[SOLVED] Is there a way to run Dolphin as Root?

sundialsvcs · 12-13-2017, 09:39 AM

Like Frank, I do not do anything from a GUI which requires root-privileges.

RadicalDreamer · 12-13-2017, 10:33 AM

I use this:

Code:

kdesu dolphin

frankbell · 12-13-2017, 08:29 PM

As I mentioned earlier, the one thing I used Konqueror for as root was setting directory permissions for Samba shares.

The functionality of setting directory permissions seems to have been removed in the Plasma desktop file managers. Now I'm going to have to learn how to do it the old-fashioned way.

davcefai · 12-14-2017, 02:11 AM

Code:

david@davcefai:~$ kdesudo dolphin
Executing Dolphin as root is not possible.
david@davcefai:~$ kdesu dolphin
Executing Dolphin as root is not possible.
david@davcefai:~$

davcefai · 12-14-2017, 02:22 AM

The question I asked was "Is it possible to run Dolphin as root?"

Thanks to those who tried to help.

Whether some people think that one should not use GUI programs as root is not relevant to this discussion. We brag about FOSS being about freedom. The responsible person could just as easily created a settable flag "Do not run as root" instead of inconveniencing thousands of other users.

Steve Gibson created the slogan "It's MY computer" albeit in a different context. If others want to use the command line, more power to them. There are those of us who don't.

I am now setting up a PC to run Devuan (no systemd) and XFCE. I shall miss the power of KDE but, hopefully will regain my freedom. (Doesn't that sound dramatic? :-) )

John VV · 12-14-2017, 08:14 AM

Quote:

Is it possible to run Dolphin as root?"

yes it is

but not normally recommended most of the time

"kdesu" is installed ? yes no ?
AND SET UP AND CONFIGURED ?
i use a desktop file in /usr/share/applications to prompt for the root user name and password pop up
"org.kde.dolphinsu"

Code:

[Desktop Entry]
X-SuSE-translate=true
Name=File Manager - Super User Mode
Exec=dbus-launch dolphin -qwindowtitle "%c" "%u"
Icon=system-file-manager
Type=Application
X-DocPath=dolphin/index.html
Categories=Qt;KDE;System;FileManager;
Terminal=false
MimeType=inode/directory;
X-KDE-SubstituteUID=true

ferrari · 12-14-2017, 01:38 PM

@John VV: The ability to use kdesu depends on the KDE/Plasma version in use. There has been a deliberate developer move to disable it...

Quote:

A significant change that affects not only Dolphin, but also Kate and KWrite, is that launching these applications as root on Linux systems has been disabled by default. The reason for this is that it is a safety risk to run GUI apps with root privileges in the X Window System (X11).

https://dot.kde.org/2017/05/02/have-...-now-available

Drakeo · 12-14-2017, 10:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ferrari

@John VV: The ability to use kdesu depends on the KDE/Plasma version in use. There has been a deliberate developer move to disable it...

https://dot.kde.org/2017/05/02/have-...-now-available

been dealing with it over year. the 'main.cpp'
talk about it very short here. back in July. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iN5JKj_3Iys

davcefai · 01-09-2018, 11:15 AM

I watched the video linked to in the previous post. One statement really stands out. "Root should own everything and be able to do anything"

Have these people forgotten this basic principle?

Anyway, thanks to all who tried to help constructively. It's time to think of moving away from the repressive regimes: KDE and SystemD.

removed030 · 01-09-2018, 11:52 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by davcefai

The KDE team seems to have had a brainstorm and have disabled Dolphin from being run as root. It also seems that they intend to extend this to editors.

In other words they have removed a vital freedom from users.

I would like to stay with Plasma but this restriction is a crippling one. Does anybody know a way to circumvent this restriction?

I am running Plasma on Debian unstable.

dnf install nautilus

Run it as root
Nautilus will allow you to edit root only files that are normally not accessible.

to run, simply type in nautilus

davcefai · 01-10-2018, 02:04 AM

Thanks, I've ben using Krusader but it does not feel as "comfortable" as Dolphin.

There is still however the "philosophical" principle that users should not be arbitrarily deprived of features. Freedom is an element of FOSS.

ghp · 01-14-2018, 02:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by davcefai

I am now setting up a PC to run Devuan (no systemd) and XFCE. I shall miss the power of KDE but, hopefully will regain my freedom. (Doesn't that sound dramatic? :-) )

I've never missed "the power of KDE", even after using it for 17 years. Devuan will suit you just fine.

davcefai · 04-15-2018, 02:48 AM

Just to wind up this thread, thanks for the interesting discussion. However there does not seem to be any solution to this particular problem.

It seems that KDE has lost its way and forgotten that there are real users out here. Reporting bugs is a waste of time, there is hardly ever a response.

The best way for me out of this particular problem has been to run 2 copies of Thunar, side by side, as root.

petelq · 04-15-2018, 03:18 AM

I use opensuse and the suse guys have patched it so the ability to use dolphin and kwrite as root has been back for a while now.

davcefai · 12-14-2018, 12:56 PM

Since my previous post I have switched 3 PCs from debian to Devuan and from KDE to XFCE4.

It looks like Debian has been "taken over" by people who have forgotten that free software is supposed to give you the freedom to choose. Their latest move has been to forcibly impose systemd. The package systemd-shim has been withdrawn from circulation and a lot of packages have a dependency on systemd.

KDE have also autocratically prevented some programs from running under root.

I have found Devuan and XFCE quite adequate and gradually improving. The forcible conversion to systemd on debian is the last straw. I now find my server, which is still Debian, more difficult to manage than a Windows machine. So next week that will change.

Leaves only a Raspberry pi and my wife's PC running Debian. The pi is dedicated to being part of my music system so I'll leave it alone. The wife isn't bothered so unless something happens her PC will stay on Debian Stable.

The question I asked originally was "Is there a way to run Dolphin as root". The answer is now "No, somebody is actively working to prevent it."

The solution is ditch KDE and Debian as they have moved away from the spirit of software libre.