title: emulator-headless with vnc server
body: <p>I am trying to figure out how to use android emulator via vnc on a remote server.
  I installed tightvnc server on ubuntu, graphic environment and started it:</p>
  
  <pre><code>apt install tightvnc
  apt install xfonts-base
  sudo apt-get install gnome-core xfce4 firefox nano -y --force-yes
  vncpasswd
  vncserver :2 -geometry 1080x1920 -depth 24
  </code></pre>
  
  <p>Now I can successfully connect to my server on 5902 port and see the gui.</p>
  
  <p>Now I am trying to start the emulator with Android Pie:</p>
  
  <pre class="lang-sh prettyprint-override"><code>echo 'no' | avdmanager create avd --force --name android-28-x86 --abi google_apis_playstore/x86 --package 'system-images;android-28;google_apis_playstore;x86'loop
  export DISPLAY=2
  emulator-headless @android-28-x86 -verbose -gpu swiftshader_indirect -no-audio -no-snapshot -qemu
  </code></pre>
  
  <p>No success.  Can't see any output in the VNC.
  I see the following in the terminal output:</p>
  
  <pre><code>emulator: autoconfig: -skin HVGA
  emulator: autoconfig: -skindir (null)
  emulator: autoconfig: -kernel /root/android-sdk/system-images/android-28/google_apis_playstore/x86//kernel-ranchu-64
  emulator: Target arch = 'x86'
  emulator: Auto-config: -qemu -cpu qemu32
  emulator: Auto-detect: Kernel image requires new device naming scheme.
  emulator: Auto-detect: Kernel does not support YAFFS2 partitions.
  emulator: autoconfig: -ramdisk /root/android-sdk/system-images/android-28/google_apis_playstore/x86//ramdisk.img
  emulator: Using initial system image: /root/android-sdk/system-images/android-28/google_apis_playstore/x86//system.img
  emulator: Using initial vendor image: /root/android-sdk/system-images/android-28/google_apis_playstore/x86//vendor.img
  emulator: autoconfig: -data /root/.android/avd/android-28-x86.avd/userdata-qemu.img
  emulator: autoconfig: -initdata /root/.android/avd/android-28-x86.avd/userdata.img
  emulator: autoconfig: -cache /root/.android/avd/android-28-x86.avd/cache.img                          emulator: Increasing RAM size to 1536MB
  emulator: VM heap size 0MB is below hardware specified minimum of 192MB,setting it to that value
  emulator: System image is read only
  emulator: Found 1 DNS servers: 127.0.0.53
  emulator: skin name 'HVGA' aliased to '320x480'
  emulator: found magic skin width=320 height=480 bpp=16
  
