[How to] control your mac using win RDP client (XRDP compiling guide on OSx)

Sorry if it's wrong place to share that.

Introduction

Next guide will describe how to compile xrdp on your mac.



Why I need it because it's much more easy to manage mac computer from windows computer. You don't need to search vnc client you can simply use windows built-in rdp client. (and as for me during connection with VNC client to mac default VNC server aka ARD I have hanging of login screen very often, using XRDP possibility to see hanged vnc login screen reduced, why? i don't know...)

If you want just install it you can download Installer OSxXRDP.zip and simply install it. Installation will be done automatically (below i will describe how installer works).

Download OSxXRDP installer

But if you paranoiac and afraid of some code injections please follow by steps and compile it by yourself

Caution:
I'm really big mac hater (it's not related to Big'MC ) I don't like OS x and I'm pretty sure that OS x it's bad, old and outdated copy of Linux (it's mine IMHO so just keep in mind when you are reading that)

Preparation

I wouldn't describe how install x Code or command line tools you can find it over Internet or ask apple how to do that.

First step simply create folder for our project
Let's do that in the root of user folder.

Second step we need additional libraries to compile XRDP.

And my suggestion is to install wget (good linux tool to download files).
Download this file:
Download wget installer
Extract it (double click on file) and install pkg file.

Using wget you can simply download files from command line for example previous file can be downloaded with such command:
But if you don't have it yet use safari to download, if you have it you don't need it (I mean it's just example).

There is a few ways to install libs:

1. You can download installers for them using links (I've made them using macports)
   
   Create folder to download them:
   
   Code:

   $ mkdir ~/xrdp/deps

   
   Download each installer into this folder:
   autoconf:
   
   Code:

   $ wget "http://drive.google.com/uc?export=download&id=0BxdJaRbJyqkOTG92alFFNkFaVGM" -O ~/xrdp/deps/autoconf-1_2.69_2.pkg.zip

   automake:
   
   Code:

   $ wget "http://drive.google.com/uc?export=download&id=0BxdJaRbJyqkOZmQyTG1HbXFCQXM" -O ~/xrdp/deps/automake-1.14.dmg.zip

   gettext:
   
   Code:

   $ wget "http://drive.google.com/uc?export=download&id=0BxdJaRbJyqkOZHpGam15UVBaUW8" -O ~/xrdp/deps/gettext-0.18.3.1_1.pkg.zip

   libtool:
   
   Code:

   $ wget "http://drive.google.com/uc?export=download&id=0BxdJaRbJyqkOby1MQVk4ZWpGb1k" -O ~/xrdp/deps/libtool-2.4.2_3.pkg.zip

   tree:
   
   Code:

   $ wget "http://drive.google.com/uc?export=download&id=0BxdJaRbJyqkOXzVyUl9hNV93cTg" -O ~/xrdp/deps/tree-1.6.0.dmg.zip

   
   If you still want to use safari follow by this link and download each file:
   Libs Installers
   
   Extract each installer and install every sure you need root privileges for that.
   
   If it doesn't work (then sorry sometimes it's happened) or again if you are paranoiac you can skip this steps and go to the 2nd or 3rd
2. It was my way.
   You need install macports as described here: https://www.macports.org/install.php
   When you have configured macports.
   
   Invoke installation by typing in console:
   
   Code:

   $ sudo port install autoconf
   $ sudo port install automake
   $ sudo port install gettext
   $ sudo port install libtool
   $ sudo port install tree

   
   Sit back and relax.
3. Another way. It' using another repository such like homebrew.
   http://brew.sh/
   
   Brew doesn't need root so it's for you if afraid root a lot
   
   Code:

   $ brew install autoconf
   $ brew install automake
   $ brew install libtool
   $ brew install gettext

   
   I've didn't tried this way but I think it should work.
   Because there is a man who tried this:
   http://stackoverflow.com/questions/...xrdp-working-on-osx-lion-has-anyone-done-this
4. You can try another repo similar to macports or brew. Or you can try install libs from sources feel free

Third step Actually it's XRDP downloading.

