Penguin
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x2x allows the keyboard, mouse on one X display to be used to control another X display. It also shares X clipboards between the displays.

On the computer with the mouse and keyboard you wish to use to control multiple displays, install x2x.

This can be done from source: http://freshmeat.net/projects/x2x/

Or if you have Ubuntu:

  • sudo aptitude install x2x

Now on each of the other machines:

1) Make sure that in /etc/gdm/gdm.conf that DisallowTCP is set to false. If you do change it be sure to restart the gnome desktop manager with the command:

  • sudo /etc/init.d/gdm restart

2) Add the hostname or IP of the main machine to xhost by doing the command:

  • xhost +<host/IP>

Now back to the primary machine:

Lets say that I have a laptop to the right of my main machine. To be able to control the X display on that laptop, I type :

  • x2x -to 192.168.1.4:0.0 -EAST

Now when I move my mouse (of the main machine) off the screen in the east direction (right) I will be astonished to see the mouse cursor is now moving on the laptop!

The Syntax is:

  • x2x -to <X Display> -<Which direction to move the mouse off the screen>

Note : I would recommend running x2x using Screen so that you can close the terminal window you started x2x from without ending x2x.