  emulator: registered 'boot-properties' qemud service
  emulator: Adding boot property: 'qemu.cmdline' = 'androidboot.logcat=v:* androidboot.consolepipe=qemu_pipe,pipe:logcat'
  emulator: Adding boot property: 'qemu.logcat' = 'start'
  emulator: CPU Acceleration: working
  emulator: CPU Acceleration status: KVM (version 12) is installed and usable.
  emulator: VERBOSE: AdbInterface.cpp:232: Found: 3 adb executables
  emulator: VERBOSE: AdbInterface.cpp:234: Adb: /root/android-sdk/platform-tools/adb
  emulator: VERBOSE: AdbInterface.cpp:234: Adb: /root/android-sdk/platform-tools/adb
  emulator: VERBOSE: AdbInterface.cpp:234: Adb: /root/android-sdk/platform-tools/adb
  emulator: VERBOSE: AdbInterface.cpp:253: Path:/root/android-sdk/platform-tools/adb protocol version: 41
  emulator: VERBOSE: AdbInterface.cpp:253: Path:/root/android-sdk/platform-tools/adb protocol version: 41
  emulator: VERBOSE: AdbInterface.cpp:253: Path:/root/android-sdk/platform-tools/adb protocol version: 41
  emulator: GPU emulation enabled using 'swiftshader_indirect' mode
  emulator: Initializing hardware OpenGLES emulation support
  emulator: Found 1 DNS servers: 127.0.0.53
  Content of hardware configuration file:
    hw.cpu.arch = x86
    hw.cpu.model = qemu32
    hw.cpu.ncore = 2
    hw.ramSize = 1536
    hw.screen = multi-touch
    hw.mainKeys = true
    hw.trackBall = true
    hw.keyboard = false
    hw.keyboard.lid = false
    hw.keyboard.charmap = qwerty2
    hw.dPad = true
    hw.rotaryInput = false
    hw.gsmModem = true
    hw.gps = true
    hw.battery = true
    hw.accelerometer = true
    hw.gyroscope = true
    hw.audioInput = true
    hw.audioOutput = true
    hw.sdCard = true
    disk.cachePartition = true
    disk.cachePartition.path = /root/.android/avd/android-28-x86.avd/cache.img
    disk.cachePartition.size = 66m
    test.quitAfterBootTimeOut = -1
    test.delayAdbTillBootComplete = 0
    test.monitorAdb = 0
    hw.lcd.width = 320
    hw.lcd.height = 480
    hw.lcd.depth = 16
    hw.lcd.density = 160
    hw.lcd.backlight = true
    hw.displayRegion.0.1.xOffset = -1
    hw.displayRegion.0.1.yOffset = -1
    hw.displayRegion.0.1.width = 0
    hw.displayRegion.0.1.height = 0
    hw.fold.adjust = false
    hw.gpu.enabled = true
    hw.gpu.mode = swiftshader_indirect
    hw.initialOrientation = portrait
    hw.camera.back = emulated
    hw.camera.front = none
    vm.heapSize = 192
    hw.sensors.light = true
    hw.sensors.pressure = true
    hw.sensors.humidity = true
    hw.sensors.proximity = true
    hw.sensors.magnetic_field = true
    hw.sensors.magnetic_field_uncalibrated = true
    hw.sensors.gyroscope_uncalibrated = true
    hw.sensors.orientation = true
    hw.sensors.temperature = true
    hw.useext4 = true
    hw.arc = false
    hw.arc.autologin = false
    kernel.path = /root/android-sdk/system-images/android-28/google_apis_playstore/x86//kernel-ranchu-64  kernel.newDeviceNaming = yes
    kernel.supportsYaffs2 = no
    disk.ramdisk.path = /root/android-sdk/system-images/android-28/google_apis_playstore/x86//ramdisk.img
    disk.systemPartition.initPath = /root/android-sdk/system-images/android-28/google_apis_playstore/x86//system.img
    disk.systemPartition.size = 2641m
    disk.vendorPartition.initPath = /root/android-sdk/system-images/android-28/google_apis_playstore/x86//vendor.img
    disk.vendorPartition.size = 800m
    disk.dataPartition.path = /root/.android/avd/android-28-x86.avd/userdata-qemu.img
    disk.dataPartition.size = 6g
    disk.encryptionKeyPartition.path = /root/.android/avd/android-28-x86.avd/encryptionkey.img
    PlayStore.enabled = false
    avd.name = android-28-x86
    fastboot.forceColdBoot = false
  .
  QEMU options list:
  emulator: argv[00] = "/root/android-sdk/emulator/qemu/linux-x86_64/qemu-system-x86_64-headless"
  emulator: argv[01] = "-dns-server"
  emulator: argv[02] = "127.0.0.53"
  emulator: argv[03] = "-no-audio"
  emulator: argv[04] = "-serial"
  emulator: argv[05] = "null"
  emulator: argv[06] = "-device"
  emulator: argv[07] = "goldfish_pstore,addr=0xff018000,size=0x10000,file=/root/.android/avd/android-28-x86.avd/data/misc/pstore/pstore.bin"
  emulator: argv[08] = "-cpu"
  emulator: argv[09] = "android64"
  emulator: argv[10] = "-enable-kvm"
  emulator: argv[11] = "-smp"
  emulator: argv[12] = "cores=2"
  emulator: argv[13] = "-m"
  emulator: argv[14] = "1536"
  emulator: argv[15] = "-lcd-density"
  emulator: argv[16] = "160"
  emulator: argv[17] = "-object"
  emulator: argv[18] = "iothread,id=disk-iothread"
  emulator: argv[19] = "-nodefaults"
  emulator: argv[20] = "-kernel"
  emulator: argv[21] = "/root/android-sdk/system-images/android-28/google_apis_playstore/x86//kernel-ranchu-64"
  emulator: argv[22] = "-initrd"
  emulator: argv[23] = "/root/android-sdk/system-images/android-28/google_apis_playstore/x86//ramdisk.img"
  emulator: argv[24] = "-drive"
  emulator: argv[25] = "if=none,index=0,id=system,file=/root/android-sdk/system-images/android-28/google_apis_playstore/x86//system.img,read-only"
  emulator: argv[26] = "-device"
  emulator: argv[27] = "virtio-blk-pci,drive=system,iothread=disk-iothread,modern-pio-notify"
  emulator: argv[28] = "-drive"
  emulator: argv[29] = "if=none,index=1,id=cache,file=/root/.android/avd/android-28-x86.avd/cache.img.qcow2,overlap-check=none,cache=unsafe,l2-cache-size=1048576"
  emulator: argv[30] = "-device"
  emulator: argv[31] = "virtio-blk-pci,drive=cache,iothread=disk-iothread,modern-pio-notify"
