Distribution Packages Ubuntu
The problems with distribution packages are well documented - not least of which shipping versions with serious security issues, but the spectrum of problems with the Ubuntu packages is so extreme that it deserves its own wiki page.
TLDR: use official packages from https://xpra.org/ and things should just work.
The number one support request on the bug tracker, mailing list and IRC channel is by far "problems with the Ubuntu packages", this is solved in 99% of cases by installing the official packages.
This list is by no means exhaustive, but it should be enough to understand why the Ubuntu packages should be avoided (some of those issues are seriously debilitating):
- Why can't I start xpra on a remote host and connect to it? - Lubuntu 18.04
- xpra ubuntu html5 server problems : html5 client is missing (also: I could not get the example html5 client working..)
- tty permissions issues with Xdummy
- unable to start Xserver via ssh
- serious: Ubuntu login screen hangs after installing xpra
- Ubuntu 16.04.2 cannot login after installing xpra
- xpra version on ubuntu 16.04 (compatibility problems)
-
clipboard not working with Ubuntu 18.04 server version
2.1.3-r17247 - Stopped working suddenly on Ubuntu 18.04
- Chrome window can not be resized or moved (Ubuntu Focal)
- Xdummy cannot be used in Xenial
- Cannot get "Get started" to work (XUbuntu 16.04)
- workaround for buggy Debian / Ubuntu patch
- #2190 and more packaging problems
- proxy processes not closing correctly
- let's encrypt ssl certificates broken
Some examples from IRC:
18:39 < flonash> hi there! I'm trying to setup xpra in a ubuntu 16.04 docker container,
but the "start-desktop" command isn't available back then. What alternatives are there? Thanks so much for helping me with this!
19:52 < flonash> it was still giving v0.15.6 ..
but it looks like the instructions in that link weren't as helpful as
https://winswitch.org/downloads/debian-repository.html?dist_select=xenial which worked
19:53 < flonash> I'm now up and running!
18:54 < caffeineaddict> damn, default ubuntu version is `xpra v2.1.3-r17247M` ...
brb upgrading that first
19:31 < caffeineaddict> <.< latest version of software makes it work ... who'da thunk
And many many more..
Then the usage examples they are using at https://help.ubuntu.com/community/Xpra are out of date and plain wrong - don't do this:
xpra start :7;DISPLAY=:7 firefox`
Do this instead:
xpra start :7 --start=firefox