# Bc\_desktop in sandbox

**URL:** <https://discourse.openondemand.org/t/bc-desktop-in-sandbox/3280>\
**Category:** Get Help\
**Tags:** question\
**Created:** [February 21, 2024, 2:42pm UTC](https://discourse.openondemand.org/t/bc-desktop-in-sandbox/3280 "2024-02-21T14:42:45Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 20\
**Page:** 1

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![redmonp](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex015/user_avatar/discourse.openondemand.org/redmonp/32/2105_2.png) [@redmonp](https://discourse.openondemand.org/u/redmonp)\
**Post date:** [February 21, 2024, 2:42pm UTC](https://discourse.openondemand.org/t/bc-desktop-in-sandbox/3280/1 "2024-02-21T14:42:45Z")

</div>

I am building a development workflow for all apps on our OOD sites using the directions here: [Enabling App Development — Open OnDemand 3.1.0 documentation](https://osc.github.io/ood-documentation/latest/how-tos/app-development/enabling-development-mode.html).

We’ve implemented Jupyter and VScode apps successfully. However, bc\_desktop app appears to have problems running in the sandbox. What is the recommended way to modify bc\_desktop in a sandbox?

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![travert](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex015/user_avatar/discourse.openondemand.org/travert/32/3074_2.png) [@travert](https://discourse.openondemand.org/u/travert)\
**Post date:** [February 21, 2024, 4:39pm UTC](https://discourse.openondemand.org/t/bc-desktop-in-sandbox/3280/2 "2024-02-21T16:39:35Z")

</div>

Hello and welcome!

What are the issues you are running into when you go to launch? Could you share the error messages you are seeing?

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![redmonp](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex015/user_avatar/discourse.openondemand.org/redmonp/32/2105_2.png) [@redmonp](https://discourse.openondemand.org/u/redmonp)\
**Post date:** [February 21, 2024, 5:06pm UTC](https://discourse.openondemand.org/t/bc-desktop-in-sandbox/3280/3 "2024-02-21T17:06:21Z")

</div>

So right now I have a bc\_desktop repo in my sandbox environment and the production one at these paths:

- Sandbox: ~/ondemand/dev/bc\_desktop
- Production: /etc/ood/config/apps/bc\_desktop

My first issue was when I was viewing the bc\_desktop app in My Sandbox Apps, it was complaining that I did not have a manifest.xml file, which I didn’t because I’m assuming it was using the manifest.xml file from the core repo. I added a manifest.xml file to my Production bc\_desktop and that made two Desktop apps appear in the apps list. My solution was to remove the manifest.xml file from Production and add it to Sandbox with a .gitignore so when I push Sandbox and then pull it to Production, it won’t pull a manifest.xml file.

My next issue is my current issue, where I have a working Production bc\_desktop, but the same code in my Sandbox bc\_desktop is erroring with the following error.

```auto
Failed to stage the template with the following error:

sending incremental file list
rsync: change_dir "/var/www/ood/apps/dev/redmonp/gateway/bc_desktop/template" failed: No such file or directory (2)

sent 20 bytes received 12 bytes 64.00 bytes/sec
total size is 0 speedup is 0.00
rsync error: some files/attrs were not transferred (see previous errors) (code 23) at main.c(1189) [sender=3.1.3]

```

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![travert](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex015/user_avatar/discourse.openondemand.org/travert/32/3074_2.png) [@travert](https://discourse.openondemand.org/u/travert)\
**Post date:** [February 21, 2024, 6:01pm UTC](https://discourse.openondemand.org/t/bc-desktop-in-sandbox/3280/4 "2024-02-21T18:01:29Z")

</div>

> [@redmonp](#):
>
> I’m assuming it was using the manifest.xml file from the core repo. I added a manifest.xml file to my Production bc\_desktop and that made two Desktop apps appear in the apps list.

The sandbox and production would not have anything to do with eachother, so you shouldn’t assume one of these is pulling from another. They are entirely separate. OOD showed 2 apps because the `manifest.yml` is what is used for the display when rendering those cards, so however many of those `manifest` files you have in an app, OOD will just list those off as if they are all apps with the relevant metadata you provide.

