The parsing for option 'log-dir' does not seem to be expanding shell variables, such as ~, $HOME, or $USER, and causes the server to fail when the 'log-dir' option is set with those variables.
When changing option log-dir
in file /etc/xpra/60_server.conf
from its default "auto" to "~/.xpra", the xpra server fails to launch. The alternative "~/.xpra" is provided for in the comments for the config file. The entire STDERR output is
Warning: cannot use the system proxy for 'start' subcommand, failed to connect to '/run/xpra/system': [Errno 111] Connection refused InitException: cannot open log file '~/.xpra/S9585.log': [Errno 2] No such file or directory: '~/.xpra/S9585.log' xpra initialization error: cannot open log file '~/.xpra/S9585.log': [Errno 2] No such file or directory: '~/.xpra/S9585.log'
However, the directory does exist, with adequate permissions, and xpra does create two files there (a commented-out 'xpra.conf', and a 'run-xpra' executable).
When reverting the log-dir option to its default, 'auto', the server does start, but the log file, at /run/user/$UID/xpra/:1.log
includes:
failed to rename Xorg log file from '/run/user/1007/xpra/Xorg.S13030.log' to '/run/user/1007/xpra/Xorg.:1.log' [Errno 2] No such file or directory -- END---------------
The log files that do exist are: :1.log
and Xorg.S13030.log.old
Experimenting with the option on both the command-line and in the config file showed that the server WOULD succeed when the explicit path to ~/.xpra was used, ie. /home/.../.xpra, and would fail with the same output as above for $HOME/.xpra and /home/$USER/.xpra
failed to rename Xorg
...
This one is not a bug in xpra but a bug in the Xorg server: #1192. There is a patch, which is languishing upstream. I think they need a nudge.
As for the rest, I will take a look. Please always include full OS version, as this may be relevant when debugging.
Oops.
Version: Xpra gtk2 client version 2.1.3-r17247 64-bit Platform: Debian Stretch / Devuan Ascii Kernel: Linux 4.9.0-3-amd64 [Debian version: 4.9.30-2+deb9u5 (2017-09-19)]
Fixed in r17502. (I will have to come up with a more concise fix for older branches)
this ticket has been moved to: https://github.com/Xpra-org/xpra/issues/1698