on Sun, Sep 02, 2001 at 08:56:20PM -0400, Peter Christensen (christensen@gtcinternet.com) wrote:
> This is how I did it (I think!) before my hard drive crashed and I had
> to replace it. Now that I've reloaded Linux I can't edit /etc/fstab
> with emacs. Emacs works OK with a normal signon, but under SU I get the
> following messages:
>
> Xlib: connection to ":0.0" refused by server
> Xlib: Invalid MIT-MAGIC-COOKIE-1 key
> emacs: Cannot connect to X server :0.0
> check the display environment variable or use "-d"
> Also use the 'xhost' program to verify that it is set to permit
> connections from your machine
The problem here is how you're going root, and your X authentication.
I'd highly recommend sudo over su for gaining root access, even if it
only means you're doing 'sudo -s' (or 'sudo su -' as I do) to gain a
full root shell. There's been past discussion here of benefits (and
criticisms, notably by Ethan Benson). If you're going to use su, add
the '-' argument to get a login (fully initialized) shell.
The X access issue has to do with your MIT-MAGIC-COOKIE.
Do ***NOT*** use 'xhost' to provide access to your X session, this is
highly dangerous. Though, more recently, forbidding remote X
connections with the -nolisten option is becoming a default.
To allow X access to a specific dispaly:
- Set your DISPLAY variable appropriately.
- If root, merge your .Xauthority file with that of the user running
the X session, e.g.:
$ xauth -merge ~peter/.Xauthority
This should allow launching X clients to the display.
The message you cite should be filed as a bug against emacs, it is
providing outdated, dangerous, advice.
Cheers.
--
Karsten M. Self <kmself@ix.netcom.com> http://kmself.home.netcom.com/
What part of "Gestalt" don't you understand? There is no K5 cabal
http://gestalt-system.sourceforge.net/ http://www.kuro5hin.org
Free Dmitry! Boycott Adobe! Repeal the DMCA! http://www.freesklyarov.org
Geek for Hire http://kmself.home.netcom.com/resume.html
Attachment:
pgpUTAIC_B8OM.pgp
Description: PGP signature