How do you use full-screen VMs?

[pizza...@tutamail.com]

So I’ve managed to install Qubes successfully yesterday and I got pretty much everything working except this - running full-screen Linux VMs. Or maybe I just misunderstood what full-screen VMs actually are, although I kinda doubt it.

Basically, I have modified the file with the code provided in the documentation but I still can’t find any button / toggle whatever for switching the VMs in full-screen mode. What I mean by full-screen, is having the entire VM shown, with taskbars etc. and not just an individual app which can be made fullscreen.

I’ve also installed Windows 7 and for that VM, there is an entry in the applications menu that says “Start : Windows 7”  and starts it in fullscreen. Haven’t been able to find this for other VMs anywhere though.

Thanks!

[tom...@gmail.com]

There is dedicated page about this: https://www.qubes-os.org/doc/full-screen-mode/

[Salmiakki]

On Tuesday, May 3, 2016 at 5:18:41 PM UTC+2, tom...@gmail.com wrote:

There is dedicated page about this: https://www.qubes-os.org/doc/full-screen-mode/

Actually no. He really did misunderstand. full-screen-mode for VMs is just about allowing VMs to display full-screen windows presentations or videos.
I'm not sure if there is a way to display a full desktop for the VM. I think there isn't even a proper window manager or anything running in the default templates.
What he wants is - if I understand correctly - to turn of seamless mode for non-HVM VMs. 

[raah...@gmail.com]

if you mean for like watching video. you have to use alt + f3 and then check full screen to get rid of panel and colored bar. but don't click no boxes till you take it back off and make sure which vm it came from.

[Andrew David Wong]

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Yes. There's an ambiguity between two senses of the phrase "full
screen" here:

1. Enable a single, "maximized" application to use the whole screen
(e.g., playing a YouTube video which fills the entire physical
monitor). This is the topic of
https://www.qubes-os.org/doc/full-screen-mode/ (but not what the OP
has in mind).

2. Run a VM with its own desktop and a complete window manager. In
Qubes, this is called "non-seamless mode" in contrast to the usual
mode of operation -- wherein each window is drawn "seamlessly" on
dom0's desktop with a colored border -- called "seamless mode." The OP
wants to run a Linux VM in non-seamless mode.

As far as I know, the best way to achieve this in Qubes is to create
an HVM (or HVM template) into which you can install any Linux distro
you want. I think Salmiakki is correct that non-seamless mode isn't
supported by Qubes' standard Fedora TemplateBasedVMs, but I haven't
tested this with Debian or Whonix TemplateBasedVMs.

- --
Andrew David Wong (Axon)
Community Manager, Qubes OS
https://www.qubes-os.org
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[Andrew David Wong]

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On 2016-05-04 06:05, pizza...@tutamail.com wrote:
> Thanks for the clarification, I’ll go ahead and install it as an
> HVM, that’s easy. Maybe the docs should be updated to include your
> post.
>

Thanks for the suggestion. Tracking it here:

https://github.com/QubesOS/qubes-issues/issues/1945

(P.S. - Please reply-all in order to include the mailing list if your
reply isn't confidential.)

- --
Andrew David Wong (Axon)
Community Manager, Qubes OS
https://www.qubes-os.org
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[Patrick Schleizer]

I asked this once before myself if I remember right but I don't remember
the thread subject anymore. There was at least one other option. Use VNC.

Cheers,
Patrick

[Vít Šesták]

On Wednesday, May 4, 2016 at 7:22:56 AM UTC+2, Andrew David Wong wrote:

As far as I know, the best way to achieve this in Qubes is to create
an HVM (or HVM template) into which you can install any Linux distro
you want. I think Salmiakki is correct that non-seamless mode isn't
supported by Qubes' standard Fedora TemplateBasedVMs, but I haven't
tested this with Debian or Whonix TemplateBasedVMs.

 The last time I've tried this, it did not work on Debian and it probably would not work on Whonix, as it is derived from Debian. Even screenshot tools did not work within the AppVM, they captured a blank screen.

Marek has shown there is a workaround using VNC on loopback. I've tried it and it basically worked (AFAIR TigerVNC seemed to be the better than TightVNC). I had some issues, but I am not sure if they were related to VNC or to some legacy 32-bit apps.

Reards,
Vít Šesták 'v6ak'