  emulator: argv[32] = "-drive"
  emulator: argv[33] = "if=none,index=2,id=userdata,file=/root/.android/avd/android-28-x86.avd/userdata-qemu.img.qcow2,overlap-check=none,cache=unsafe,l2-cache-size=1048576"
  emulator: argv[34] = "-device"
  emulator: argv[35] = "virtio-blk-pci,drive=userdata,iothread=disk-iothread,modern-pio-notify"
  emulator: argv[36] = "-drive"
  emulator: argv[37] = "if=none,index=3,id=encrypt,file=/root/.android/avd/android-28-x86.avd/encryptionkey.img.qcow2,overlap-check=none,cache=unsafe,l2-cache-size=1048576"
  emulator: argv[38] = "-device"
  emulator: argv[39] = "virtio-blk-pci,drive=encrypt,iothread=disk-iothread,modern-pio-notify"
  emulator: argv[40] = "-drive"
  emulator: argv[41] = "if=none,index=4,id=vendor,file=/root/android-sdk/system-images/android-28/google_apis_playstore/x86//vendor.img,read-only"
  emulator: argv[42] = "-device"
  emulator: argv[43] = "virtio-blk-pci,drive=vendor,iothread=disk-iothread,modern-pio-notify"
  emulator: argv[44] = "-netdev"
  emulator: argv[45] = "user,id=mynet"
  emulator: argv[46] = "-device"
  emulator: argv[47] = "virtio-net-pci,netdev=mynet"
  emulator: argv[48] = "-device"
  emulator: argv[49] = "virtio-rng-pci"
  emulator: argv[50] = "-show-cursor"
  emulator: argv[51] = "-L"
  emulator: argv[52] = "/root/android-sdk/emulator/lib/pc-bios"
  emulator: argv[53] = "-soundhw"
  emulator: argv[54] = "hda"
  emulator: argv[55] = "-vga"
  emulator: argv[56] = "none"
  emulator: argv[57] = "-append"
  emulator: argv[58] = "qemu=1 no_timer_check androidboot.hardware=ranchu androidboot.serialno=EMULATOR29X0X11X0 clocksource=pit no-kvmclock android.qemud=1 console=0 android.checkjni=1 qemu.gles=1 qemu.settings.system.screen_off_timeout=2147483647 qemu.encrypt=1 qemu.opengles.version=131072 cma=260M@0-4G qemu.wifi=1 mac80211_hwsim.channels=2 androidboot.android_dt_dir=/sys/bus/platform/devices/ANDR0001:00/properties/android/ skip_initramfs rootwait ro init=/init loop.max_part=7 dm="1 vroot none ro 1,0 5159992 verity 1 PARTUUID=19E87A23-1C27-4616-8116-0088D1F64FD2 PARTUUID=19E87A23-1C27-4616-8116-0088D1F64FD2 4096 4096 644999 644999 sha1 3d4097abf29343cf6b86b9d6703c131e82429f69 5f81fddb8cc753b134fc2901766e57a49cfae566dba7ca48630fdddc30913f84 1 ignore_zero_blocks" androidboot.veritymode=enforcing androidboot.verifiedbootstate=orange root=/dev/dm-0 ramoops.mem_address=0xff018000 ramoops.mem_size=0x10000 memmap=0x10000$0xff018000 qemu.dalvik.vm.heapsize=192m"
  emulator: argv[59] = "-android-hw"
  emulator: argv[60] = "/root/.android/avd/android-28-x86.avd/hardware-qemu.ini"
  Concatenated QEMU options:
   /root/android-sdk/emulator/qemu/linux-x86_64/qemu-system-x86_64-headless -dns-server 127.0.0.53 -no-audio -serial null -device goldfish_pstore,addr=0xff018000,size=0x10000,file=/root/.android/avd/android-28-x86.avd/data/misc/pstore/pstore.bin -cpu android64 -enable-kvm -smp cores=2 -m 1536 -lcd-density 160 -object iothread,id=disk-iothread -nodefaults -kernel /root/android-sdk/system-images/android-28/google_apis_playstore/x86//kernel-ranchu-64 -initrd /root/android-sdk/system-images/android-28/google_apis_playstore/x86//ramdisk.img -drive if=none,index=0,id=system,file=/root/android-sdk/system-images/android-28/google_apis_playstore/x86//system.img,read-only -device virtio-blk-pci,drive=system,iothread=disk-iothread,modern-pio-notify -drive if=none,index=1,id=cache,file=/root/.android/avd/android-28-x86.avd/cache.img.qcow2,overlap-check=none,cache=unsafe,l2-cache-size=1048576 -device virtio-blk-pci,drive=cache,iothread=disk-iothread,modern-pio-notify -drive if=none,index=2,id=userdata,file=/root/.android/avd/android-28-x86.avd/userdata-qemu.img.qcow2,overlap-check=none,cache=unsafe,l2-cache-size=1048576 -device virtio-blk-pci,drive=userdata,iothread=disk-iothread,modern-pio-notify -drive if=none,index=3,id=encrypt,file=/root/.android/avd/android-28-x86.avd/encryptionkey.img.qcow2,overlap-check=none,cache=unsafe,l2-cache-size=1048576 -device virtio-blk-pci,drive=encrypt,iothread=disk-iothread,modern-pio-notify -drive if=none,index=4,id=vendor,file=/root/android-sdk/system-images/android-28/google_apis_playstore/x86//vendor.img,read-only -device virtio-blk-pci,drive=vendor,iothread=disk-iothread,modern-pio-notify -netdev user,id=mynet -device virtio-net-pci,netdev=mynet -device virtio-rng-pci -show-cursor -L /root/android-sdk/emulator/lib/pc-bios -soundhw hda -vga none -append 'qemu=1 no_timer_check androidboot.hardware=ranchu androidboot.serialno=EMULATOR29X0X11X0 clocksource=pit no-kvmclock android.qemud=1 console=0 android.checkjni=1 qemu.gles=1 qemu.settings.system.screen_off_timeout=2147483647 qemu.encrypt=1 qemu.opengles.version=131072 cma=260M@0-4G qemu.wifi=1 mac80211_hwsim.channels=2 androidboot.android_dt_dir=/sys/bus/platform/devices/ANDR0001:00/properties/android/ skip_initramfs rootwait ro init=/init loop.max_part=7 dm="1 vroot none ro 1,0 5159992 verity 1 PARTUUID=19E87A23-1C27-4616-8116-0088D1F64FD2 PARTUUID=19E87A23-1C27-4616-8116-0088D1F64FD2 4096 4096 644999 644999 sha1 3d4097abf29343cf6b86b9d6703c131e82429f69 5f81fddb8cc753b134fc2901766e57a49cfae566dba7ca48630fdddc30913f84 1 ignore_zero_blocks" androidboot.veritymode=enforcing androidboot.verifiedbootstate=orange root=/dev/dm-0 ramoops.mem_address=0xff018000 ramoops.mem_size=0x10000 memmap=0x10000$0xff018000 qemu.dalvik.vm.heapsize=192m' -android-hw /root/.android/avd/android-28-x86.avd/hardware-qemu.ini
  emulator: Android qemu version 29.0.11.0 (build_id 5598178) (CL:N/A)
  
