Dolphin lacks open-as-root service menu

[Kenobi]

There is no link "open new window as root" nor an "action" menu "open as root" for a given file. As sudo is also experiencing problems (as described elsewhere) it is not possible for an average user to open a file as a root!

[newbrain (newbrain)]

Version: 0.9.2 (using KDE KDE 3.5.8)
Installed from: Ubuntu Packages
OS: Linux

To reproduce the bug:
 Have a Windows system disk mounted
 Click on 'Documents and Settings'
 Select 'Open as Root' in right panel

Expected behaviour would be to have the directory opened in a new 'root' dolphin window.

Instead, three windows open, with messages stating they can't open "[mount point]/Documents" "[home]/and" "[home]/settings".

The same happens if a space is present anywhere in the path of directory being opened.

Any file with a space in the name exhibits the same behaviour.

Thanks for your attention.

[Peter-penz19 (peter-penz19)]

Thanks for the bug-report! I know it has not been communicated very well, but bugs.kde.org for Dolphin is only valid for the KDE 4 version of Dolphin, the KDE 3 version is not maintained anymore (see also http://enzosworld.gmxhome.de/download.html section "Dolphin 0.8.2 (KDE 3.5.5)" for more infos).

It has not been decided yet whether the "Open as Root" service menu will be part of KDE 4.0, so I'll leave this bug as unconfirmed until there is a decision about this (it might be possible that instead of the "Open as Root" service menu we'll provide a "Dolphin - Super User Mode" entry in the application menu).

[grissiom (chaos.proton)]

I think the "Dolphin - Super User Mode" is not so convenience as "Open as root". "Open as root" is the only feature I missing in Dolphin-KDE4. And "Dolphin - Super User Mode" is relatively dangerous. Something unexpected may happen (e.g. move a key file by accident) when exploring into a deep folder...In case of every app invoked from the Super User Mode Dolphin will inheritance the super user authority, it's more dangerous...

[Peter-penz19 (peter-penz19)]

Changed the status to NEW and the severity to 'wishlist'...

[Kenobi (kazmirzak)]

any progress on this? Statements?

[Jonathan Thomas (echidnaman)]

Still hasn't been implemented, so it's still valid for Intrepid. (Intrepid is going back to the regular package names, and dropping the -kde4 at the end.)

[Kenobi (kazmirzak)]

Why does nobody work on this easy matter? It would suffice to create a link in applications --> system --> dolphin (as root), to enable the fresh and young system administrator to so some administration work.

It is in no way acceptable that a linux novice has to open terminal and fumble around with "sudo dolphin"..... naaah ,sudo can't find dolphin .... hehehe... and do tricky stuff for half an hour just because he wanted to change one line in fstab.....

[Harald Sitter (apachelogger)]

Quite easy: servicemenu desktop file needs to be ported from KDE 3 to KDE 4 (probably included in kubuntu-default-settings - if not it should move to that package).

Raising Status to triaged to get developer's attention.

[jc1985 (jc1985)]

 I think servicemenu-rootactions , available in Rog131's ppa gives this feature.
with that package installed, I have an open-as-root service menu

[Kenobi (kazmirzak)]

You can have a look at Linux Mint KDE, which is based on Kubuntu and has patched that on their own in an absolutely convincing way. It is a lovely feeling to work like this - there is nothing to add!!

See the screenshot and judge on your own.

This could apply for a paper-cut, couldn't it?

[jc1985 (jc1985)]

it's exactly what I get in Kubuntu Jaunty by installing the package servicemenu-rootactions (available in the ppa as I said).
can this package be installed by default in Karmic ?

[Daniel Semblano (dsemblano)]

I'd love have this option available. I've created a "Link to Application" and the command is "kdesu dbus-launch dolphin". I can browse, but I cannot open any file, as the screenshot from Kenobi shows. For an example, I attempt to open a text file and dolphins says "KDEInit could not launch '/usr/bin/kate'." .

Even if I try to open on that dolphin embedded terminal with KWrite or Kate, it does not.

root@daniel-casa:/var/www/EE# kate foo.txt
No protocol specified
kate: cannot connect to X server :0.0
root@daniel-casa:/var/www/EE# kwrite foo.txt
No protocol specified
kwrite: cannot connect to X server :0.0

I'm using Kubuntu Karmic 4.3 RC3 amd64.

[Jonathan Thomas (echidnaman)]

Hello there,

Kubuntu currently does not have the manpower necessary to implement this feature as a distribution, so we are closing this report. Worry not, though, because your wish item is still being tracked by KDE at http://bugs.kde.org/show_bug.cgi?id=152150 . Once KDE implements this feature, we will include it in the Kubuntu release which contains the KDE version the feature was implemented in.

Thanks for understanding, and have a nice day.

[Vanmeeuwen (vanmeeuwen)]

Resetting assignee to default as per bug #305719

[Elvis-angelaccio-o (elvis-angelaccio-o)]

*** Bug 166708 has been marked as a duplicate of this bug. ***

[Elvis-angelaccio-o (elvis-angelaccio-o)]

*** Bug 374717 has been marked as a duplicate of this bug. ***

[Elvis-angelaccio-o (elvis-angelaccio-o)]

This is going to be a wontfix, since it's a report from early KDE4 times. Nowadays it's well established that running GUI apps as root is dangerous. Even more Dolphin, given that it comes with full shell access thanks to the embedded Konsole part.