Why exclude that file in the `.gitignore` if the prod is a mirror of the sandbox? That way you can update all the relevant files and have the mapping work. What you’re doing is fine, but these apps are in different locations so you shouldn’t worry if they have the same content in the `manifest.yml` file.

For the current error I haven’t been able to replicate with `3.1` yet. Is that `template` directory there? If so, what are the permissions on it? What happens if you copy your `template` directory from the working system app into the sandbox’s path?

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![redmonp](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex015/user_avatar/discourse.openondemand.org/redmonp/32/2105_2.png) [@redmonp](https://discourse.openondemand.org/u/redmonp)\
**Post date:** [February 21, 2024, 7:50pm UTC](https://discourse.openondemand.org/t/bc-desktop-in-sandbox/3280/5 "2024-02-21T19:50:59Z")

</div>

The pulling from the sandbox to production is done by a gitlab ci/cd pipeline that I setup. When sandbox is pushed to the gitlab repo, gitlab-runner pulls the changes into production.

The issue I was seeing was that the sandbox app requires a manifest.xml file and the production app appears to get it’s manifest.xml file from the system app, so the production and sandbox apps can’t be exactly the same.

The template directory isn’t in the sandbox app. I was following the directions in the docs, which don’t include creating a template directory.

If I’m understanding bc\_desktop correctly, in the production location, the files there override the system app, and then the system app provides whatever isn’t overridden. In the sandbox location, it seems like bc\_desktop doesn’t override the system app but is instead intended to be the full app, i.e. production+system.

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![travert](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex015/user_avatar/discourse.openondemand.org/travert/32/3074_2.png) [@travert](https://discourse.openondemand.org/u/travert)\
**Post date:** [February 21, 2024, 9:04pm UTC](https://discourse.openondemand.org/t/bc-desktop-in-sandbox/3280/6 "2024-02-21T21:04:27Z")

</div>

> [@redmonp](#):
>
> the production app appears to get it’s manifest.xml file from the system app

This is what confused me. Typically the system app is the production app, but it sounds like you have 2 separate literal system and production desktop apps? Is that correct? What locations do you have them in?

> [@redmonp](#):
>
> The issue I was seeing was that the sandbox app requires a manifest.xml file and the production app appears to get it’s manifest.xml file from the system app, so the production and sandbox apps can’t be exactly the same.

Yeah, every app will require a `manifest.yml` file. They could have the same exact content, as it’s just metadata that is used for the display card. The docs may help clear this config file up:  
[https://osc.github.io/ood-documentation/latest/how-tos/app-development/interactive/manifest.html?highlight=manifest](https://osc.github.io/ood-documentation/latest/how-tos/app-development/interactive/manifest.html?highlight=manifest)

> [@redmonp](#):
>
> n the sandbox location, it seems like bc\_desktop doesn’t override the system app

The sandbox doesn’t interact with system apps, so any configuration you’ve set for system apps is not picked up there. For example I needed to set a `cluster` attr in my sandbox but my system app has that already set using a `clusters.d/<cluster>.yml` file which system apps will default to if nothing is set for an attr.

You could still mimic this behavior of having a core file that sets defaults if not set in the app. You would just need the correct attrs and have that file sitting in a location you hard code in the apps:  
[https://osc.github.io/ood-documentation/latest/enable-desktops/custom-job-submission.html#custom-job-submission](https://osc.github.io/ood-documentation/latest/enable-desktops/custom-job-submission.html#custom-job-submission)

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![redmonp](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex015/user_avatar/discourse.openondemand.org/redmonp/32/2105_2.png) [@redmonp](https://discourse.openondemand.org/u/redmonp)\
**Post date:** [February 21, 2024, 9:43pm UTC](https://discourse.openondemand.org/t/bc-desktop-in-sandbox/3280/7 "2024-02-21T21:43:29Z")

</div>

I’m probably not explaining this very well. I’ll try to define what I’m calling things better. Note that this issue is only with bc\_desktop.

