fix: Start Xvfb in server docker when GUI flag is used#873
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tristpinsm merged 3 commits intomainfrom Apr 16, 2026
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Install Xvfb in the server Dockerfile and auto-start a virtual framebuffer in start_server.sh when -g/--gui is passed and no working display is found. Prevents the Qt/XCB crash on startup. Closes #871
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Replace the fixed 2-second sleep with a poll loop that waits until FileWriter.FrameCount reaches FrameRxStats.FrameCnt. This eliminates the race condition where in-flight frames are lost when the FileWriter is closed before the pipeline fully drains.
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I tested and I found that it was crashing trying to bind to display When I forward X and try to use the GUI it pops up but just lags and is unusable. I don't ever use the GUI however, so that may be a problem with my system. Maybe @swh76 can give it a try? |
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actually it works if I forward with |
tristpinsm
approved these changes
Apr 15, 2026
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Summary
xvfbandx11-utilsin the server Dockerfilestart_server.shwhen-g/--guiis passed and no working display is foundContext
The rogue v6 update switched the GUI from
pyrogue.gui(which supported both Qt and PyDM backends) to exclusively usingpyrogue.pydm.runPyDM(). PyDM requires a working X display connection, and the server docker doesn't have one configured by default.The fix is defensive: if X11 forwarding is properly set up (e.g., via docker-compose mounting
/tmp/.X11-unix), it uses that. Otherwise, Xvfb provides a fallback virtual framebuffer so the server doesn't abort.Closes #871
Test plan
-gflag and no DISPLAY — should start Xvfb automatically instead of crashing-gflag and working X11 forwarding — should use existing display-gflag — no Xvfb started, no change in behavior