RE: How do you use su under X?
>From: glhenni@cs.sandia.gov[SMTP:glhenni@cs.sandia.gov]
>
>Chip Grandits <chipg@frii.com> writes:
>| As has been strongly encouraged, I spend most of my time on my linux box as
>a
>| mortal user.
>| Every once in a while I need to go 'root-in' around some system
>| files to set up
>| a new application
>| that I've downloaded (or for whatever reason?).
>| Sure I can type
>| $ su root
>| at the promt and become root
>| but I cannot use the x-server - any attempts result in a message
>|
>| Xlib: connection to :0.0 refused by server
>| Xlib: Invalid MIT-MAGIC-COOKIE-1 key
>| ...
>| Also use xhost program...
>|
>| Imagine my horror to find I have an invalid magic cookie! Do I
>| really have to
>| use xhost in order
>| to use an xwindows session started by another user?
>
>Yes, or you can use the authority file. Personally, what I do in this
>situation is:
>
>% su -
>Password: ***********
>% cp ~user/.Xauthority ~/
>% <run X program>
>
>~/.Xauthority is the cookie file. I don't remember if you have to set
>the DISPLAY variable? If so I do
>
>% export DISPLAY=:0
>
>Replace "user" above with whatever user you log on as. Of course, if
>you have what is essentially a single user system
>
>xhost + localhost
>
>is much simpler.
I have noticed this, as well. I never had this sort of problem on Red
Hat or SuSE. I assume that it's something you can set (presumably a
security issue, where the other systems are more permissive). However,
as I'm most definitely not experienced in X admin, I've no idea what's
going on (to be honest, I don't even know what these cookie things are
supposed to be...)
Can anybody explain?
Actually, is there any good (beginner's) documentation on X (either
online or in book form)? The only books I've ever seen are the O'Reilly
ones, which seem to be out of print these days... Actually, good books
on X programming would be very helpful with all the widget sets, it
seems impossible to get any decent "beginner" level books (beginner in
the widest sense - I know Windows programming, so GUI stuff is not new
to me, but the differences are!).
Paul.
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