- bc\_desktop system app. This gets overwritten when OOD is upgraded.
  - /var/www/ood/apps/sys/bc\_desktop

- bc\_desktop production. This customizes the bc\_desktop system app.
  - /etc/ood/config/apps/bc\_desktop
  - created by me following the docs directions: [2. Add a Cluster — Open OnDemand 3.1.0 documentation](https://osc.github.io/ood-documentation/latest/enable-desktops/add-cluster.html), which is /etc/ood/config/apps/bc\_desktop

- bc\_desktop sandbox. This is the sandbox location.
  - ~/ondemand/dev/class/$APP

With other apps, the production app is located in the system app location, so there are only two directories, sandbox and production and they can be identical. With bc\_desktop, I’ve created a third location for customizing the system app. The bc\_desktop system app and the bc\_desktop production app can’t have the same contents, or I’d get duplicate manifests.xml files and probably other stuff. The bc\_desktop sandbox and the bc\_desktop production app can’t be the identical because the sandbox won’t work properly. I could probably remove the bc\_desktop production app and just use the system app, but I believe it would get overwritten if we update OOD and there are changes to the app.

What is the recommended way to customize bc\_desktop and have a sandbox for it? Is it just different than other apps, or am I missing something?

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![travert](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex015/user_avatar/discourse.openondemand.org/travert/32/3074_2.png) [@travert](https://discourse.openondemand.org/u/travert)\
**Post date:** [February 22, 2024, 4:33pm UTC](https://discourse.openondemand.org/t/bc-desktop-in-sandbox/3280/8 "2024-02-22T16:33:06Z")

</div>

Thank you for being patient with me in the explanation. Hopefully I can clear up some confusion.

First, the `bc_desktop` is no different than any other app. It will still have all the same files and structure. In fact, _any_ app you develop for OOD must have that specific structure with those specific file names as they are known to OOD and will be picked up for their various functions: `manifest.yml` for app metadata, `form.yml` for the form, `template` dir for the scripts to launch your app on the backend, etc. So This app is no different than any other.

I think the simple thing here is to just tell this sandbox app to look in the same location your system app is defaulting to with the `submit` attr in the doc I shared for Custom Job Submissions.

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![redmonp](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex015/user_avatar/discourse.openondemand.org/redmonp/32/2105_2.png) [@redmonp](https://discourse.openondemand.org/u/redmonp)\
**Post date:** [February 22, 2024, 4:57pm UTC](https://discourse.openondemand.org/t/bc-desktop-in-sandbox/3280/9 "2024-02-22T16:57:47Z")

</div>

In my sandbox, I’ve placed the submit.yml.erb into a submit directory and modified the form.xml to point to it via `submit: "submit/submit.yml.erb"`. My sandbox bc\_desktop now looks like this:

- bc\_desktop
  - submit
    - submit.yml.erb

  - .gitignore
  - .gitlab-ci.yml
  - form.yml
  - manifest.yml
  - README.md

I’m still getting the template error. I tried copying the template directory from the bc\_desktop system app into the bc\_desktop sandbox app. That gets rid of the error, but the job fails to load a desktop.

The production app works when there is no manifest.yml, if the submit.yml.erb file is in the bc\_desktop dir, and if the template directory exists. My bc\_desktop production directory looks like this:

- bc\_desktop
  - .gitignore
  - .gitlab-ci.yml
  - form.yml
  - manifest.yml
  - README.md
  - submit.yml.erb

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![travert](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex015/user_avatar/discourse.openondemand.org/travert/32/3074_2.png) [@travert](https://discourse.openondemand.org/u/travert)\
**Post date:** [February 22, 2024, 7:34pm UTC](https://discourse.openondemand.org/t/bc-desktop-in-sandbox/3280/10 "2024-02-22T19:34:03Z")

</div>

> [@redmonp](#):
>
> That gets rid of the error, but the job fails to load a desktop.

What’s the `output.log` say when it fails? Can you post its contents?