Using wget just copy-paste this into shell (or you can use safari):

Now extract sources:

Patching

Now you need to apply patch. Really it can be compiled without this patch but.

Underlying story:
XRDP uses Unix standards to read environments. As I've told you mac it's just cripple Linux sometimes this function available sometimes not. It can be included into libSystem.B.dylib. It doesn't depend on version of mac os even when libs have the same version on one mac it's supported another no. I have suspicious that it's depends on version of x code, it seems mac devs unsucceeded to remove it from each tool and perform solution to make _environ function available but sometimes this function available even when x code wasn't installed maybe some another apple app can modify it too...

So you need to apply small patch to use native OS x calls into this os_calls.c file:

You can download this patch by link:

And actually the command to apply this patch:

Configuring and compilation

Run next:

Now we need to configure it properly:
Set defaults directories, set it as 32bit as I know there is some mac PCs with 32 bit os (yes PC because now mac it's IBM PC architecture) and target min version of OS x.
So in this case I think this binaries will run without problems when you want to transfer it to another mac.

After successful configuration run:

And finally to put binaries and all content into appropriate directories as root:

Configuring XRDP
You think that's all? Don't be so naive it's just begging...

xrdp.ini
So now we need to reconfigure XRDP with values for mac because it's configured as Linux tool.
Run next to change name of libs inside configuration:
After that edit this file and change max_bpp to 16 bit color because in some reason when you are trying to use 24 after connecting to mac vnc you will receive grey messed and very creepy screen (it's happened only when you using mstsc when you connecting from Linux everything fine). So to chnge it just run this:

Or you can download already modified xrdp.ini file and replace your own:

xrdp.sh
In some reason original xrdp.sh doesn't work correctly on mac (i don't remember what the reason). So you can try to fix it. Or simply download and replace. To do that run next commands:

rsakeys.ini
Please check now if rsakeys.ini exists:

If you see as output the name of file so you don't need to perform next command.
If answer that there is no such file so you need to run this:

So from here we are done to launch XRDP manually.
You can try:
And check result with:

You will see two process as an answer: xrdp, xrdp-sesman. If no you need to find what's wrong....

XRDP OS x daemon
Sure it's evidentially stupid idea to start xrdp every time manually.
So we need to create OS x daemon... It's really bad, pure documented system. But I've did that.
Download this description xml file:

Enable VNC aka ARD
And now don't forget to start VNC to which your XRDP instance will be connected.
You can do that using GUI settings of mac.
Or simply run this to activate access with the password 12345678 (you can change it):

So VNC will be enabled at port 5900 (you can try some custom vnc to change it if you want).

Installer
Installer assembled using packagemaker app from apple.
As I've mentioned above you can download it from here:
Download OSxXRDP installer
It contains few scripts and two packages.

1. First script will run before start to check your current language if it's Russian language simply exit. You will pass it without problems it's only for Russians why because they're invaders and they support their government in this actions. (Sure it's simply to skip but at least maybe they will think why I did that...)
   
2. Just go through the dialogs (maybe you'll be asked about choose drive... due to some apple bug sometimes it can ask sometimes no)
3. By default two packages available and marked: one for binaries another one for daemon. So normally you need both.
   
4. After finish you will see such screen and you can try to check if services where started.
   

That's all now you can launch you RDP client and connect to mac by IP

gabriel3052 said:

hi coozoo,

excellent post and nice tool you submitted. Installed it on my virtualized mac, however I get the following error after connection with rdp is sucessful and the dialog "Login to rdp" with only drop-down "Module" appeared (without any username/password) fields:

"..error loading /usr/lib/xrdp/libvnc.dylib specified in xrdp.ini, pleas.... (rest of the message is truncated).."

Thanks for your help in advance!

Gabriel

Click to expand...

