extended keyboard layout support under the builtin vnc server (OSE)

[Przemo Jankowski]

I've just installed virtualbox-ose 3.2.10 under Gentoo Linux, compiled with VBOX_WITH_VNC option enabled (built in VNC server support).

Running a virtual machine with:

VBoxHeadless -startvm ... --vnc --vncport ...

Connecting to it via UltraVNC from Windows... Everything seems to work fine - except some extra keys, like: numeric keys on the right side of the keyboard and local characters (Right Alt + some other letter). When running the same VM straight from VirtualBox on the same host (under X/Linux, no VNC) - the keyboard works just fine.

So, whose fault is this? :) I've noticed a comment "Numpad keys - these have to be implemented yet..." in FramebufferVNC.cpp file, so this might explain numeric pad not working. But what about Right Alt?

I've also seen the patch, which I believe was the precursor for this vnc-support in OSE VirtualBox (​http://old.nabble.com/-PATCH--VirtualBox-headless-VNC-support-by-LibVNCServer-(20100421)-td28324779.html) That patch adds another option: "--vnckeymap" to VBoxHeadless, which is missing in the official build. Maybe that's the reason, why it's not working?

[Przemo Jankowski]

Sorry, my bad :( Seems like the "AltGr not working" issue is related to VNC itself (ultravnc windows client perhaps - don't know yet), not to VirtualBox.

But "numpad issue" still needs resolving...

[Klaus Espenlaub]

The VNC code is 100% contributed by users. Since we're not allowed to have it in the non-GPL package due to licensing trouble I don't see why we should invest a lot of time in this feature.

The VNC code needs to be redone for proper integration in VirtualBox 4.0 anyway, as we now treat all screen/kbd access methods (VRDP or VNC) the same. VRDP will be moved to a plugin, and so should be VNC.

[Michael Thayer]

I have notified the contributor of the VNC feature by e-mail. If he is interested I presume he will comment on this ticket.