# Batch connect dimension issue

**URL:** <https://discourse.openondemand.org/t/batch-connect-dimension-issue/3645>\
**Category:** Get Help\
**Created:** [July 23, 2024, 5:32pm UTC](https://discourse.openondemand.org/t/batch-connect-dimension-issue/3645 "2024-07-23T17:32:43Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 17\
**Page:** 1

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![garadar](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex015/user_avatar/discourse.openondemand.org/garadar/32/1877_2.png) [@garadar](https://discourse.openondemand.org/u/garadar)\
**Post date:** [July 23, 2024, 5:32pm UTC](https://discourse.openondemand.org/t/batch-connect-dimension-issue/3645/1 "2024-07-23T17:32:43Z")

</div>

Hi there,

I have created a kilosort batch connect and when I launch the app the dimension of the app goes beyond the browser window. I’m forced to zoom out to 50% to get the full-screen app, making it almost unreadable.

Does anyone have a solution for this problem?

here with 100% view:

 ![image](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex015/uploads/osc/original/2X/a/afa392668d0b54dc497a93acbb793133b91f5baf.jpeg)

here with 50% view:

 ![image](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex015/uploads/osc/original/2X/a/a65bead3256f4c5bc39e1596c7c274406bacf31a.png)

PS: I can not scroll the screen.

Thank you.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![garadar](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex015/user_avatar/discourse.openondemand.org/garadar/32/1877_2.png) [@garadar](https://discourse.openondemand.org/u/garadar)\
**Post date:** [July 26, 2024, 9:40am UTC](https://discourse.openondemand.org/t/batch-connect-dimension-issue/3645/2 "2024-07-26T09:40:14Z")

</div>

Hi @jeff.ohrstrom

Do you have an idea ? 😬 💙

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![jeff.ohrstrom](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex015/user_avatar/discourse.openondemand.org/jeff.ohrstrom/32/136_2.png) [@jeff.ohrstrom](https://discourse.openondemand.org/u/jeff.ohrstrom)\
**Post date:** [July 26, 2024, 1:39pm UTC](https://discourse.openondemand.org/t/batch-connect-dimension-issue/3645/3 "2024-07-26T13:39:46Z")

</div>

Well I see a couple issues. First is I don’t see any OS top panels to close/minimize/maximixe the window. I also don’t see desktop stuff like the start bar.

I would open `xfce4-settings-editor` in the ui and see what settings you can play around with. This will write an XML file that you can distribute with the app to use. I did this here with `visit` at OSC.

It could be enough to just provide the desktop background and panels and then you can resize the window.

> <https://github.com/OSC/bc_osc_visit/pull/1>
>
> try to avoid windows below the screen

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![jeff.ohrstrom](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex015/user_avatar/discourse.openondemand.org/jeff.ohrstrom/32/136_2.png) [@jeff.ohrstrom](https://discourse.openondemand.org/u/jeff.ohrstrom)\
**Post date:** [July 26, 2024, 1:40pm UTC](https://discourse.openondemand.org/t/batch-connect-dimension-issue/3645/4 "2024-07-26T13:40:41Z")

</div>

There’s also `xfce-settings-manager` which may have other things to toggle.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![garadar](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex015/user_avatar/discourse.openondemand.org/garadar/32/1877_2.png) [@garadar](https://discourse.openondemand.org/u/garadar)\
**Post date:** [July 31, 2024, 10:21am UTC](https://discourse.openondemand.org/t/batch-connect-dimension-issue/3645/5 "2024-07-31T10:21:27Z")

</div>

Hi @jeff.ohrstrom

I’m a bit confused. I have the same thing for Matlab, I thought it was what was expected with OpenOnDemand:

 ![image](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex015/uploads/osc/original/2X/5/50b30cab170f5fe2256b52b5cb952dc140051cda.png)

The window is small but full, and I’ve never had an xfce management interface. I only have the software windows and the “novnc” panel on the left.

Could you send me a screenshot of one of your interactive batch connect sessions (like Matlab) to see what the expected behavior is?