Hi Gabriel,
Thanks for trying it, nice catch you found a bug

Shame on me my fault i've missed symlinks

you can redownload and reinstall it.
Or simply run this to create symlinks:
thanks.

easyw said:

hi coozoo,
thank you for the guide! I managed to use xrdp on my mac!
now I can rdp my mac through xrdp (I'm using lion) ...
I have a prob... when I remote the mac from a pc I have a smaller resolution (eg pc 1600x900, mac 1920x1080) and the rdp window became larger then the pc screen...
is there a way to set a different resolution for the vnc session?
thank you
maurice

Click to expand...

Hi Maurice,
it's unbelievable but I have exactly the same problem

And i have few solutions for that:

1. Change display scaling on mac
I don't remember (and i can't check because it's weekend), but i think it changes the real display appearance too.
So if someone or you are using this mac not only by remote it's not good idea and better to use second way.
- go to Apple menu -> System Preferences -> Display
- Set scaled radiobox
- and select one of available resolutions

For me i have 1366x768 not sure that this will be the same on every mac (for example on macbook if i'm not wrong only one available)
And another problem that you are on fixed resolutions... it's possible that some apps not able to fit into screen
But there is one plus in using this method - screen is updated much more faster due to less resolution

2. It's hidden feature of microsoft client
But you can use it only for saved connections.
- To save connection you need to open mstsc, at least you need to set IP, click Options -> Save as
- find saved file .rdp and open it by notepad
- and add just one line any where (without quotes):
"smart sizing:i:1"
save and close notepad
Now connect using created .rdp file and mstsc client will resize content accordingly to your window size


enjoy,
yura

easyw said:

Hi yura!
the display scaling (opt 1) worked perfectly!!!
(I'm using freerdp on linux so I had only this option...)

the only issue that now remains to me is the keyboard...
I have some keys (e.g. Altgr @) that do not correspond on the xrdp screen...
I would like to load a keymap on the remote server to match the local keyboard map...
thank you again for your suggestions!!!
Maurice

Click to expand...

Hi Maurice
Hm I'm not using key combination that's why i didn't saw that
But really Alt doesn't work... (yesterday eve I've seat little bit)
returns me Alt keycodes on my linux
On mac Alt is not present by this command...
but it exists in events header with different name as Option key

that's really weird...
And as I've understood problem lies somewhere in the mac VNC port aka ARD...
Even when you use direct connection with VNC, it doesn't work...
So I think OSx ARD suxx, but i know that before

BTW under Linux it's not a problem to use VNC directly if you wish i'm using remmina and it have button to scale screen

But what is annoying for me it's copy/paste.
I've tried to compile vnc by myself, to transfer buffer and currently no luck. But during experiments I've found that real vnc is works much more better and copy/paste works between machines, even when you use direct vnc connection or xrdp+realvnc.
But real VNC is free only for personal use that's why I didn't include it in installer

So you can download your own copy of realvnc (http://www.realvnc.com/) and use it. If you still want to use it with xrdp you need to change port in /etc/xrdp/xrdp.ini

At least Alt key works in real vnc and clipboard it is a big cookies

have fun
yura

Oh looks like I know the name of alt key in xmodmap on mac by it's code from linux ) I think name Mode_switch

I will check later if it's possible to remap (not sure that it will work because as I wrote it doesn't work even when connect using vnc)

maflynn said:

Not to sound like a jerk, since you put so much work into the guide, but why not use TeamViewer or GotoMyPC or Logmein for remote access.

I use GotoMyPC, and its quite simple to set up and use.

Click to expand...

Sorry maybe you don't know teamviewer it's vnc reimplemintation oriented to use over internet (it's possible to use in LAN network but protocol still will be vnc).

"GotoMyPC or Logmein" - :facepalm:

My target was to control PC over LAN using microsoft RDP client (mstsc).

Explanation: VNC and RDP is totally different protocols. When you have few macs and bunch of persons who need to use it and they don't have access to vnc, partially due to company restrictions, but they still working with windows they have mstsc, additionally you need to show all of them what is VNC and how to use it, it's better to set up mac to allow connections over RDP protocol.

Yes to much work so that's why I've did installer file for me and share it here.