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No display on FME Workbench's main window if started from a Remote Desktop session.

Z

I have installed FME Form 2023 on a virtual machine and when I try to run FME Workbench via a Remote Desktop session, the Workbench's main window does not display anything. I can see the title bar and, if I click at the right places, the different menus, but nothing regarding the workspace.

 

I have installed at least two different revisions of FME 2023 with the same behavior. However, with FME 2022, everything seems to work flawlessly. So the issue looks to be related with 2023 only, inside a Remote Desktop session (no issue when using on my laptop).

 

I tried to enable the GPU rendering after reading this link (https://knowledge.civilgeo.com/kb/enabling-gpu-rendering-for-microsoft-remote-desktop/), but that didn't change anything.

 

Any suggestion how to fix that issue?

 

 

 

Best answer by zappamail

kailinatsafe wrote:

Hello @zappamail​, thank you for this thorough response! I do believe you've hit FMEFORM-29077, which development is still working on at this time. Moving forward, I might create a support case for you and request a few additional details/tests, if you're willing! I will reach out via case shortly. Happy to help, Kailin.

Good news, it is now working!

 

Not sure if the OpenGL version is really the reason why the display of the workspace did not work but updating VMware Tools did the trick.

 

Since FME 2023 is installed on a virtual machine, I did not know how to update the OpenGL driver (the graphic card is emulated after all). I finally found that upgrading VMware tool will also upgrade the OpenGL version.

 

Older version of VMware Tool:

image 

OpenGL to 3.1:

image 

Newest version of VMware Tools:

imageOpenGL to 3.3:

imageIt works!

image 

Thanks Kailin for all the help!

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    5 replies

    kailinatsafe
    Safer
    Forum|alt.badge.img+21

    Hello @zappamail​, there is a known issue that sounds incredibly similar to this. Out of curiosity, is FME Form the only application that opens to a white screen, or does this affect all FME applications (eg. Data Inspector, Licensing Assistant)?

    It might be helpful if you can include a screenshot or video, FMEReport.html for the VM machine, and the FME version/builds in play. If you are unable to share this information publicly, please consider submitting a support case! Happy to help, Kailin.

    Z
    • zappamail
    • Author
    • December 6, 2023

    Hi @kailinatsafe​, that might be the same issue because I confirm that I have the same behavior with Data Inspector. But FME application like Licensing Assistant does not have the issue. My guess is because it does not use the same advanced graphical features (no map to display nor transformers with many connections).

     

    Here some screenshots below (FME Build 23641):

    image.png 

    Splash screen is working well 🙂

    Splash Screen 

    Notice that the workspace is transparent. It was simply a white screen (like your description) before I checked the 'Enable 3D Support' option for the vm (VMware's vSphere), hoping that fixed the issue:

     

    Translucid workspaceIf I blindly click where the main menu is normally located, I can see the options:

     

    image 

    Interesting note, if I use the 'Launch Web Console' option (that uses the web browser) instead of a Remote Desktop Connection, there is no issue!

    I don't have VNC Viewer installed but I think it is using the same 'approach', which is different than a Remote Desktop Connection, that could explain why the workspace is displayed correctly:

    imageWorking! 

    If you believe that it is not the same issue than the one you have mentioned, I will probably submit a support case.

     

    Thanks for all the suggestions!

    kailinatsafe
    Safer
    Forum|alt.badge.img+21
    zappamail wrote:

    Hi @kailinatsafe​, that might be the same issue because I confirm that I have the same behavior with Data Inspector. But FME application like Licensing Assistant does not have the issue. My guess is because it does not use the same advanced graphical features (no map to display nor transformers with many connections).

     

    Here some screenshots below (FME Build 23641):

    image.png 

    Splash screen is working well 🙂

    Splash Screen 

    Notice that the workspace is transparent. It was simply a white screen (like your description) before I checked the 'Enable 3D Support' option for the vm (VMware's vSphere), hoping that fixed the issue:

     

    Translucid workspaceIf I blindly click where the main menu is normally located, I can see the options:

     

    image 

    Interesting note, if I use the 'Launch Web Console' option (that uses the web browser) instead of a Remote Desktop Connection, there is no issue!

    I don't have VNC Viewer installed but I think it is using the same 'approach', which is different than a Remote Desktop Connection, that could explain why the workspace is displayed correctly:

    imageWorking! 

    If you believe that it is not the same issue than the one you have mentioned, I will probably submit a support case.

     

    Thanks for all the suggestions!

    Hello @zappamail​, thank you for this thorough response! I do believe you've hit FMEFORM-29077, which development is still working on at this time. Moving forward, I might create a support case for you and request a few additional details/tests, if you're willing! I will reach out via case shortly. Happy to help, Kailin.

    Z
    • zappamail
    • Author
    • December 7, 2023
    kailinatsafe wrote:

    Hello @zappamail​, thank you for this thorough response! I do believe you've hit FMEFORM-29077, which development is still working on at this time. Moving forward, I might create a support case for you and request a few additional details/tests, if you're willing! I will reach out via case shortly. Happy to help, Kailin.

    Hi Kailin. Thank you for your quick response! Glad to know it is a known issue and development is working on it.

    However, I have just received an email from Safe Support. Maybe it is not the same issue after all; they asked me to verify the OpenGL version of the drivers. I recall another colleague having the same issue (albeit with FME 2022) and it was resolved by simply creating a brand new virtual machine. We haven't figured out what happened, so maybe the culprit is simply the OpenGL version installed. I'm working on it at the moment and will come back with the results.

     

    Ha! Just realized that the Safe's email support is from you, sorry :-)

    I will try all your suggestions, thank you!

    Z
    • zappamail
    • Author
    • Best Answer
    • December 7, 2023
    kailinatsafe wrote:

    Hello @zappamail​, thank you for this thorough response! I do believe you've hit FMEFORM-29077, which development is still working on at this time. Moving forward, I might create a support case for you and request a few additional details/tests, if you're willing! I will reach out via case shortly. Happy to help, Kailin.

    Good news, it is now working!

     

    Not sure if the OpenGL version is really the reason why the display of the workspace did not work but updating VMware Tools did the trick.

     

    Since FME 2023 is installed on a virtual machine, I did not know how to update the OpenGL driver (the graphic card is emulated after all). I finally found that upgrading VMware tool will also upgrade the OpenGL version.

     

    Older version of VMware Tool:

    image 

    OpenGL to 3.1:

    image 

    Newest version of VMware Tools:

    imageOpenGL to 3.3:

    imageIt works!

    image 

    Thanks Kailin for all the help!

    Reply


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