Using CSD on Windows platform

The procedure described here can be modified by many ways. However, its advantage is that it will work with every X-server for Windows.

Software needed:

  • Putty. This is a free ssh client available at http://www.chiark.greenend.org.uk/~sgtatham/putty/
  • X-win32. This is an X server for Windows from Starnet Commumications available at http://www.starnet.com/products/. This is not free but can be tested for one month. After expiration it switches to a demo mode and can be used 30 minutes, then it must be restarted. There are many X-servers for Windows but none of them is free except the old version of MIXfree that unfortunately cannot work properly with Conquest because of problems with fonts.
  • WinSCP. This as a free Norton-style interface to SCP available in http://winscp.sourceforge.net/eng/

    Why do I need these programs?
    Putty makes secure connection to indy22.fzu.cz. X-win32 displays the window of Conquest or Quest. This is emulation of UNIX graphics for Windows. WinSCP can be used for downloading files from indy22.fzu.cz to your PC.

    Step-by-step instructions

  • Download and install Putty, X-win32 and WinSCP
  • Configuration of X-win32
    Start X-win32 (its icon is blue X). A blue X in the system tray will indicate X-win32 is running. At the first start the program wants to create a user session. However, any session of X-win32 cannot be used for secure connection. Type in whatsoever and save it as a session. Start program Xconfig (its icon is red X, it is accessible through Start -> Programs ... ). Define properties of Window according to this figure:

  • Configuration of Putty

    This is the startup screen. Define the server (indy22.fzu.cz) and protocol (SSH)

    Define the startup command and SSH protocol version 2.
    The Echo command shows the display settings for diagnostic purposes.
    The usage of bash guarantees that the path to conquest is known and the user environment is properly initiated.

    Enable X11 forwarding.

    Go back to the first screen, name your session in the "Saved sessions" text box and press Save. The next time the session can be started by double-click on its name in the list.

  • Putty connection

    Start Putty, double-click the name of the session (conquest). At the first connection Putty shows this warning, press Yes.

    Type your username and (later on) your password.

    Your session has been successfully started.
    "localhost:10.0" is address of the secure display. This is assigned automatically by SSH.

    After 10 seconds delay Conquest window should appear in the Windows environment. After searching the database close the Conquest window and it will automatically close the Putty window.

  • Downloading results from indy22.fzu.cz

    Conquest stores the search results in indy22.fzu.cz. The files in your user space are accessible by scp (secure copy) command that is called pscp.exe in the Putty installation. The syntax of scp command is not very friendly, fortunately there are many easy to use interfaces for Windows, for instance WinSCP.

    This is the startup screen of WinSCP. Stored sessions can be started by Login button.

    This is session configuration window of WinSCP. It appears after pressing New or Load.

    During the first connection WinSCP shows this warning, press Yes.

    This is WinSCP window with succesfully started session. The left panel is the local PC, the right panel shows the files in indy22.fzu.cz. The files can be copied between panels using arrow buttons in the upper toolbar or by pressing F5 (Norton commander style).

    WinSCP is also used by beta version of Servant Salamander as a plugin. This window shows how to start WinSCP within Servant Salamander

    WinSCP has been successfully started as a plugin of Servant Salamander. Again, the local PC is on the left, indy22.fzu.cz on the right.