How to run in headless mode?

[marisancans]

Hi, how can I run this docker image in server where I don't have any display output? I just need to automate a GUI app and I want to use this image as base, when I run it I have to open GUI, do some automation and kill the image running. Thanks

[mviereck]

The most straightforward way is to use X server Xvfb with option --xvfb. This runs an invisible X server that does not depend on a monitor.

Xvfb does not support hardware acceleration. In case you need that you can try --xorg --gpu. If that does not work immediately, we could have a closer look.

[marisancans]

Ok, now im getting some kind of a mount error which I can't fully understand. This seems to be docker related problem

g360@g360:~$ x11docker --desktop --xvfb --size 320x240 x11docker/mate                                                                                                                                            
x11docker WARNING: User g360 is member of group docker.
  That allows unprivileged processes on host to gain root privileges.

x11docker WARNING: Your host X server runs without cookie authentication.

x11docker note: Option --xc for X in container enabled automatically.

x11docker note: Option --xvfb: Enabling option --xtest.

x11docker note: Option --network=none is set to disable network access.
  If you need network and internet access, set option -I, --network [=NET].

x11docker note: check_screensize(): Could not determine your screen size.
  Please improve this by installing 'xrandr' or use option --size=XxY.
  You can look for the package name of this command at:
 https://github.com/mviereck/x11docker/wiki/dependencies#table-of-all-packages

x11docker note: setxkbmap not found. Need setxkbmap and xkbcomp to set keyboard layout.
  You can look for the package name of this command at:
 https://github.com/mviereck/x11docker/wiki/dependencies#table-of-all-packages
  Alternatively you can provide image x11docker/xserver (option --xc).


x11docker ERROR: start_container(): Did not receive PID of PID1 in container.
  Maybe the container immediately stopped for unknown reasons.
  Just in case, check if host and image architecture are compatible:
  Host architecture: amd64 (x86_64), image architecture: amd64.

  Content of container log:
Error: No such container: x11docker_X114_x11docker-mate_96008302283
docker: Error response from daemon: invalid mount config for type "bind": bind source path does not exist: /home/g360/.cache/x11docker/96008302283-mate/tmp/.X11-unix/X114.
See 'docker run --help'.
Error: No such object: x11docker_X114_x11docker-mate_96008302283

  Type 'x11docker --help' for usage information
  Debug options: '--verbose' (full log) or '--debug' (log excerpt).
  Logfile will be: /home/g360/.cache/x11docker/x11docker.log
  Please report issues at https://github.com/mviereck/x11docker

[mviereck]

Ok, now im getting some kind of a mount error which I can't fully understand.

Ups, a bug in x11docker if using image x11docker/xserver.
I have fixed it now. Please update to current beta (x11docker --update-master) and try again.

EDIT: I've published release v7.3.1 that contains the fix. x11docker --update would be sufficient now.

[mviereck]

I've published release v7.3.1 that contains the fix. x11docker --update would be sufficient now.

Depending on how you want to run the automated tests, you might be interested in options --printenv and --printid to get access from outside to the container.

From x11docker --help:

Output of parseable information on stdout:
  Get output e.g. with: read xenv < <(x11docker --printenv x11docker/check)
  Optional argument FILE allows to print the information into a file.
     --printenv [=FILE]        Print variables to access new display.
     --printid [=FILE]         Print container ID.
     --printinfofile [=FILE]   Print path to internal x11docker info storage.
     --printpid1 [=FILE]       Print host PID of container PID 1.