Decent working environment in Windows 10 WSL - BU-ISCIII/BU-ISCIII GitHub Wiki

Windows WSL

FYI, since Windows 10 came out there is something called WSL (Windows Subsistem for Linux). This is nothing else than a minimal Ubuntu running nativelly alongside Windows 10, so you can work as you where using a Linux machine, and therefore use the same developing tools. If you do not know how to install it, check this tutorial.

But let's be clear about the main issue here: Windows terminal emulator SUCKS, and despite there are other third party software that deliver a better experience, none of them are even close to your simpliest Linux terminal emulator. If you are a putty user, you can work arround this by starting an ssh server in your ubuntu subsystem and ssh-ing into it, but... You have a full Ubuntu system in your computer, so why not try to use it at is best with only native applications?

In this guide I will explain how to install a native light weight terminal emulator and configure it to run without needing that annoying crap Windows calls terminal.

Install X11

Your minimal Ubuntu subsystem does not include a graphic interface, so we need start by fixing it. We can install X11 in Windows 10 with VcXsrv:

  1. Download and run the latest installer
  2. Locate the VcXsrv shortcut in the Start Menu
  3. Right click on it
  4. Select More>Open file location
  5. Create a shorcut to the VcXsrv.exe file, not the launcher, and remove the old shortcut in your desktop
  6. Paste the shortcut in %appdata%\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs\Startup
  7. Edit the shotcut with these paramenters: "C:\Program Files\VcXsrv\vcxsrv.exe" :0 -ac -terminate -lesspointer -multiwindow -clipboard -wgl
  8. Launch VcXsrv for the first time

You may receive a prompt to allow it through your firewall. Cancel/deny this request! Otherwise, other computers on your network could access the server.

Configure bash to use the local X server

  1. In bash run:

echo "export DISPLAY=localhost:0.0" >> ~/.bashrc

  1. To have the configuration changes take effect, restart bash, or run:

. ~/.bashrc

Install needed Ubuntu packages

sudo apt-get install xfce4-terminal x11-apps

Create a VBS launcher for xfce4

Open a new empty file in your windows notepad and copy the following lines, then save is as "launch_terminal.vbs":

Set WshShell = CreateObject("WScript.Shell" ) 
WshShell.Run "C:\Windows\System32\Bash.exe -ic xfce4-terminal", 0 
Set WshShell = Nothing

Create a shortcut in your desktop and put it a prety icon of your choice. Now you can pin it to the taskbar (chage the target of the shortcut to wscript "C:\path\to\launch_terminal.vbs" or you won't be able to do it), feel free to remove the shortcut, and it is done!

Launch at home directory and fix permissions

Add these lines to your ./bashrc file:

# Start at home directory
if [ -t 1 ]; then  
  cd ~
fi 

# Fix WSL permissions                                                                                                                                               
umask 022

Better colour schemes

https://github.com/chriskempson/base16-xfce4-terminal

Then click on "Edit -> Preferences" and set it to your likes.

Documentation