guiAppInDockerOnWindows

Small example shows how to run a gui-App inside docker on a Windows-host.

Prerequisites

To forward the GUI to the Windows-host we need a X-server running on the host.

Installing Xming

Xming is the leading X Window System Server for Microsoft Windows.

http://www.straightrunning.com/XmingNotes/

1. Download a Public Domain Release from http://www.straightrunning.com/XmingNotes/, e.g. Xming Xming-mesa 6.9.0.31 from http://sourceforge.net/projects/xming/files/Xming-mesa/6.9.0.31/Xming-mesa-6-9-0-31-setup.exe/download
2. Install by following the installation-wizzard
3. After the installation restart

Starting Xming

Start the XLaunch and adopt the following configuration for particular screens:

• Select display Settings Multiple Windows, Display Number: 0
• Select to start Xming Start no client
• Specify parameter settings Clipboard, No Access Control

Start the docker container

We have to provide additional data to the run command of docker. The following commands are executed in the PowerShell.

1. Get the docker container

docker pull handflucht/guiappindockeronwindows

2. Get the IP of the host

PS C:\> ipconfig

Windows-IP-Konfiguration

[...]

Drahtlos-LAN-Adapter WLAN:

   Verbindungsspezifisches DNS-Suffix: localdomain
   Verbindungslokale IPv6-Adresse  . : ...
   IPv4-Adresse  . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.1.5
   Subnetzmaske  . . . . . . . . . . : ...
   Standardgateway . . . . . . . . . : ...

3. Define variable

set-variable -name DISPLAY -value 192.168.1.5:0.0

4. Start docker

docker run -ti --rm -e DISPLAY=$DISPLAY handflucht/guiappindockeronwindows

Now a new window will open showing Firefox running inside.

Troubleshooting

Failed to connect to Mir: Failed to connect to server socket: No such file or directory
Unable to init server: Broadway display type not supported: 192.168.1.5:0
Error: cannot open display: 192.168.1.5:0

X-server is not running. Use the lauch-tool to configure the server correctly.