Re: Using tramp to connect to a remote emacs session

[Suvayu Ali <fatkasuvayu+linux@gmail.com>]

On Thursday 03 September 2009 10:50 AM, Benjamin Andresen wrote:
> Michael Albinus<michael.albinus@gmx.de>  writes:
>
>> * How can I use TRAMP to connect to a remote GNU Emacs session?
>>
>>    You can configure Emacs Client doing this.  On the remote host,
>>    you start the Emacs Server:
>>
>>         (require 'server)
>>         (setq server-host (system-name)
>>               server-use-tcp t)
>>         (server-start)
>>
>>    Make sure, that the result of `(system-name)' can be resolved on
>>    your local host; otherwise you might use a hard coded IP address.
>>
>>    The resulting file `~/.emacs.d/server/server' must be copied to
>>    your local host, at the same location.  You can call then the
>>    Emacs Client from the command line:
>>
>>         emacsclient /ssh:user@host:/file/to/edit
>>
>>    `user' and `host' shall be related to your local host.
>
> I don't quite get this. As I understand it the following happens:
>
> Remote Emacs (R) has emacs running with the above server settings.
> Local emacs (L) will copy the ~R/.emacs.d/server/server to
> ~L/.emacs.d/server/server
>
> and then launch emacsclient -f server /ssh:user@L:/etc/localfile
>
> But to do any editing, you still need to be at R (i.e. attached scree)
> to see the /etc/localfile being opened. All the emacsclient line will do
> is instruct R to open that file. After wards you then press C-x # on R to
> close that connection.
> (All L sees is "Waiting for Emacs..." until that happens.)
>
> Why not ssh into R and just C-x C-f /ssh:user@L:/etc/localfile without
> copying anything?
>
The /etc/localfile is local to R not L. ssh-ing to R would mean either 
X-forwarding or using `emacs -nw'. Whereas this way I get the whole gui 
and since Tramp edits a localfile in /tmp I am independent on any 
network issues until I actually do `C-x C-s' to save my edits.

> Therefor I don't see what you gain. You still need R to be able to
> connect via ssh to L, which means it might possibly go trough a NAT.
>
> What am I missing?
>
> TIA,
> benny


-- 
Suvayu

Open source is the future. It sets us free.