Dolphin or kate as root?

[Fintan]

HI guys and gals

testing 18.10. Looking good so far, but I can't seem to be able to open dolphin or kate as root.(kdesudo, etc)

I know things have changed and I really haven't needed this for a while but it would be nice to access again.

Can't find the package "kdesudo " either.

Any ideas?

Cheers
Fred

[Snowhog]

Kate and Dolphin can't be launched 'as root' anymore; haven't been able to do so for some time now.

All you have to do is use either app, navigate/open a root owned file. IF you make changes, you will be prompted for your password to save it.

[Qqmike]

What Snowhog says is right ... well, it might not be "right" (as a moral matter), but it is correct.
What are your options for using Dolphin as root?
OK, here's the best discussion I have found on this (here at kubuntuforums), mostly thanks to kubicle, and it gives you two or three options for using Dolphin as root. See Post 21 (and you might swish to read the preceding posts as well, but #21 is a summary of the discussion and your options):

https://www.kubuntuforums.net/showth...l=1#post418408

[v7peer]

I installed tuxcmd (simple two pane file manager) and gedit.
tuxcmd can be started as root. In the preferences of tuxcmd I have set gedit as viewer (F3) and editor *F4) so I can easily view and edit textfiles as root.

[mr_raider]

I always use simple programs like leafpad or doublecmd-qt when I need to run something as root. It avoids effing up permissions.

[oshunluvr]

Somebody needs to put up a sign or something...

[dibl]

Hey Fintan -- where the heck have you been?

To end-run the geniuses that crippled kate and dolphin, I installed leafpad for an editor and pcmanfm-qt for a file manager, if I really need to "kdesu". But I don't use them often.

[jglen490]

#1 advice: respect permissions
#2 advice: don't blame the system if you don't follow #1.

There's almost no reason to manually fiddle with a lot of fundamental OS files. Poking around /boot/efi can be interesting. Invoking editors on various files can be enlightening. Use the wrong option in any editor along with unintended other keypresses, and the result could prove fatal, or at least cause a lot of headache. If you have to use a command line editor, do so under the influence of sudo -i. There is no good reason to use a GUI editor on these type files. I use nano, you can use gedit, or vi, or any number of very capable command line editors. There's a very good reason why the permissions on certain directories are drwx------. And there is a very good reason why starting GUI editors and file manipulations WITH root has been removed. You can screw stuff up without even trying hard.

Following #1 and #2, like anything else in Linux, is a choice, it's also good advice. If you feel the need to screw with important root level OS files, at least do so with less convenience but more certainty on the command line. Choose wisely.

[v7peer]

I use tuxcmd (two pane file manager) and gedit for root purposes and of course I use the terminal.

[oshunluvr]

#1 advice: respect permissions
#2 advice: don't blame the system if you don't follow #1.

There's almost no reason to manually fiddle with a lot of fundamental OS files. Poking around /boot/efi can be interesting. Invoking editors on various files can be enlightening. Use the wrong option in any editor along with unintended other keypresses, and the result could prove fatal, or at least cause a lot of headache. If you have to use a command line editor, do so under the influence of sudo -i. There is no good reason to use a GUI editor on these type files. I use nano, you can use gedit, or vi, or any number of very capable command line editors. There's a very good reason why the permissions on certain directories are drwx------. And there is a very good reason why starting GUI editors and file manipulations WITH root has been removed. You can screw stuff up without even trying hard.

Following #1 and #2, like anything else in Linux, is a choice, it's also good advice. If you feel the need to screw with important root level OS files, at least do so with less convenience but more certainty on the command line. Choose wisely.

Preach!

[Fintan]

Thanks all for the responses. snowhogs solution was the best for my needs for now. Cheers

[Qqmike]

#1 advice: respect permissions
#2 advice: don't blame the system if you don't follow #1.

There's almost no reason to manually fiddle with a lot of fundamental OS files. Poking around /boot/efi can be interesting. Invoking editors on various files can be enlightening. Use the wrong option in any editor along with unintended other keypresses, and the result could prove fatal, or at least cause a lot of headache. If you have to use a command line editor, do so under the influence of sudo -i. There is no good reason to use a GUI editor on these type files. I use nano, you can use gedit, or vi, or any number of very capable command line editors. There's a very good reason why the permissions on certain directories are drwx------. And there is a very good reason why starting GUI editors and file manipulations WITH root has been removed. You can screw stuff up without even trying hard.

Following #1 and #2, like anything else in Linux, is a choice, it's also good advice. If you feel the need to screw with important root level OS files, at least do so with less convenience but more certainty on the command line. Choose wisely.

Yeah, could you explain this some more, perhaps in more detail and more slowly?

[jglen490]

Yeah, could you explain this some more, perhaps in more detail and more slowly?

It goes to the whole idea of having and maintaining a secure computing environment. Security involves protection of assets; your assets as well as the assets that make up the computing environment (i.e., OS, applications, databases). This concept of security is built into Linux. Yes, you can un-build security in Linux, you can circumvent it, you can overcome it. There are consequences to every one of those actions. That security is built into Linux to help the user protect his/her own data, information, identity, and things that the user may want to keep close. This is not done as a "big brother knows better" approach, but rather in a way that is actually helpful to the user. A part of that approach is establishment of "privileged use". Permissions and ownership determines privilege needed to access data or execute applications.

Once a privileged session is established, permission and ownership as well as protection are changed. Sometimes chaos comes along with that. Therefore, the #1 and #2 approach; rules, guidance, whatever you want to call it.