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![garadar](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex015/user_avatar/discourse.openondemand.org/garadar/32/1877_2.png) [@garadar](https://discourse.openondemand.org/u/garadar)\
**Post date:** [July 31, 2024, 11:24am UTC](https://discourse.openondemand.org/t/batch-connect-dimension-issue/3645/6 "2024-07-31T11:24:42Z")

</div>

I pulled [GitHub - OSC/bc\_osc\_matlab: Batch Connect - OSC Matlab](https://github.com/OSC/bc_osc_matlab) into my sandbox and updated only `form.yml` `submit.yml` and `template/script.sherb`

and I get the same result as above, no desktop manager, only the Matlab screen.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![jeff.ohrstrom](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex015/user_avatar/discourse.openondemand.org/jeff.ohrstrom/32/136_2.png) [@jeff.ohrstrom](https://discourse.openondemand.org/u/jeff.ohrstrom)\
**Post date:** [July 31, 2024, 1:33pm UTC](https://discourse.openondemand.org/t/batch-connect-dimension-issue/3645/7 "2024-07-31T13:33:59Z")

</div>

Sure, here’s what my Matlab looks like. Note there’s an operating system dock panel at the top and that the Matlab window has a top panel for minimizing, maximizing and closing.

 ![image](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex015/uploads/osc/original/2X/0/081b29a37a4f152eb29450fad4d99379c8e098c0.jpeg)

Maybe there’s something in the `output.log` that will tell us why you don’t have these.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![garadar](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex015/user_avatar/discourse.openondemand.org/garadar/32/1877_2.png) [@garadar](https://discourse.openondemand.org/u/garadar)\
**Post date:** [July 31, 2024, 3:26pm UTC](https://discourse.openondemand.org/t/batch-connect-dimension-issue/3645/8 "2024-07-31T15:26:23Z")

</div>

Hoo 🙀 it’s clearly not the same 😂

Here my output log :

I think `xfsettingsd: No window manager registered on screen 0` could be the issue. I will do some search.

```auto
Setting VNC password...
Starting VNC server...

Desktop 'TurboVNC: cpu007.baobab:2 (alberta)' started on display cpu007.baobab:2

Log file is vnc.log
Successfully started VNC server on cpu007.baobab:5902...
Script starting...
Starting websocket server...
/home/users/a/alberta/ondemand/data/sys/dashboard/batch_connect/sys/ug_MatLab/output/700ae3b2-4774-4a4b-ae56-9f719c509749/script.sh: line 8: unsetenv: command not found
The system default contains no modules
  (env var: LMOD_SYSTEM_DEFAULT_MODULES is empty)
  No changes in loaded modules

xfwm4: Unknown option --daemon.
Type "xfwm4 --help" for usage.
[websockify]: pid: 357903 (proxying 22442 ==> localhost:5902)
[websockify]: log file: ./websockify.log
[websockify]: waiting ...

Currently Loaded Modules:
  1) MATLAB/2022a

 

+ matlab -desktop

(xfsettingsd:357894): GLib-CRITICAL **: 17:10:36.238: g_str_has_prefix: assertion 'prefix != NULL' failed

(xfsettingsd:357894): GLib-GObject-CRITICAL **: 17:10:36.245: g_value_get_string: assertion 'G_VALUE_HOLDS_STRING (value)' failed

(xfsettingsd:357894): GLib-GObject-CRITICAL **: 17:10:36.246: g_value_get_string: assertion 'G_VALUE_HOLDS_STRING (value)' failed

(xfsettingsd:357894): GLib-GObject-CRITICAL **: 17:10:36.251: g_value_get_string: assertion 'G_VALUE_HOLDS_STRING (value)' failed
MATLAB is selecting SOFTWARE OPENGL rendering.
[websockify]: started successfully (proxying 22442 ==> localhost:5902)
Scanning VNC log file for user authentications...
Generating connection YAML file...
xfsettingsd: No window manager registered on screen 0.

(xfsettingsd:357894): xfsettingsd-WARNING **: 17:10:41.354: Failed to get the _NET_NUMBER_OF_DESKTOPS property.
Setting VNC password...
Generating connection YAML file...
Opening log file: /home/users/a/alberta/java.log.30240

```

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![jeff.ohrstrom](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex015/user_avatar/discourse.openondemand.org/jeff.ohrstrom/32/136_2.png) [@jeff.ohrstrom](https://discourse.openondemand.org/u/jeff.ohrstrom)\
**Post date:** [July 31, 2024, 3:42pm UTC](https://discourse.openondemand.org/t/batch-connect-dimension-issue/3645/9 "2024-07-31T15:42:05Z")

</div>

> [@garadar](#):
>
> ```auto
> xfwm4: Unknown option --daemon.
> Type "xfwm4 --help" for usage.
> 
> ```

