Discussion:
Copy-Paste problems between Windows<-->Real VNC session
paresh masani
2009-05-19 09:58:56 UTC
Permalink
Hi,

We have been facing this issue since long. Frequently, windows to VNC
session copy-paste stopping and some times even restarting the VNC session
doesn't help.

I could see from source code that there is a buffer limit:
Mike Miller
2009-05-19 16:28:13 UTC
Permalink
I have been using autocutsel in my xstartup in Xvnc:

exec /usr/bin/autocutsel &

I used to be able to copy/paste between Windows and VNC, but not anymore.
It also seems that in Gnome on Ubuntu I cannot copy/paste between an XTerm
window in VNC and an XTerm outside of VNC. Copy/paste within VNC is
working fine between Firefox and XTerm and even with Windows XP in Virtual
Box.

What else should I try?

Thanks in advance.

Mike
paresh masani
2009-06-10 12:10:17 UTC
Permalink
Mike,

It seems there is no problem from Real VNC side but it might be related how
Window<->VNC clipboard exchange work. The limit I mentioned is for single
selection but there is no limit after which copy-pasting stops working
altogether. I feel there is something happening in internally such that
Windows is stopping sharing clipboard with running application like Real
VNC, Exceed or other VNC commercial. That's a reason after restarting the
Real VNC session, it starts working again.

I guess the things should happened like below:

VNC to Windows work because clipboard contents will be stored on Windows
memory that could be fetch by Windows clipboard fetching application. VNC to
VNC works because Real VNC Viewer will handle clipboard copy-pasting and
Windows will not come into picture but it will fail only Windows to VNC
because Windows will not share (I guess not sure) clipboard contents with
VNC session.

If some one especially Real VNC people can throw some guidance here then it
would really help to solve this issue.

I am not sure how "exec /usr/bin/autocutsel" helped you.

Thanks,
Paresh

On Tue, May 19, 2009 at 9:58 PM, Mike Miller
Post by Mike Miller
exec /usr/bin/autocutsel &
I used to be able to copy/paste between Windows and VNC, but not anymore.
It also seems that in Gnome on Ubuntu I cannot copy/paste between an XTerm
window in VNC and an XTerm outside of VNC. Copy/paste within VNC is
working fine between Firefox and XTerm and even with Windows XP in Virtual
Box.
What else should I try?
Thanks in advance.
Mike
_______________________________________________
VNC-List mailing list
http://www.realvnc.com/mailman/listinfo/vnc-list
James Weatherall
2009-06-12 13:23:40 UTC
Permalink
Paresh,

If the specific case you're having problems with is that clipboard-transfer sometimes stops working Windows->Other then that's most likely caused by some other application on the Windows system breaking the "clipboard chain", in which case any applications registered later on in the chain stop receiving notifications of clipboard changes. Unfortunately all it takes to break the chain is for an application that is hooked into it to exit without properly unhooking from it, which is particularly likely if the application in question is in the process of crashing...

Regards,

--
-----Original Message-----
Sent: 10 June 2009 13:10
To: Mike Miller
Cc: VNC List
Subject: Re: Copy-Paste problems between Windows<-->Real VNC session
Mike,
It seems there is no problem from Real VNC side but it might be related how
Window<->VNC clipboard exchange work. The limit I mentioned is for single
selection but there is no limit after which copy-pasting stops working
altogether. I feel there is something happening in internally such that
Windows is stopping sharing clipboard with running application like Real
VNC, Exceed or other VNC commercial. That's a reason after restarting the
Real VNC session, it starts working again.
VNC to Windows work because clipboard contents will be stored on Windows
memory that could be fetch by Windows clipboard fetching application. VNC to
VNC works because Real VNC Viewer will handle clipboard copy-pasting and
Windows will not come into picture but it will fail only Windows to VNC
because Windows will not share (I guess not sure) clipboard contents with
VNC session.
If some one especially Real VNC people can throw some guidance here then it
would really help to solve this issue.
I am not sure how "exec /usr/bin/autocutsel" helped you.
Thanks,
Paresh
On Tue, May 19, 2009 at 9:58 PM, Mike Miller
Post by Mike Miller
exec /usr/bin/autocutsel &
I used to be able to copy/paste between Windows and VNC, but not
anymore.
Post by Mike Miller
It also seems that in Gnome on Ubuntu I cannot copy/paste between an
XTerm
Post by Mike Miller
window in VNC and an XTerm outside of VNC. Copy/paste within VNC is
working fine between Firefox and XTerm and even with Windows XP in
Virtual
Post by Mike Miller
Box.
What else should I try?
Thanks in advance.
Mike
_______________________________________________
VNC-List mailing list
http://www.realvnc.com/mailman/listinfo/vnc-list
_______________________________________________
VNC-List mailing list
http://www.realvnc.com/mailman/listinfo/vnc-list
paresh masani
2009-06-12 18:31:58 UTC
Permalink
James,
Post by James Weatherall
Post by James Weatherall
other application on the Windows system breaking the "clipboard chain",
in which case any applications registered later on in the chain stop
receiving notifications of clipboard changes.

