VNC Installation (Ubuntu)

vnc_setup.sh

#!/bin/bash

# Define constants
VNC_SERVER_PACKAGE="tightvncserver"
VNC_USER_PORT="5901"
VNC_SERVICE_NAME="vncserver@${VNC_USER_PORT}.service"
USER_NAME=$(whoami)
DISPLAY_NUMBER=":1"
LOCAL_IP="10.0.0.119"

echo "======================================================"
echo " VNC Server Setup Script for Ubuntu"
echo " Target IP: ${LOCAL_IP}"
echo " Display Number: ${DISPLAY_NUMBER}"
echo "======================================================"

# --- 1. CLEANUP PREVIOUS INSTALLATIONS AND RELATED FILES ---
echo "--- 1. Cleaning up previous VNC installations and files... ---"

# Remove common VNC packages (TightVNC, RealVNC, etc.)
sudo apt-get purge -y tigervnc-standalone-server tigervnc-common tightvncserver vnc4server xvnc4viewer 2>/dev/null || echo "No common VNC packages found for purging."

# Remove VNC configuration directory for the current user
rm -rf "$HOME/.vnc"
echo "Removed ${HOME}/.vnc directory."

# Remove TightVNC Server startup script if it exists
sudo rm -f "/etc/init.d/tightvncserver"
echo "Removed legacy startup script."

# Remove systemd service file if it exists
sudo systemctl disable ${VNC_SERVICE_NAME} 2>/dev/null
sudo rm -f "/etc/systemd/system/${VNC_SERVICE_NAME}"
sudo systemctl daemon-reload 2>/dev/null
echo "Removed existing systemd service file."

# --- 2. INSTALL VNC SERVER AND DEPENDENCIES ---
echo "--- 2. Updating package list and installing dependencies... ---"

# Update package list
sudo apt update

# Install TightVNC Server and a desktop environment (XFCE is lightweight and common for VNC)
sudo apt install -y ${VNC_SERVER_PACKAGE} xfce4 xfce4-goodies
echo "Installed ${VNC_SERVER_PACKAGE}, XFCE4, and dependencies."

# --- 3. INITIAL VNC SETUP AND PASSWORD CONFIGURATION ---
echo "--- 3. Configuring VNC password... ---"

# Start the server once to create the initial configuration directory and set the password
# If this is the first run, it will prompt for the password.
vncserver ${DISPLAY_NUMBER}

# Kill the temporary server instance
vncserver -kill ${DISPLAY_NUMBER} 2>/dev/null || echo "Temporary VNC session on ${DISPLAY_NUMBER} killed or was not running."

# --- 4. CONFIGURE XSTARTUP FOR DESKTOP ENVIRONMENT ---
echo "--- 4. Configuring VNC to launch XFCE desktop... ---"

# Backup original xstartup file
mv "$HOME/.vnc/xstartup" "$HOME/.vnc/xstartup.bak"

# Create new xstartup file for XFCE
cat << EOF > "$HOME/.vnc/xstartup"
#!/bin/bash
xrdb "$HOME/.Xresources"
startxfce4 &
EOF

# Make the xstartup script executable
chmod +x "$HOME/.vnc/xstartup"
echo "Created executable xstartup file for XFCE."

# --- 5. CREATE SYSTEMD SERVICE FOR AUTO-START (Launch every time Ubuntu starts up) ---
echo "--- 5. Creating systemd service for VNC autostart... ---"

# Create the service file content
SERVICE_CONFIG=$(cat << EOF
[Unit]
Description=TightVNC Server at ${DISPLAY_NUMBER}
After=syslog.target network.target

[Service]
Type=forking
User=${USER_NAME}
PIDFile=/home/${USER_NAME}/.vnc/%H${DISPLAY_NUMBER}.pid
ExecStartPre=-/usr/bin/vncserver -kill ${DISPLAY_NUMBER}
ExecStart=/usr/bin/vncserver ${DISPLAY_NUMBER} -geometry 1280x800 -depth 24
ExecStop=/usr/bin/vncserver -kill ${DISPLAY_NUMBER}

[Install]
WantedBy=multi-user.target
EOF
)

# Write the configuration to the systemd directory
echo "${SERVICE_CONFIG}" | sudo tee "/etc/systemd/system/${VNC_SERVICE_NAME}" > /dev/null

# Reload systemd, enable the service, and start it
sudo systemctl daemon-reload
sudo systemctl enable ${VNC_SERVICE_NAME}
echo "Systemd service ${VNC_SERVICE_NAME} created and enabled for autostart."

# --- 6. CHECK AND DYNAMICALLY RESOLVE STATUS ---
echo "--- 6. Checking VNC Server status and ensuring it is running... ---"

# Start the service
sudo systemctl start ${VNC_SERVICE_NAME}

# Check the status
STATUS_CHECK=$(sudo systemctl is-active ${VNC_SERVICE_NAME})

if [ "${STATUS_CHECK}" == "active" ]; then
    echo "✅ VNC Server is ACTIVE (Running)."
else
    echo "❌ VNC Server is INACTIVE. Attempting to restart..."
    # Dynamic resolution: If it's not active, try restarting or checking logs.
    # The 'systemctl start' above should have covered a simple 'not running' state.
    # We re-run 'start' just in case and check again.
    sudo systemctl restart ${VNC_SERVICE_NAME}
    sleep 5 # Wait for the service to restart
    STATUS_CHECK_AFTER_RESTART=$(sudo systemctl is-active ${VNC_SERVICE_NAME})
    if [ "${STATUS_CHECK_AFTER_RESTART}" == "active" ]; then
        echo "✅ VNC Server successfully started after dynamic resolution."
    else
        echo "❌ FAILED to start VNC Server. Check system logs for details:"
        echo "   (Example: journalctl -xe | grep vncserver)"
        exit 1
    fi
fi

# --- 7. PRINT CONNECTION ADDRESS ---
echo "======================================================"
echo "       VNC Server Setup Complete! 🎉"
echo "======================================================"
echo "VNC Viewer needs to connect to the following address:"
echo ""
echo "         ${LOCAL_IP}${DISPLAY_NUMBER}"
echo "         (i.e., IP address 10.0.0.119 and port 5901)"
echo ""
echo "Note: If you need to change your VNC password, run: vncpasswd"
echo "Note: If you cannot connect, ensure your firewall (ufw) allows port ${VNC_USER_PORT}."
echo "      (Command: sudo ufw allow ${VNC_USER_PORT}/tcp)"
echo "======================================================"