Changing hostname breaks X session

[Chris Jones]

Binary package hint: gnome-system-tools

This is mentioned in #103960, but is not the primary focus of that bug.

Changing the hostname via the gnome network admin tool asks the user if they want to change the hostname immediately. If they do so, their X session will be fairly broken because their X cookie is now invalid.

It should probably prompt the user to reboot to change the hostname, or at the very least warn them that they should restart really very soon.

[Chris Jones (cmsj)]

(this was noticed while testing the gutsy beta LiveCD)

[Sebastien Bacher (seb128)]

Thanks for your bug report. This bug has been reported to the developers of the software. You can track it and make comments here: http://bugzilla.gnome.org/show_bug.cgi?id=484651

[Sebastien Bacher (seb128)]

upstream comment

"Currently it displays the following:

"This will prevent you from launching new applications, and so you will have to
log in again. Continue anyway?"

Is there any way it could be clearer about the consequences? I'm a bit
reluctant to cutting/pasting code from gnome-session to be able to chat with
gdm..."

[Chris Jones (cmsj)]

that message is indeed perfectly clear, but it wasn't displayed when we tested it with the gutsy beta ISOs.

[Sebastien Bacher (seb128)]

Could you describe the steps you took change the hostname? I just tried with an daily CD and the dialog works as expected and display the warning

[Chris Jones (cmsj)]

hmm, I've just tested this locally and it displayed that message as you said. I'm sure the dialog we saw with the beta ISO was different and just asked if you wanted to change it right now.
Either way it seems good now, thanks.

[Sebastien Bacher (seb128)]

closing the bug then, feel free to reopen if you get the issue again and can describe how to trigger it though