I am absolutely agree with your point. I have been researching on this and
will let you know if I found something interesting. I am wondering if it is
happening because of some other application and it is breaking the clipboard
chain then why after restarting VNC Viewer makes it works again?
Other thing is, I never faced issue in copy pasting within VNC to VNC and
VNC to Windows but it happens intermittently from Windows to VNC only.
When clipboard chain is break by some application but still VNC is able to
successfully setting clipboard again when you copy some contents from VNC
window. And you can paste it in Windows. I think once this happened then
again clipboard chain should start (as clipboard is same for windows and
VNC). Shouldn' t it? Let me know if you could suggest some points to avoid
this problem so that we could include it in next version of VNC release.

Thanks,
Paresh
Post by James Weatherall
Paresh,
If the specific case you're having problems with is that clipboard-transfer
sometimes stops working Windows->Other then that's most likely caused by
some other application on the Windows system breaking the "clipboard chain",
in which case any applications registered later on in the chain stop
receiving notifications of clipboard changes. Unfortunately all it takes to
break the chain is for an application that is hooked into it to exit without
properly unhooking from it, which is particularly likely if the application
in question is in the process of crashing...
Regards,
--
Post by James Weatherall
-----Original Message-----
Sent: 10 June 2009 13:10
To: Mike Miller
Cc: VNC List
Subject: Re: Copy-Paste problems between Windows<-->Real VNC session
Mike,
It seems there is no problem from Real VNC side but it might be related how
Window<->VNC clipboard exchange work. The limit I mentioned is for single
selection but there is no limit after which copy-pasting stops working
altogether. I feel there is something happening in internally such that
Windows is stopping sharing clipboard with running application like Real
VNC, Exceed or other VNC commercial. That's a reason after restarting the
Real VNC session, it starts working again.
VNC to Windows work because clipboard contents will be stored on Windows
memory that could be fetch by Windows clipboard fetching application. VNC to
VNC works because Real VNC Viewer will handle clipboard copy-pasting and
Windows will not come into picture but it will fail only Windows to VNC
because Windows will not share (I guess not sure) clipboard contents with
VNC session.
If some one especially Real VNC people can throw some guidance here then it
would really help to solve this issue.
I am not sure how "exec /usr/bin/autocutsel" helped you.
Thanks,
Paresh
On Tue, May 19, 2009 at 9:58 PM, Mike Miller
Post by Mike Miller
exec /usr/bin/autocutsel &
I used to be able to copy/paste between Windows and VNC, but not
anymore.
Post by Mike Miller
It also seems that in Gnome on Ubuntu I cannot copy/paste between an
XTerm
Post by Mike Miller
window in VNC and an XTerm outside of VNC. Copy/paste within VNC is
working fine between Firefox and XTerm and even with Windows XP in
Virtual
Post by Mike Miller
Box.
What else should I try?
Thanks in advance.
Mike
_______________________________________________
VNC-List mailing list
http://www.realvnc.com/mailman/listinfo/vnc-list
_______________________________________________
VNC-List mailing list
http://www.realvnc.com/mailman/listinfo/vnc-list
Williams, Chris (Marlboro)
2009-06-16 13:12:28 UTC
Permalink
Is there some kind of clipboard debugger? Something that will allow
visbility into what exactly is happening with the clipboard data?

-Chris

-----Original Message-----
From: vnc-list-***@realvnc.com [mailto:vnc-list-***@realvnc.com]
On Behalf Of paresh masani
Sent: Friday, June 12, 2009 2:32 PM
To: ***@realvnc.com
Cc: Mike Miller; VNC List
Subject: Re: Copy-Paste problems between Windows<-->Real VNC session

James,
Post by James Weatherall
Post by James Weatherall
other application on the Windows system breaking the "clipboard chain",
in which case any applications registered later on in the chain stop
receiving notifications of clipboard changes.