  emulator: Starting QEMU main loop
  emulator: Adding boot property: 'ro.opengles.version' = '131072'
  emulator: Adding boot property: 'qemu.sf.fake_camera' = 'back'
  emulator: Adding boot property: 'qemu.adb.secure' = '1'
  emulator: Adding boot property: 'dalvik.vm.heapsize' = '192m'
  emuqemu-system-x86_64-headless: warning: host doesn't support requested feature: CPUID.80000001H:ECX.abm [bit 5]
  qemu-system-x86_64-headless: warning: host doesn't support requested feature: CPUID.80000001H:ECX.abm [bit 5]
  lator: Adding boot property: 'qemu.hw.mainkeys' = '1'
  emulator: Adding boot property: 'qemu.sf.lcd_density' = '160'
  emulator: goldfish_events.have-dpad: true
  emulator: goldfish_events.have-trackball: true
  emulator: goldfish_events.have-camera: true
  emulator: goldfish_events.have-keyboard: false
  emulator: goldfish_events.have-lidswitch: false
  emulator: goldfish_events.have-tabletmode: false
  emulator: goldfish_events.have-touch: false
  emulator: goldfish_events.have-multitouch: true
  emulator: control console listening on port 5556, ADB on port 5557
  Not using any http proxy
  emulator: Adding boot property: 'qemu.timezone' = 'Europe/Kiev'
  emulator: android_hw_fingerprint_init: fingerprint qemud listen service initialized
  
