 23:59:27: afarr commented

totaam commented Oct 31, 2015

2015-10-31 06:28:22: antoine uploaded file xpra-dbus-server-shown-with-dfeet.png (250.5 KiB)

totaam commented Oct 31, 2015

2015-10-31 06:32:01: antoine changed status from closed to reopened

totaam commented Oct 31, 2015

2015-10-31 06:32:01: antoine removed resolution (was fixed)

totaam commented Oct 31, 2015

2015-10-31 06:32:01: antoine commented

totaam commented Nov 13, 2015

2015-11-13 19:12:33: maxmylyn changed status from reopened to closed

totaam commented Nov 13, 2015

2015-11-13 19:12:33: maxmylyn set resolution to fixed

totaam commented Nov 13, 2015

2015-11-13 19:12:33: maxmylyn commented

totaam commented Nov 14, 2015

2015-11-14 07:14:59: antoine commented

totaam commented Apr 1, 2016

2016-04-01 13:06:47: antoine commented

totaam commented Jun 14, 2017

2017-06-14 15:22:25: antoine commented

totaam commented Jun 14, 2017

2017-06-14 20:48:02: antoine commented

2015-10-31 06:28:22: antoine uploaded file `xpra-dbus-server-shown-with-dfeet.png` (250.5 KiB)