I am absolutely agree with your point. I have been researching on this
and
will let you know if I found something interesting. I am wondering if it
is
happening because of some other application and it is breaking the
clipboard
chain then why after restarting VNC Viewer makes it works again?
Other thing is, I never faced issue in copy pasting within VNC to VNC
and
VNC to Windows but it happens intermittently from Windows to VNC only.
When clipboard chain is break by some application but still VNC is able
to
successfully setting clipboard again when you copy some contents from
VNC
window. And you can paste it in Windows. I think once this happened then
again clipboard chain should start (as clipboard is same for windows and
VNC). Shouldn' t it? Let me know if you could suggest some points to
avoid
this problem so that we could include it in next version of VNC release.

Thanks,
Paresh
Post by James Weatherall
Paresh,
If the specific case you're having problems with is that
clipboard-transfer
Post by James Weatherall
sometimes stops working Windows->Other then that's most likely caused by
some other application on the Windows system breaking the "clipboard chain",
in which case any applications registered later on in the chain stop
receiving notifications of clipboard changes. Unfortunately all it takes to
break the chain is for an application that is hooked into it to exit without
properly unhooking from it, which is particularly likely if the application
in question is in the process of crashing...
Regards,
--
Post by James Weatherall
-----Original Message-----
Sent: 10 June 2009 13:10
To: Mike Miller
Cc: VNC List
Subject: Re: Copy-Paste problems between Windows<-->Real VNC session
Mike,
It seems there is no problem from Real VNC side but it might be
related
Post by James Weatherall
Post by James Weatherall
how
Window<->VNC clipboard exchange work. The limit I mentioned is for single
selection but there is no limit after which copy-pasting stops working
altogether. I feel there is something happening in internally such that
Windows is stopping sharing clipboard with running application like Real
VNC, Exceed or other VNC commercial. That's a reason after
restarting
Post by James Weatherall
Post by James Weatherall
the
Real VNC session, it starts working again.
VNC to Windows work because clipboard contents will be stored on Windows
memory that could be fetch by Windows clipboard fetching
application.
Post by James Weatherall
Post by James Weatherall
VNC to
VNC works because Real VNC Viewer will handle clipboard copy-pasting and
Windows will not come into picture but it will fail only Windows to VNC
because Windows will not share (I guess not sure) clipboard contents with
VNC session.
If some one especially Real VNC people can throw some guidance here then it
would really help to solve this issue.
I am not sure how "exec /usr/bin/autocutsel" helped you.
Thanks,
Paresh
On Tue, May 19, 2009 at 9:58 PM, Mike Miller
Post by Mike Miller
exec /usr/bin/autocutsel &
I used to be able to copy/paste between Windows and VNC, but not
anymore.
Post by Mike Miller
It also seems that in Gnome on Ubuntu I cannot copy/paste between an
XTerm
Post by Mike Miller
window in VNC and an XTerm outside of VNC. Copy/paste within VNC is
working fine between Firefox and XTerm and even with Windows XP in
Virtual
Post by Mike Miller
Box.
What else should I try?
Thanks in advance.
Mike
_______________________________________________
VNC-List mailing list
http://www.realvnc.com/mailman/listinfo/vnc-list
_______________________________________________
VNC-List mailing list
http://www.realvnc.com/mailman/listinfo/vnc-list
Mike Miller
2009-06-12 15:54:40 UTC
Permalink
Post by paresh masani
If some one especially Real VNC people can throw some guidance here then
it would really help to solve this issue.
I am not sure how "exec /usr/bin/autocutsel" helped you.
My problem is that I can't copy/paste at all between VNCviewer and
anything outside of VNCviewer on either Ubuntu or Windows. I'm using Xvnc
Free Edition 4.1.1 on Ubuntu, and I'm connecting either from VNC Viewer
Free Edition 4.1.1 for X on Ubuntu, or from VNC Viewer Free Edition 4.1.3
on Windows XP. On Ubuntu, it's a direct local connection. On XP I'm
using an SSH tunnel. Xvnc is using the -localhost option.
Post by paresh masani
Post by Mike Miller
exec /usr/bin/autocutsel &
I used to be able to copy/paste between Windows and VNC, but not
anymore. It also seems that in Gnome on Ubuntu I cannot copy/paste
between an XTerm window in VNC and an XTerm outside of VNC.
Copy/paste within VNC is working fine between Firefox and XTerm and
even with Windows XP in Virtual Box.
The thing is, it used to work. I don't know why it doesn't work now.
I'm using the Ubuntu packages from synaptic for Xvnc and for the viewer in
Ubuntu.

Best,

Mike

Michael B. Miller, Ph.D.
Bioinformatics Specialist
Minnesota Center for Twin and Family Research
Department of Psychology
218 Elliott Hall
University of Minnesota
75 East River Road
Minneapolis, MN 55455-0344
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