CFD Online Discussion Forums - cfx5post in batch mode on "graphics-less" Linux

Found my documentation
Detailed for Suse, but should be similar for RH.
Enjoy

Description
Xvfb is a virtual frame buffer to create an X display.

Installation

Install Xvfb as part of YAST package: xorg-x11-server-extra
Create the X auth file: /etc/Xvfb.auth
Create the boot script: /etc/init.d/xvfb
Make the new script executable: chmod +x /etc/init.d/xvfb
Create symlink: ln -s /etc/init.d/xvfb /usr/sbin/rcxvfb
Enable the init script: insserv /etc/init.d/xvfb
Start the service: rcxvfb start

Notes

The X Auth file should only contain 'localhost'
One can dryrun insserv: insserv -n -v /etc/init.d/xvfb
insserv ensures that the new init scripts loads correctly
Check the init script for more info

Boot script

Xvfb script

Xvfb Settings
Display Number: 71
X Auth File: /etc/Xvfb.auth
Screen Setting: screen 0 2048x2048x24
Memory Mapped File: /tmp/Xvfb_screen0
Log File: /var/log/Xvfb_X71.log
Lock File: /tmp/.X71-lock

Code:

#!/bin/sh

#

#

# /etc/init.d/xvfb

#   and its symbolic link

# /usr/sbin/rcxvfb

#

### BEGIN INIT INFO

# Provides:          Xvfb

# Required-Start:    network nfs

# Should-Start:

# Required-Stop:     network

# Should-Stop:

# Default-Start:     3 5

# Default-Stop:

# Short-Description: Xvfb daemon, provides virtual frame buffer

# Description:       Start Xvfb

#    Primarily used for batch processing because

#    CFX and Ansys require an X Display.

### END INIT INFO

#



# Check for missing binaries (stale symlinks should not happen)

# Note: Special treatment of stop for LSB conformance

XVFB_BIN=/usr/bin/Xvfb

test -x $XVFB_BIN || { echo "$XVFB_BIN not installed";

    if [ "$1" = "stop" ]; then exit 0;

    else exit 5; fi; }



# Decided not to source a config file

# Left the code just incase

# Check for existence of needed config file and read it

#XVFB_CONFIG=/etc/sysconfig/xvfb

#test -r $XVFB_CONFIG || { echo "$XVFB_CONFIG not existing";

#    if [ "$1" = "stop" ]; then exit 0;

#    else exit 6; fi; }

#

# Read config

#. $XVFB_CONFIG



# The auth file is a plain text file with only "localhost" listed.

XVFB_DISPLAY=71

XVFB_AUTHFILE="/etc/Xvfb.auth"

test -r $XVFB_AUTHFILE || { echo "$XVFB_AUTHFILE not existing";

    if [ "$1" = "stop" ]; then exit 0;

    else exit 7; fi; }

XVFB_SCREEN="-screen 0 2048x2048x24"

XVFB_MMAP="/tmp"

XVFB_LOG="/var/log/Xvfb_X$XVFB_DISPLAY.log"

XVFB_ARGS=":$XVFB_DISPLAY -auth $XVFB_AUTHFILE $XVFB_SCREEN -fbdir $XVFB_MMAP"





# Shell functions sourced from /etc/rc.status:

#      rc_check         check and set local and overall rc status

#      rc_status        check and set local and overall rc status

#      rc_status -v     be verbose in local rc status and clear it afterwards

#      rc_status -v -r  ditto and clear both the local and overall rc status

#      rc_status -s     display "skipped" and exit with status 3

#      rc_status -u     display "unused" and exit with status 3

#      rc_failed        set local and overall rc status to failed

#      rc_failed <num>  set local and overall rc status to <num>

#      rc_reset         clear both the local and overall rc status

#      rc_exit          exit appropriate to overall rc status

#      rc_active        checks whether a service is activated by symlinks

. /etc/rc.status



# Reset status of this service

rc_reset



case "$1" in

    start)

    echo -n "Starting Xvfb on DISPLAY=:$XVFB_DISPLAY"

    # Remove the old log file

    rm -f $XVFB_LOG

    ## Start daemon with startproc(8). If this fails

    ## the return value is set appropriately by startproc.

    /sbin/startproc -l $XVFB_LOG $XVFB_BIN $XVFB_ARGS



    # Remember status and be verbose

    rc_status -v

    ;;

    stop)

    echo -n "Shutting down Xvfb "

    ## Stop daemon with killproc(8) and if this fails

    ## killproc sets the return value according to LSB.



    /sbin/killproc -TERM $XVFB_BIN



    # Remember status and be verbose

    rc_status -v

    ;;

    restart)

    ## Stop the service and regardless of whether it was

    ## running or not, start it again.

    $0 stop

    $0 start



    # Remember status and be quiet

    rc_status

    ;;

    status)

    echo -n "Checking for service Xvfb "

    ## Check status with checkproc(8), if process is running

    ## checkproc will return with exit status 0.



    # Return value is slightly different for the status command:

    # 0 - service up and running

    # 1 - service dead, but /var/run/  pid  file exists

    # 2 - service dead, but /var/lock/ lock file exists

    # 3 - service not running (unused)

    # 4 - service status unknown :-(

    # 5--199 reserved (5--99 LSB, 100--149 distro, 150--199 appl.)



    # NOTE: checkproc returns LSB compliant status values.

    /sbin/checkproc $XVFB_BIN

    # NOTE: rc_status knows that we called this init script with

    # "status" option and adapts its messages accordingly.

    rc_status -v

    ;;

    *)

    echo "Usage: $0 {start|stop|restart|status}"

    exit 1

    ;;

esac

rc_exit