[Xfce-bugs] [XFCE 0000122]: Add 'run as root' or 'run as other user' option to xfrun4

[xfce-bugs at xfce.org]

The following bug has been CLOSED
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http://bugs.xfce.org/view_bug_page.php?f_id=0000122
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Reporter:                   benxor
Handler:                    huysmans
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Project:                    XFCE
Bug ID:                     0000122
Category:                   other
Reproducibility:            N/A
Severity:                   feature
Priority:                   normal
Status:                     closed
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Date Submitted:             2004-02-23 02:30 GMT
Last Modified:              2004-04-08 19:38 GMT
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Summary:                    Add 'run as root' or 'run as other user' option to xfrun4
Description: 
I've discovered that due to some low-level security change in my system
after an update, I can no longer run X applications from the command line
as root. This makes it impossible to start a program as root, in X, which
I need to do in order to read documents off my windows drive (mounted, as
always, with root access only).

Could a 'run as root' or 'run as different user' option be attached to
launchers in the panel and/or the xfrun4 run dialogue to allow users to
run different processes as root in XFCE regardless of the permissions
constricting them from doing so from a terminal?
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 kelnos - 2004-02-23 04:10 GMT 
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if you're unable to run GUI apps as root from your terminal application,
you're not going to be able to run them from xfrun4 either, as xfrun4 does
the exact same thing your shell does when it runs programs - forks another
process and executes the app.

probably what you need to do is have root merge the contents of your
~/.Xauthority file when you run commands as root.  this can be done using
xauth (see 'man xauth'), by putting the appropriate command in root's
~/.profile or ~/.cshrc file.  IIRC, if you're using 'sudo', it should
inherit the non-root user's environment, so this shouldn't be an issue (as
the non-root user's .Xauthority file will be used).

regardless, a "run as root" option might be useful...

-----------------------------------------------------------------------
 edscott - 2004-02-23 12:45 GMT 
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Why not use sudo?

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 huysmans - 2004-02-23 16:28 GMT 
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Implementing "[x] Run as superuser (root)" is non-trivial at best. Lots of
security issues. Using sudo might be a nice alternative.

You could try to use something like gksu (I think, that's the name) to do
this.

Anyway, it's not a bug, but a feature request. Please use the mailing list
for that.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------
 kelnos - 2004-04-08 19:38 GMT 
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mass stale bug cleanup - reopen if closed in error