No luck (yet)
I tried both methods, (with xpdf as a graphical program)
The first still gives
# xpdf
Can't open display
The second method
# xpdf
No protocol specified
Error: Can't open display: :0.0
(after su -, $HOME was indeed /root)
(in /root .Xauthority was changed/created, $DISPLAY is :0.0)
On Fri, 15 May 2009, Matthew Seaman wrote:
Pieter Donche wrote:
FreeBSD 7, KDE 3.5
To install Matlab (in linux compat mode), one must execute the
matlab install program as root. The installer is graphical.
When from a KDE terminal window, I switch to root (# su -)
and try a graphical program, e.g. # xpdf, I get Can't open display.
The FreeBSD handbook (10.5.1) says in that case type setenv HOME ~USER
(USER the username where the su command was given). This doesn't help
I still get Can't open display.
What's wrong and how to solve it?
That's the standard X Windows security stopping other users opening windows
on your screen. In this case, something like:
% xhost +LOCAL:
% su
# {...whatever you need to do to install your app...}
# exit
% xhost -LOCAL:
However be aware of the risks: xhost +LOCAL: means that any other user
of the same machine can access your display and potentially capture any
input including (for instance) the root password.
Hmmm... Actually, a more secure means of doing the same thing, that only
grants access to your display by the local root user would be:
% xauth extract - $DISPLAY > ~/authtoken
% su -
# echo $HOME
(This should return /root -- this is important so that the correct
.Xauthority
file gets updated.)
# xauth merge /home/your-uid/authtoken
# rm /home/your-uid/authtoken
# setenv DISPLAY :0.0
# {...whatever you need to do to install your app...}
Now any X programs run by root will open on your display. To revoke this
permission you can simply remove /root/.Xauthority or for finer grained
control you can use
# xauth remove $DISPLAY
Cheers,
Matthew
--
Dr Matthew J Seaman MA, D.Phil. 7 Priory Courtyard
Flat 3
PGP: http://www.infracaninophile.co.uk/pgpkey Ramsgate
Kent, CT11 9PW
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