80x24 geometry used by qvm-console-dispvm

[qubist]

Hello,

What is the reason for the '80x24' geometry of xterm used by
qvm-console-dispvm through the management_dispvm?

I tried to remove the option in the policy file in order to utilize the
full available workspace, as well as to change it to a bigger window,
but in both cases it just stops working.



P.S. I posted that initially in qubes-devel because it fits completely
the "Why did you implement XYZ this way and not the other way?" example
in https://qubes-os.org/support/ but it was rejected. Quite confusing.

[Ulrich Windl]

Haven't done it for ages, but can't you configure the size using X resources?
Like this:
Now to set the size of the console itself, you would add this to the ~/.Xresources file:xterm*geometry: 127x37

[Marek Marczykowski-Górecki]

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On Wed, Mar 06, 2024 at 03:42:23PM -0000, qubist wrote:
> Hello,
>
> What is the reason for the '80x24' geometry of xterm used by
> qvm-console-dispvm through the management_dispvm?
>
> I tried to remove the option in the policy file in order to utilize the
> full available workspace, as well as to change it to a bigger window,
> but in both cases it just stops working.

That's the standard terminal size that various tools assume in lack of
other information. Technically you can use bigger window, but tools like
vim or top will still assume it's 80x24. The way that console works does
not support sending information about window size (changes).

> P.S. I posted that initially in qubes-devel because it fits completely
> the "Why did you implement XYZ this way and not the other way?" example
> in https://qubes-os.org/support/ but it was rejected. Quite confusing.

You must subscribe to qubes-devel mailing list to post there.

- --
Best Regards,
Marek Marczykowski-Górecki
Invisible Things Lab
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[qubist]

On Wed, 6 Mar 2024 18:14:53 +0100 Marek Marczykowski-Górecki wrote:

> The way that console works does not support sending information about
> window size (changes).

Do I understand correctly there is no way to change it and it is
impossible, hence not planned?

> You must subscribe to qubes-devel mailing list to post there.

I am subscribed. I was subscribed at the time of posting it, yet it was
explicitly rejected:

On Tue, 05 Mar 2024 14:26:01 -0800 Google Groups wrote:

> Google Groups (https://groups.google.com/d/overview)
>
> Unfortunately, your recent post to the qubes-devel
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> was rejected by a group owner or manager.
>
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>
> https://www.qubes-os.org/support/
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[Marek Marczykowski-Górecki]

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It isn't the problem of changing xterm window size. It's a problem of
telling the target VM what the size is. You can probably do that
manually by calling `stty cols W rows H` inside (after you resize the
window), but I don't know how to make automatic. If anybody has some
idea, patches welcome.

- --
Best Regards,
Marek Marczykowski-Górecki
Invisible Things Lab
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[Andrew David Wong]

I rejected it, because although it contains a "Why did you implement XYZ this way...?" question, the rest of the message implies a "How do I...?" request for help or support.

[Demi Marie Obenour]

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On Wed, Mar 06, 2024 at 10:49:11PM +0100, Marek Marczykowski-Górecki wrote:
> On Wed, Mar 06, 2024 at 06:13:50PM +0100, Ulrich Windl wrote:
> > Haven't done it for ages, but can't you configure the size using X resources?
> > Like this:
> > Now to set the size of the console itself, you would add this to the ~/.Xresources file:xterm*geometry: 127x37
>
> It isn't the problem of changing xterm window size. It's a problem of
> telling the target VM what the size is. You can probably do that
> manually by calling `stty cols W rows H` inside (after you resize the
> window), but I don't know how to make automatic. If anybody has some
> idea, patches welcome.

For PV consoles, I wonder if there should be a side-channel in the
protocol.
- --
Sincerely,
Demi Marie Obenour (she/her/hers)

Invisible Things Lab
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[Marek Marczykowski-Górecki]

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On Wed, Mar 06, 2024 at 06:16:03PM -0500, Demi Marie Obenour wrote:
> On Wed, Mar 06, 2024 at 10:49:11PM +0100, Marek Marczykowski-Górecki wrote:
> > On Wed, Mar 06, 2024 at 06:13:50PM +0100, Ulrich Windl wrote:
> > > Haven't done it for ages, but can't you configure the size using X resources?
> > > Like this:
> > > Now to set the size of the console itself, you would add this to the ~/.Xresources file:xterm*geometry: 127x37
> >
> > It isn't the problem of changing xterm window size. It's a problem of
> > telling the target VM what the size is. You can probably do that
> > manually by calling `stty cols W rows H` inside (after you resize the
> > window), but I don't know how to make automatic. If anybody has some
> > idea, patches welcome.
>
> For PV consoles, I wonder if there should be a side-channel in the
> protocol.

Maybe? I don't think there is one. BTW I think the same issue applies to
a real serial console too. SSH has such side-channel. And AFAIR telnet
does it in-band via some special bytes.

- --
Best Regards,
Marek Marczykowski-Górecki

Invisible Things Lab
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[Demi Marie Obenour]

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On Thu, Mar 07, 2024 at 01:52:58AM +0100, Marek Marczykowski-Górecki wrote:
> On Wed, Mar 06, 2024 at 06:16:03PM -0500, Demi Marie Obenour wrote:
> > On Wed, Mar 06, 2024 at 10:49:11PM +0100, Marek Marczykowski-Górecki wrote:
> > > On Wed, Mar 06, 2024 at 06:13:50PM +0100, Ulrich Windl wrote:
> > > > Haven't done it for ages, but can't you configure the size using X resources?
> > > > Like this:
> > > > Now to set the size of the console itself, you would add this to the ~/.Xresources file:xterm*geometry: 127x37
> > >
> > > It isn't the problem of changing xterm window size. It's a problem of
> > > telling the target VM what the size is. You can probably do that
> > > manually by calling `stty cols W rows H` inside (after you resize the
> > > window), but I don't know how to make automatic. If anybody has some
> > > idea, patches welcome.
> >
> > For PV consoles, I wonder if there should be a side-channel in the
> > protocol.
>
> Maybe? I don't think there is one. BTW I think the same issue applies to
> a real serial console too. SSH has such side-channel. And AFAIR telnet
> does it in-band via some special bytes.

There isn’t one _right now_, hence me proposing that one should be
added. I assume that it would be sufficiently simple that if we need to
do any conversions in dom0, those conversions could be done securely.

- --
Sincerely,
Demi Marie Obenour (she/her/hers)

Invisible Things Lab
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[qubist]

On Wed, 6 Mar 2024 14:48:54 -0800 Andrew David Wong wrote:

> I rejected it, because although it contains a "Why did you implement
> XYZ this way...?" question, the rest of the message implies a "How do
> I...?" request for help or support.

Well, it was rather "I am trying to modify existing functionality".
Anyway, thanks for clarifying. It's a blurry line I guess. :)