This actually may be the original error you want to look at. Instead of using the `--daemon` argument, you may be able to just background it with an `&`.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![garadar](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex015/user_avatar/discourse.openondemand.org/garadar/32/1877_2.png) [@garadar](https://discourse.openondemand.org/u/garadar)\
**Post date:** [July 31, 2024, 4:12pm UTC](https://discourse.openondemand.org/t/batch-connect-dimension-issue/3645/10 "2024-07-31T16:12:32Z")

</div>

> [@garadar](#):
>
> `xfwm4: Unknown option --daemon.`

Weird,

The daemon option is in [bc\_osc\_matlab/template/script.sh.erb at master · OSC/bc\_osc\_matlab · GitHub](https://github.com/OSC/bc_osc_matlab/blob/master/template/script.sh.erb)

```auto
MatLab/template/script.sh.erb: xfwm4 --compositor=off --daemon --sm-client-disable

```

I removed the `--daemon` option, now I have a black background:

 ![image](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex015/uploads/osc/original/2X/6/6a91288466c36e9e109437b6b4d9b125e8d4aa16.png)

But in the output.log I have not error anymore:

```auto
Setting VNC password...
Starting VNC server...

Desktop 'TurboVNC: cpu007.baobab:2 (alberta)' started on display cpu007.baobab:2

Log file is vnc.log
Successfully started VNC server on cpu007.baobab:5902...
Script starting...
Starting websocket server...
/home/users/a/alberta/ondemand/data/sys/dashboard/batch_connect/sys/ug_MatLab/output/d709f959-bedf-425d-a769-70f221c7ddcf/script.sh: line 8: unsetenv: command not found
The system default contains no modules
  (env var: LMOD_SYSTEM_DEFAULT_MODULES is empty)
  No changes in loaded modules

[websockify]: pid: 365050 (proxying 7681 ==> localhost:5902)
[websockify]: log file: ./websockify.log
[websockify]: waiting ...

Currently Loaded Modules:
  1) MATLAB/2022a

 

+ matlab -desktop

(xfwm4:365041): GLib-CRITICAL **: 17:55:10.318: g_str_has_prefix: assertion 'prefix != NULL' failed
MATLAB is selecting SOFTWARE OPENGL rendering.
[websockify]: started successfully (proxying 7681 ==> localhost:5902)
Scanning VNC log file for user authentications...
Generating connection YAML file...
Opening log file: /home/users/a/alberta/java.log.37398
Setting VNC password...
Generating connection YAML file...
Setting VNC password...
Generating connection YAML file...

```

I am not sure but [Window Manager (xfwm4) for xfce4 failing](https://discourse.openondemand.org/t/window-manager-xfwm4-for-xfce4-failing/940) seems to be close to my issue. I am checking ⚙

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![garadar](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex015/user_avatar/discourse.openondemand.org/garadar/32/1877_2.png) [@garadar](https://discourse.openondemand.org/u/garadar)\
**Post date:** [July 31, 2024, 4:21pm UTC](https://discourse.openondemand.org/t/batch-connect-dimension-issue/3645/11 "2024-07-31T16:21:35Z")

</div>

Ho I can’t trust my sight 🧑🏼‍🦯

In fact, There is the the screen manager so I can extend the windows, Amen 🙏🏼

But I do not have the OS pannel :

 ![image](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex015/uploads/osc/original/2X/3/38778fe58f903238fbadb416dd613961c3384a37.jpeg)

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![jeff.ohrstrom](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex015/user_avatar/discourse.openondemand.org/jeff.ohrstrom/32/136_2.png) [@jeff.ohrstrom](https://discourse.openondemand.org/u/jeff.ohrstrom)\
**Post date:** [July 31, 2024, 5:03pm UTC](https://discourse.openondemand.org/t/batch-connect-dimension-issue/3645/12 "2024-07-31T17:03:35Z")

</div>

> [@garadar](#):
>
> But I do not have the OS pannel :

I don’t follow this. It seems like you do have the start bar - I don’t know 100% what to call it - but it’s the panel with the Applications menu and where you have Matlab open as an application.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![garadar](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex015/user_avatar/discourse.openondemand.org/garadar/32/1877_2.png) [@garadar](https://discourse.openondemand.org/u/garadar)\
**Post date:** [July 31, 2024, 5:33pm UTC](https://discourse.openondemand.org/t/batch-connect-dimension-issue/3645/13 "2024-07-31T17:33:11Z")

