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Virtual KM for text-based consoles


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I just installed Synergy on my Windows 10 laptop and Raspberry Pi connected to my big TV.  It's pretty amazing to simply mouse from one screen to the other; something I've imagined for as long as I have known hardware KVM switches existed (I often thought it would be awesome if a hardware KVM switch could somehow know I'd moused out of the screen area of one machine and automatically switch to the next).

So it seems that the Synergy client depends on an X environment.  I can certainly understand how that would be the first beast to slay, as I'm sure an overwhelming share of Synergy's potential market is virtually KVMing among graphical desktop environments.

But what about us text-mode console users?  I was in the process of coming up with a way to remotely inject events into the Linux event system (evdev) when I discovered Synergy in the first place.  It's great when I'm running X, but not so helpful when I'm trying to do something on a text console (which I am, rather frequently).  As I type this, I thought I'd test a theory...  I moused onto the Pi's desktop (the Synergy connection) and hit Ctrl+Alt+F2.  The Pi faithfully switched to a text console and I promptly lost all control of it (fortunately I have a wireless keyboard nearby...but that's so inconvenient alongside a laptop!).  

EDIT: I realized that Synergy's input was still going to the invisible X desktop; I could right-click on the Synergy server, use the wireless keyboard to switch back to the graphical desktop, and see that a context menu had appeared.  That's not so good...

So anyway, the idea is: Extend Synergy to work on text-mode consoles as well.  Injecting keyboard and mouse events into evdev (libinput can do this) is a possible approach.  It would make, in my humble opinion, an amazing product into a darn-near perfect one.  

Edited by Lotharyx
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It'll work on Linux as described, but then we'll hear from the Solaris, AIX, HP-UX, IRIX, and other folks. Interesting idea and I'd suggest investigation! 

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