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![redmonp](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex015/user_avatar/discourse.openondemand.org/redmonp/32/2105_2.png) [@redmonp](https://discourse.openondemand.org/u/redmonp)\
**Post date:** [February 22, 2024, 9:17pm UTC](https://discourse.openondemand.org/t/bc-desktop-in-sandbox/3280/11 "2024-02-22T21:17:19Z")

</div>

```auto
Script starting...
Generating connection YAML file...
The system default contains no modules
  (env var: LMOD_SYSTEM_DEFAULT_MODULES is empty)
  No changes in loaded modules

Launching desktop 'xfce'...
Unable to init server: Could not connect: Connection refused
xfce4-session: Cannot open display: .
Type 'xfce4-session --help' for usage.
Desktop 'xfce' ended...
Cleaning up...

```

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![travert](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex015/user_avatar/discourse.openondemand.org/travert/32/3074_2.png) [@travert](https://discourse.openondemand.org/u/travert)\
**Post date:** [February 22, 2024, 10:23pm UTC](https://discourse.openondemand.org/t/bc-desktop-in-sandbox/3280/12 "2024-02-22T22:23:11Z")

</div>

That’s odd, I don’t even see anything about the VNC server starting for you. But it starts for the system app, at least given that the system `bc_desktop` runs I’m inferring it does.

Ok, at this point I will need to see your `form` as well for the dev version to see what is being passed back.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![redmonp](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex015/user_avatar/discourse.openondemand.org/redmonp/32/2105_2.png) [@redmonp](https://discourse.openondemand.org/u/redmonp)\
**Post date:** [February 23, 2024, 1:12pm UTC](https://discourse.openondemand.org/t/bc-desktop-in-sandbox/3280/13 "2024-02-23T13:12:15Z")

</div>

```auto
# /etc/ood/config/apps/bc_desktop/form.yml
---
title: "Hellbender Desktop"
cluster: "hellbender"
submit: "submit/submit.yml.erb"

attributes:
  desktop: "xfce"
  bc_vnc_idle: 0
  bc_vnc_resolution:
    required: true
  bc_num_hours:
    label: "Number of Hours"
    widget: 'number_field'
    value: 1
    min: 1
    max: 4
  bc_num_slots:
    label: "Number of Nodes"
    widget: "number_field"
    value: 1
    min: 1
    max: 2
  num_cpus:
    label: "Number of CPUs"
    widget: "number_field"
    value: 1
    min: 1
    max: 8
  memory:
    label: "Memory (MB)"
    widget: "number_field"
    max: 512000
    min: 2000
    step: 2000
    value: 2000
    help: "Enter a value in MB between 2000 and 512000"
  partition: rss-class
  qos: p-class
form:
  - bc_vnc_idle
  - bc_vnc_resolution
  - desktop
  - auto_accounts
  - bc_num_hours
  - bc_num_slots
  - num_cpus
  - memory
  - partition
  - qos

```

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![travert](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex015/user_avatar/discourse.openondemand.org/travert/32/3074_2.png) [@travert](https://discourse.openondemand.org/u/travert)\
**Post date:** [February 23, 2024, 2:18pm UTC](https://discourse.openondemand.org/t/bc-desktop-in-sandbox/3280/14 "2024-02-23T14:18:59Z")

</div>

This looks to be the form from your system app based on the location in the comment, I was looking to see the dev form you are using. Or is that a typo?

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![redmonp](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex015/user_avatar/discourse.openondemand.org/redmonp/32/2105_2.png) [@redmonp](https://discourse.openondemand.org/u/redmonp)\
**Post date:** [February 23, 2024, 2:56pm UTC](https://discourse.openondemand.org/t/bc-desktop-in-sandbox/3280/15 "2024-02-23T14:56:15Z")

</div>

That’s a typo, or at least, that’s the production location. This is the file used in the sandbox app, but it’s also identical to the production app.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![travert](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex015/user_avatar/discourse.openondemand.org/travert/32/3074_2.png) [@travert](https://discourse.openondemand.org/u/travert)\
**Post date:** [February 23, 2024, 4:00pm UTC](https://discourse.openondemand.org/t/bc-desktop-in-sandbox/3280/16 "2024-02-23T16:00:42Z")

</div>

Ok, again thank you so much for the patience on this.

First, since you have both the `cluster` and `submit` set in the `form.yml` it is essentially have the same thing set twice. You only need one.

