VcXsrv is a Windows X-server based on the xorg git sources, but compiled with Visual C++ 2012 Express Edition.

This package allows a GUI to be started from a WSL distribution. You will need WSL installed to make use of this tool. CAS has only tested this with WSL 1.0.

Installation

• CAS-supported computers: install via Software Center.
• Privately owned/managed computers: follow the project wiki instructions.

Usage

In order to use a GUI application from WSL, you must first run XLaunch each time you want to run:

1. Run XLaunch; it is available in the Start Menu.
   • This will launch a Display Settings wizard.
   • We have had success using all of the default options, but you feel free to play around to meet your preferences.
2. Click Next on the Display settings window:
   
3. Click Next on the Client startup window:
   
4. Click Next on the Extra settings window:
   
5. Click Finish on the Finish configuration window:
   
   Note: before clicking Finish, you can save the configuration file so that you can use it later. See the FAQ for details.
6. Notice the XLaunch icon in the notification area; your bash shell now has a display to target, but we need to tell bash where the display is.
   
7. In your bash terminal, you will need to set the DISPLAY environment variable so the bash knows where to find XLaunch:
   • Set for the current bash session:
     export DISPLAY=:0
   • Set for all future bash sessions:
     echo "export DISPLAY=:0" >> ~/.bashrc

FAQs

CAS just makes this application available. We cannot support the functionality of the product. Support is available on SourceForge:

• VcXsrv Help Forum
• VcXsrv Wiki

Here are our favorite discussions:

• Using a saved configuration file.

Additional resources:

• Setting up Ubuntu (WSL) for Linux GUI Apps
• Hands-On with WSL: Running Graphical Apps
• Enabling sound in WSL / Ubuntu - Let It Sing!

CAS Support

We know that using Linux tools is important to some of your work and/or research. As such, we want to make this available to you as an option in lieu of a second computer or a dual boot system. However, we cannot support the inner workings of this package, that's up to you. So, to re-iterate:

• CAS only supports the installation and uninstallation of VcXsrv, not the functionality of it.
• CAS will not help you configure VcXsrv beyond what is in this document; read the FAQ for help.
• CAS does not support software that is running in the WSL Linux distribution using VcXsrv.
• CAS cannot answer questions about VcXsrv; read the FAQ for help.