Monday, February 25, 2008

My Synergy Setup

Synergy rules. I've been talking about it for a few weeks now, expounding on it's virtues over other options like x2vnc. A friend asked that I document my setup...here ya go Eddy: :)

My current install of synergy runs on on my Mac Pro, my linux box (centos5) and my MacBook Pro laptop. The Mac Pro is the controlling keyboard and reaches across both of the other computers. The monitor layout is the Mac Pro in front (2 monitors), the Linux box directly to the left and the laptop below the linux box.

My Home Workstation


After I downloaded synergy, I placed the 2 binaries (synergys,synergyc) in /usr/local/bin on my Mac. If the dir doesen't exist, create it. I also created /usr/local/etc for the config files.

Config on the Mac Pro:

n8pro:bin nathan$ cd /usr/local/bin
n8pro:bin nathan$ ls
jhead jpegtran synergyc synergys xv

The config file on the Mac Pro:

n8pro:~ nathan$ cd /usr/local/etc/
n8pro:etc nathan$ cat synergy.conf
section: screens
n8pro.local:
n8bookpro.local:
homelinux:
end
section: links
n8pro.local:
left = homelinux
homelinux:
right = n8pro.local
down = n8bookpro.local
n8bookpro.local:
up = homelinux
end

Commands I run on the Mac Pro (server):
# synergys -f -c /usr/local/etc/synergy.conf

Commands I run on the Linux Box (client):
# synergyc -f n8pro

Commands I run on the MacBook Pro (client):
# synergyc -f n8pro


Extra credit:

I also use this at work. A Linux box is the control. Synergyc will re-try connections every 30 sec or so, which means I can launch synergyc clients and let them fail when I'm not on the network. This means I can run it once and connect/disconnect from work/home networks and have seamless mouse sharing with very little work required. To set this up on the Linux box, i had a config similar to the one above for the Mac Pro. On the laptop I have one script that I run that fires off both synergyc clients at the same time. They stay running until a reboot. After reboot, I run it again and I'm set. This is the script:

cat /usr/local/bin/setup_synergy.sh
#! /bin/bash
killall synergyc
sleep 2
synergyc -f n8pro &
synergyc -f n8linuxbox &

Comments:
Cool. I need to set that up as well. Right now, I use my Macbook Pro as much dev workhorse at consulting gigs, but at home my Windows box with the dual screen is the primary. So at home, my laptop usually languishes unless i want to work on the couch. With this, i can have it take a more active role at home again.

I used to run x2vnc back in the day, but that wasn't very smooth with a laptop that was often disconnected in the mix. This looks like it would fix that issue.
 
Nice setup cool pic.
Phil
 
Followed your lead...
 
The great thing about synergy is it works even while a directx app is running on a windows box.

So while playing a game you can quickly mouse over to another machine and do stuff.

This was the only app i've found that works will full-screen directx programs.
 

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