Now, I tested with both those set and it will go with whatever is in the `submit`. What’s strange is that this looks to have worked because, as the docs state, that path is relative to `/etc/ood/config/apps/bc_desktop/`, which means if you had a `submit` folder in there with a `submit.yml.erb`, then that’s what is being used. Otherwise you would have been shown an error at launch.

So, assuming that `/etc/ood/config/apps/bc_desktop/submit/submit.yml.erb` is indeed what you were hoping to use, the next question I’d have is: have you installed the VNC software on the cluster you are submitting to? Can you confirm it is there?

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![redmonp](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex015/user_avatar/discourse.openondemand.org/redmonp/32/2105_2.png) [@redmonp](https://discourse.openondemand.org/u/redmonp)\
**Post date:** [February 23, 2024, 7:10pm UTC](https://discourse.openondemand.org/t/bc-desktop-in-sandbox/3280/17 "2024-02-23T19:10:08Z")

</div>

I’d like the sandbox to use the sandbox `submit.yml.erb`, which is `~/ondemand/dev/bc_desktop/submit/submit.yml.erb`.

Yes, the software listed here: [1. Software Requirements — Open OnDemand 3.1.0 documentation](https://osc.github.io/ood-documentation/latest/how-tos/app-development/interactive/setup/software-requirements.html?highlight=turbovnc) and xfce are installed on the cluster.

The production app at `/etc/ood/config/apps/bc_desktop` works and is able to open up a desktop when using the same configs as the sandbox.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![travert](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex015/user_avatar/discourse.openondemand.org/travert/32/3074_2.png) [@travert](https://discourse.openondemand.org/u/travert)\
**Post date:** [February 23, 2024, 7:34pm UTC](https://discourse.openondemand.org/t/bc-desktop-in-sandbox/3280/18 "2024-02-23T19:34:07Z")

</div>

You need to use the full path when you set that `submit` then because it is relative to `/etc/ood/config/apps/bc_desktop/`. It’s stated in the docs but kinda muddled in a paragraph so easy to miss. It’s right below the first example:  
[https://osc.github.io/ood-documentation/latest/enable-desktops/custom-job-submission.html#custom-job-submission](https://osc.github.io/ood-documentation/latest/enable-desktops/custom-job-submission.html#custom-job-submission)

I’m hesitant to say more until we ensure you are hitting the expected cluster and have this config setup right because looking at that previous `output.log` it looked to fail due to missing software, but we also may have been hitting the wrong cluster.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![redmonp](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex015/user_avatar/discourse.openondemand.org/redmonp/32/2105_2.png) [@redmonp](https://discourse.openondemand.org/u/redmonp)\
**Post date:** [February 26, 2024, 12:53pm UTC](https://discourse.openondemand.org/t/bc-desktop-in-sandbox/3280/19 "2024-02-26T12:53:53Z")

</div>

I’ve updated sandbox `form.xml` to have `submit` use the absolute path to `submit.yml.erb`. I’m getting the same result.

```auto
Script starting...
Generating connection YAML file...
The system default contains no modules
  (env var: LMOD_SYSTEM_DEFAULT_MODULES is empty)
  No changes in loaded modules

Launching desktop 'xfce'...
Unable to init server: Could not connect: Connection refused
xfce4-session: Cannot open display: .
Type 'xfce4-session --help' for usage.
Desktop 'xfce' ended...
Cleaning up...

```

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![travert](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex015/user_avatar/discourse.openondemand.org/travert/32/3074_2.png) [@travert](https://discourse.openondemand.org/u/travert)\
**Post date:** [February 27, 2024, 6:56pm UTC](https://discourse.openondemand.org/t/bc-desktop-in-sandbox/3280/20 "2024-02-27T18:56:48Z")

</div>

> [@redmonp](#):
>
> `Unable to init server: Could not connect: Connection refused`

Ok, let’s just remove that `submit` directory in the local dev app, I think I’m wrong on that for these.

Just create a `submit.yml.erb` in the root of the app and make sure to set:

```auto
---
cluster: <your cluster>
batch_connect:
  template: vnc

```

And see if this finally submits to the correct cluster _and_ fires the `vnc` adapter correctly.

[Next page](https://discourse.openondemand.org/t/bc-desktop-in-sandbox/3280.md?page=2)