  emulator: emulator_window_fb_rotate
  
  emulator: No acpi ini file provided, using default
  
  emulator: Cold boot: requested by the user
  emulator: No acpi ini file provided, using default
  
  emulator: _hwFingerprint_connect: connect finger print listen is called
  
  emulator: got message from guest system fingerprint HAL
  
  emulator: onGuestSendCommand: [0xfabb400] Adb connected, start proxing data
  emulator: INFO: boot completed
  emulator: INFO: boot time 62038 ms
  emulator: Increasing screen off timeout, logcat buffer size to 2M.
  emulator: Revoking microphone permissions for Google App.
  </code></pre>
  
  <p>Any ideas?</p>
  
  <p><strong>Edit:</strong>
  Tried w/o graphic environment.  (commented all in the ~/.vnc/xstartup ) No success.</p>
  
  <p>Tried to use <em>-vnc :2</em> in the command line to emulator-headless.  No success.  But the output is different.</p>
  
  <pre><code>...
  emulator: Starting QEMU main loop
  emulator: Adding boot property: 'ro.opengles.version' = '131072'
  qemu-system-x86_64-headless: VNC supports only guest GPU, add "-gpu guest" option
  emulator: Done with QEMU main loop
  </code></pre>
  
  <p><strong>Edit2:</strong>
  It is unclear why it quits if I specify <em>-vnc :2</em> directly.  Here: <a href="https://android.googlesource.com/platform/external/qemu/+/emu-master-dev/vl.c#4707" rel="nofollow noreferrer">https://android.googlesource.com/platform/external/qemu/+/emu-master-dev/vl.c#4707</a>:</p>
  
  <pre class="lang-cpp prettyprint-override"><code>if ((rendererConfig.glesMode == kAndroidGlesEmulationHost) &amp;&amp;
                  !QTAILQ_EMPTY(&amp;(qemu_find_opts("vnc")-&gt;head))) {
                  error_report("VNC supports only guest GPU, add \"-gpu guest\" option");
                  return 1;
              }
  </code></pre>
  
  <p>qemu_find_opts?  Is it suppose to be command line options? Or some config file options?</p>
  
  <p><strong>Edit 3:</strong>
  It is also funny if I will add <em>-gpu guest</em> option to qemu and then it will respond that it is an invalid option. :)</p>