minimal_cygwinx Files

Minimal Cygwin/X.

Overview:
This directory contains an installation of Cygwin/X that has been
edited down to just the pieces needed for the X11 server to run. 
It was created starting from the Cygwin version that was current
on 06/10/16.  It has only been tested on 32 bit Windows 7 and some
of the directions below may need to be modified for other 
versions of Windows. This distribution is intended to be used with 
an X11 tunnel provided by putty - there is no ssh program in
this distribution.

Version:
  Built from Cygwin 2.5.1(0.297/5/3)
  X11 server 1.18.2.0
  This is minimal cygwin/X 0.0.6 06/10/16.

Installation:

0.  Login to an administrator account.

1.  Unpack the zip file into C:\cygwinX

2.  Right click on: access_and_shortcuts.bat
      select "run as Administrator"
      This will create a "working" subdirectory and modify file protections 
         on it so that everybody can write to it.
      Add a desktop icon for everybody.
      Add a program menu entry for everybody.
    If you don't want one or the other of these, edit the bat 
      file before running it.

3.  delete:
      C:\cygwinX\access_and_shortcuts.bat
      C:\cygwinX\allusers_desktop_shortcut.vbs
      C:\cygwinX\allusers_programs_shortcut.vbs
    as these are not needed once the distribution is installed.

If the shortcut creation scripts do not work for some reason these can also be
created manually.  First create the short cut.

    From an administrator account open windows explorer and navigate to
       C:\cygwinX
    Right click: new -> shortcut
       Location (browse to): C:\cygwinX\startX11_server.bat
       Name: CygwinX
       Right click on the shortcut -> properties
       Set the icon:  C:\cygwinX\Cygwin.ico.

On XP, stay in the Explorer window and copy that shortcut to:
    C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Start Menu\Programs
    C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Desktop
    Then delete the shortcut in the cygwinX directory.
    
On Vista and up, close that Windows Explorer window.  Then as an 
    administrator:
    Start->All Programs->Accessories
    Right click on "Command Shell"
    Select "run as Administrator"
    In the command shell type:
      copy C:\cygwinX\CygwinX.lnk C:\Users\Public\Desktop\
      copy C:\cygwinX\CygwinX.lnk C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\
      del C:\cygwinX\CygwinX.lnk


Using the server:

1.  start putty or another ssh program capable of providing
       X11 tunnels.
2.  login to a remote system with X11 tunneling enabled.
3.  start->programs->CygwinX
    The first time this is run the firewall will ask if an exception
       should be made, answer NO (important!) - all network IO will be through 
       the SSh tunnel.  If you answer YES then somebody could watch your
       X11 activity remotely.
4.  The command "xdpyinfo" in the ssh window should now show the server.  Other
       X11 programs should also work.
5.  To turn the X11 server off, right click on its icon on the
       right side of the task bar and select "exit".

Support:

Other than accepting one particular type of bug report (see below)
I do not support this product in any way shape or form, use at your
own risk, standard disclaimers etc.  Most likely any issues you
find with the X11 server are in the underyling software from Cygwin
and so should be reported there.  This can be verified by also 
installing Cygwin/X (comes to around 250MB) from

   http://x.cygwin.com/

and rerunning whatever problem program you are using against that
version of the X11 server.

Bugs.

If you do find an instance where a remote X11 application 
requires part of Cygwin/X which was deleted in this distribution,
and you have narrowed it down to specifically which files are 
missing, please let me know.  Email to my last name at caltech.edu.

Release history:

0.0.6  06/10/2016 updated X11 server.
0.0.5  05/01/2013 revised instructions
0.0.4  12/11/2013 revised instructions and scripts
0.0.3  6/7/2013 rebuilt using a newer Cygwin and X11 release
0.0.2  1/19/2012  added Type1 font support
0.0.1  11/8/2011  first release


David Mathog
Caltech
06/10/2016