Guacamole Session Recording

apache-guacamole
1

Hey I have followed the exact same process according to your video and I was not able to complete the guacamole session recording. If anyone can please help me in this it will be helpful. I am currently working on my testing environment and I am ready to show everything. Please help me.

2

Hey,
So without more information about your environment and error logs i am unsure what the issue is but my guess is guacamole doesn’t have permissions to write in the folder.

Option 1
Before you start, create a directory or folder in ubuntu that you want to use to store the recordings. This will be done using the command line.
Create the recording path using the command below: (you can create a different one if you like):

mkdir -p /var/lib/guacamole/recordings

Assign ownership and permissions to the directory using the command below:

chown guacd:tomcat /var/lib/guacamole/recordings
chmod 2750 /var/lib/guacamole/recordings

Then open guacamole and try the steps below and see if it works:

  • Login as administrator and open the connections in settings.
  • Open the connection you want to record and under the screen recording parameters
Recording Path: /var/lib/guacamole/recordings or any other path you created

Recording Name: You can give a static name such as recordings. Note every recording will be named recording if you do that. I prefer using the ${HISTORY_UUID} or {GUAC_USERNAME}${GUAC_CLIENT_ADDRESS}${GUAC_DATE} which will save recordings as user_theirIPAddress_date. Note: if you plan to use the guacamole extension to view recordings in the browser use the parameter: ${HISTORY_UUID}

Option 2 (Recommended in your case)

  • Login as administrator and open the connections in settings.
  • Open the connection you want to record and under the screen recording parameters
Recording Path: ${HISTORY_PATH}/${HISTORY_UUID}

Recording Name: Leave blank

Automatically create recording path: check this option

Once complete go to the command line and add the option below in your guacamole.properties file.

recording-search-path: /var/lib/guacamole/recordings

Now login to your command line and navigate to that directory and the recordings should be available.

I hope this helps. Enjoy!

 

 

3

All done recording is working but the view options in the history panel is not showing. That’s what i want please help me there.

4

Perfect, im glad it worked. Now watch this video below, follow the steps to load the extension and then follow the instruction and put the path of the recording in the guacamole.properties file. Once done restart apache2 and tomcat and you should be good. Head back to the GUI login as admin and recordings should now populate in session history on the far right.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=845HE5vOAXo

Please let me know if it works!

 

 

5

I used this video only…

6

But the path “view” option on the history bar is not visible.

7

Please attach a screenshot of your settings in guacamole!

8

Which settings guacamole.properties?

9

guacamole.properties and your guacamole connection in the admin settings that you setup recording parameters

10

Suddenly recording stopped working and I am unable to start recording now there is not recording in my recording box but all the permissions are correct. Please help me.

11

Check the settings

12

Wow, im shocked it does not work for you, as i tested it on my end, try these:

Try changing the recording name to ${HISTORY_UUID} like in the screenshot below.

Note: after you make the change , restart apache2 and tomcat9. Login to one of your connections with with the recording configured so guacamole record the session, then exit and go back to settings and under history see if you have a view option under logs.

Please provide feedback!

13

There is no view options and also there is not any screen recording after executing everything perfectly. Can you help me.

14

Hey,

I did some more digging and testing and i think i know what your issue is. The problem is with the tomcat user not being able to read the recordings recorded by guacamole client. So in this case we can resolve the issue by setting the proper permissions. I will recommend before you start remove all the previous recording directories and recordings so we start at fresh, then follow the steps below:

Step 1. we need to find what user our guacd service is running as, we can do so by running the command:

sudo systemctl show -pUser,UID guacd

Step 2. Create the recording directory using the command below:

sudo mkdir -p /var/lib/guacamole/recordings

Step 3. Give the guacd service user ownership of the file and add the tomcat group which runs the tomcat service, by running the command below.

sudo chown [guacd user]:tomcat /var/lib/guacamole/recordings

Note: replace [user] with the user from step 1. if you used the guacamole install script this will be daemon so the command will be:

sudo chown daemon:tomcat /var/lib/guacamole/recordings

Step 4. Assign necessary read-write and execute permissions for the user daemon and tomcat. The directory will have read/write/execute permissions for the user (so that daemon can write there, and read/execute/setgid permissions for the group (so that Tomcat can read there. Use the command below:

sudo chmod 2750 /var/lib/guacamole/recordings

Step 5. Confirm the permissions are set correctly by running the commnad:

ls -ld /var/lib/guacamole/recordings

The results should look like this:

Step 6. Now we restart tomcat and guacd, using the command below:

sudo systemctl restart guacd tomcat9

Go back to the gui and setup the connections as follows:

Recording path: /var/lib/guacamole/recordings

Recording name: ${HISTORY_UUID}

Note: if you use any directory other than the /var/lib/guacamole/recordings you need to go to the guacamole.properties and add the line but if you use /var/lib/guacamole/recordings no need to because guacamole defaults to search that directory for recordings:

recording-search-path: [absolute path of your recording directory] example /media/recordings

Now you can do a test connection then head back to history and the recording should be there.

I hope this helps. please provide feedback.

 

15

YEPP WORKING PERFECTLY

Thanks for helping sir. And also what about the type script one if you can explain a little bit

 

16

Awesome, I am glad it worked ! I will close the thread…

 

About typescript i am unsure what your question is but you can open a new topic with a specific question and i will assist you with it.