[Xnee-devel] When "cnee --replay ..." inside Xnest or gdmXnest -windows, most of the recorded characters re-appear right, but mouse cursor does not move.

[Veijo Ryhänen]

Hello,

here is how to reproduce this problem by using cnee 2.01 or cnee 2.04
(haven't tried other versions):

1. Record at least one mouse click (to get focus) and some mouse movements and type in 
   some "english only" characters and native keyboard characters too by using command:

 cnee --record --stop-key s --events-to-record -1 --data-to-record -1 --all-events -o all_events.xns


2. Playback in the same display to make sure that recording was successfull by using command:

 cnee --replay --no-sync -f all_events.xns
 
3. Start your Xnest by using command:

  DISPLAY=:0;Xnest -geometry 1024x768+0+0 :1 &

or:

  DISPLAY=:0; gdmXnest  (This will print to console: DISPLAY=:20)
  
 
4.Start xterm by using command:

  xterm -geometry 1024x768+0+0 -display :1 &
  
or:
 
  DISPLAY=:20 ; xterm -geometry 1024x768+0+0 (if using gdmXnest)
  

5. Try to replay by using command:
 
  cnee --verbose --replay --no-sync -f all_events.xns --display :1 

or

  cnee --verbose --replay --no-sync -f all_events.xns --display :20  (if using gdmXnest)
    
You should see that everything that you type in when recording appears to xterm 
-window  but mouse cursor does NOT move!


Solution:
---------
 
Replay using display 0, NOT display 1 (or 20 if using gdmXnest) by using command:

cnee --time 3 --replay --no-sync -f all_events.xns --display :0

after typing the above command, set focus to Xnest window (=display 1 or 20)
and wait for replay start. You should see both mouse movements and letters 
to appear on the console. However, this is NOT good solution if test should 
be done automatically, because you must set initial focus manually. 
Better solution is to start replay from xterm -console which is inside Xnest.
Then, do not trust to DISPLAY variable inside Xnest, use the "--display :0" 
-switch instead.

It is very confusing to use "--display :0" when replaying on Xnest using 
display :1 but I guess that there is only one mouse which is connected 
to display 0 and that's why "--display :0" -option must be used.


Wishlist:
---------

Bad think is that if somebody try to use Xnee or cnee with Xnest (or Xephyr)
he/she will propably waste many, many hours before findig solution to this
"mouse cursor does not move" -problem. This is why I hope that there will 
be some kind of updated manual/information/xnee.pdf or something  like that 
information source which can be very helpfull to solve this problem.

or:

There should be some kind of hint/tip output build inside the cnee:
When replaying with switch "--display :1" (or any display greater than 0) 
cnee should check if command "xlsclients |grep :1" will return string 
"Xnest :1" or "Xephyr :1". If that is the case, then cnee should output
something like this: 

"Warning: When replaying on nested Xserver, mouse replay does not work until you specify "--display :0""


Personally I would prefer "warning text to console" -solution, because 
usually I don't read the manuals.


Keyboard problem
----------------

I used finnish keyboard national special characters öäå and ÖÄÅ 
(=ö odiaresis, adiaresis etc...) when recording, but I did not
succeed to replay them inside Xnest. In fact, it was impossible to 
write these national characters to xterm command prompt which was 
inside Xnest. Same problem when using nedit inside Xnest window.

Solution:
---------

In xterm -window, which is inside Xnest -window, use command:

  xmodmap /usr/share/xmodmap/xmodmap.fi

or:

  Xnest -xkbmap /usr/share/xmodmap/xmodmap.fi :1


- - -

For me it was very, very time consuming task to get all those options 
and display settings to right positions when using Xnest+cnee+finnish keyboard.

Because it took so much time to get initial settings right in this combination, I 
haven't yet try to replay self-centered windows (with or without titlebars)
inside Xnest. I haven't try either to replay recordings which were done
in different resolution to replay inside Xnest -window (which use different
resolution than when recording).

Hopefully brand new cnee flag "--replay-offset x,y" is much more
faster way to start use for those people who are not familiar with these
Xnest+cnee "tricks" explained in this message.
Next I will try that new flag...


Veijo Ryhänen, Finland