</div>

> [@jeff.ohrstrom](#):
>
> I don’t follow this

My bad, the screenshot is the shrinkage of yours 😕 to show what I’m missing ( the “OS panel”)

Here is my matlab session with the window manager (I can resize) but not the OS panel:

 ![image](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex015/uploads/osc/original/2X/f/fbf2e25063c5143339255cde54b0f14721f0e952.png)

If I minimize the window, I can get it back. (complete black screen)

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![jeff.ohrstrom](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex015/user_avatar/discourse.openondemand.org/jeff.ohrstrom/32/136_2.png) [@jeff.ohrstrom](https://discourse.openondemand.org/u/jeff.ohrstrom)\
**Post date:** [July 31, 2024, 5:36pm UTC](https://discourse.openondemand.org/t/batch-connect-dimension-issue/3645/14 "2024-07-31T17:36:08Z")

</div>

I see - that makes sense. Well you’re starting up `xfwm4` but I wonder if you’re not backgrounding it. That is - i wonder if it’s blocking so that the other commands - like `xfce4-panel` (just pulled that from memory, could be a different command - aren’t being issued because `xfwm4` is still running in the foreground.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![garadar](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex015/user_avatar/discourse.openondemand.org/garadar/32/1877_2.png) [@garadar](https://discourse.openondemand.org/u/garadar)\
**Post date:** [July 31, 2024, 6:38pm UTC](https://discourse.openondemand.org/t/batch-connect-dimension-issue/3645/15 "2024-07-31T18:38:38Z")

</div>

@jeff.ohrstrom I found it !! 💙

```auto
(
  export SEND_256_COLORS_TO_REMOTE=1
  export XDG_CONFIG_HOME="<%= session.staged_root.join("config") %>"
  export XDG_DATA_HOME="<%= session.staged_root.join("share") %>"
  export XDG_CACHE_HOME="$(mktemp -d)"
  module restore
  # set -x
  echo toto1
  #xfwm4 --replace --compositor=off&
  xfwm4 --compositor=off --sm-client-disable&
  echo toto2
  xsetroot -solid "#D3D3D3"
  xfsettingsd --sm-client-disable&
  xfce4-panel --sm-client-disable
) &

```

I tested with `echo toto` to debug. As the “–daemon” option is not available (Don’t know why) I tried ‘&’ to background it as you said :

> i wonder if it’s blocking so that the other commands

So I apply this logic for the following xfce4 command. It seems you only need to background `xfsettingsd --sm-client-disable&`, and look at my beautifull session:

 ![image](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex015/uploads/osc/original/2X/3/33e1dde60b3ca39c03db010f69fd8d8bbd860099.jpeg)

I am not sure it’s fully working or it’s “best practice”, but the situation is much better.

Thank you very much for all your help !

PS: I think it would be a good idea to include a screenshot of what an interactive session should look like. Until today, I thought it was normal to have a non-resizable “post-it”.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![jeff.ohrstrom](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex015/user_avatar/discourse.openondemand.org/jeff.ohrstrom/32/136_2.png) [@jeff.ohrstrom](https://discourse.openondemand.org/u/jeff.ohrstrom)\
**Post date:** [July 31, 2024, 6:41pm UTC](https://discourse.openondemand.org/t/batch-connect-dimension-issue/3645/16 "2024-07-31T18:41:38Z")

</div>

That’s good news indeed!

> [@garadar](#):
>
> As the “–daemon” option is not available (Don’t know why)

They changed it at some point. It’s OS dependent at this point. Most of our compute nodes are still RHEL 7, you may have a higher version of XFCE.

> [@garadar](#):
>
> PS: I think it would be a good idea to include a screenshot of what an interactive session should look like. Until today, I thought it was normal to have a non-resizable “post-it”.

You’re likely right. I find most of the stuff in this thread comes up a lot.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![system](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex015/uploads/osc/original/2X/b/bae70bd0ed39a3ae769c2108155f4cb3e9da8385.png) [@system](https://discourse.openondemand.org/u/system)\
**Post date:** [January 27, 2025, 6:41pm UTC](https://discourse.openondemand.org/t/batch-connect-dimension-issue/3645/17 "2025-01-27T18:41:56Z")

</div>

This topic was automatically closed 180 days after the last reply. New replies are no longer allowed.