Anyone interested in editing root files with Dolphin, please subscribe to https://bugs.kde.org/show_bug.cgi?id=179678

[Elvis-angelaccio-o (elvis-angelaccio-o)]

*** Bug 376336 has been marked as a duplicate of this bug. ***

[Elvis-angelaccio-o (elvis-angelaccio-o)]

*** Bug 378169 has been marked as a duplicate of this bug. ***

[Elvis-angelaccio-o (elvis-angelaccio-o)]

*** Bug 386057 has been marked as a duplicate of this bug. ***

[Elvis-angelaccio-o (elvis-angelaccio-o)]

*** Bug 387950 has been marked as a duplicate of this bug. ***

[B0-a (b0-a)]

So this is a WONTFIX. This is the first time in over 20 years I have seen KDE get stupid. So it is dangerous to open system files and to edit system files and "I" might make a mistake. Dude I have been using Linux since the 1990's sure I've done some stupid things and have borked my system doing stupid things. Did I blame it on you? Of course not. My fault. What you are doing is removing my control of MY operating system. You are cutting off my control of the OS. Your a desktop and this really shouldn't be your decision. In other posts is was said that you are going the way of Gnome which you are. At one time Gnome was a nice desktop but due to self-center developers it is the Windows 8.1 desktop for Linux and totally unable with more than two monitors. Seems you guys have went down the same trail.

I have work in systems/network security for over 20 years and let me tell you your reasons are WRONG. Sure logged in as root is dangerous but at times a person must have access to the system killing access doesn't fix anything. You guys are developers and you are not security engineers. Even with this broken fix there are still methods to drop to root if you are hacking the system. You haven't "fixed" anything. you have only broken access.

You even say a text editor is dangerous. WTF!! Oh you might break your system with Kate yet Gedit, LeafPad, Nano, Vi and Emacs ALL work under root. So killing access of Kate doesn't keep a person from Editing or changing files. YOU HAVEN"T "FIXED" ANYTHING.

I can access and delete system files from the command line what next breaking access to system files from Konsole? What's next when I run "ls /etc" in Konsole will I soon get an error "Your too stupid to see these files"

One thing I have always like about KDE is it is highly configurable. You can change just about anything with the desktop except of now.

I guess after 20 years of use I'll just find something else to use. Sad... I know you all write the code but you are not God and you clearly don't understand to use case of users.

I read one article that this is for "Joe User" I hate to tell you this but Joe Luser doesn't use KDE the more advanced user uses KDE or did and advanced users want access to the friggin system.

Hell even Windows will give you access to the OS when needed.

[Rioricki (rioricki)]

I have to agree with Bo on this one, the very idea that I need someone to "look out for my well being" is both insulting and unacceptable. "I wanna be like Bill" is not an appropriate attitude for a free community.
If you insist on dumbing down this distro at least open up the Administrative login so that I am able to "commit suicide" if that is my choice.
I mean really people, I've been programming since "dirt" was invented, I'm perfectly capable of making a few changes. Especially when those changes most commonly are fixing file permissions that were incorrectly set by the installation process. If you can't get this all right, I'm not here to criticize... but at least allow me to fix it without a major hassle.
In the mean time I will being reformatting my hard drive and installing a new distro... one that hopefully doesn't try to dictate my behavior which is the whole point of avoiding Windows.

[B0-a (b0-a)]

First let me correct your English. “Resolved” is not the right word to be using. This problem has NOT been resolved. OK it is also marked “WONTFIX” this is fine since your arrogance has spoken and you feel you have the right to restrict to use of applications that someone wants to use as they see fit. What happened to the term “Open System”??

I am totally appalled of the fact that you cut out threads in the bug report posted by me and others saying this is a bad idea and doesn’t secure a thing. This is an open forum you know the “free exchange of ideas”. This was only done in order for you the developers to not look bad and not look stupid. Still sweeping things under the rug doesn’t make things right. It just shows your integrity as a Human Being.

There are work arounds around your broken applications Leafpad works just fine. Sure it doesn’t have the features and functions Kate does. It isn’t as pretty but… IT WORKS! I just loaded PcmanFM file manager and it works great it even has some nice functions that Dolphin doesn’t have, and IT WORKS! This will keep me making a living until I can move my work machine over to LXDE.

The sad thing is after over 20 years of using KDE and loving it I am now in the process of moving over to LXDE. After doing some research the LXDE group seem to have a better understanding of the term “Open Systems”. No it isn’t as nice and isn’t as polished but everything works.

As a Pen Tester normally on a Linux machine when I try to hijack a root process I go for more of a system process and not Kate or Dolphin processes running as root. A system process is less likely to be killed while compromising the machine where Kate running as root can be killed at any time by the user when they complete whatever task they are doing with Kate. Rest assured from this day forward when I’m in a Linux box looking for a running root process to hijack I will go for all those root processes that start with a “K” just to prove you have secured NOTHING by your actions. Just made your product unusable.

BTW Did you all work for Microsoft in the past?

[Kde-b (kde-b)]

actually you can undo the misguided pull-request quickly and recompile:

https://forum.kde.org/viewtopic.php?f=224&t=141836&start=30#p408074

This is a hugely controversial modification and users are in anger all across cyberspace. Tons of users had their workflows destroyed by what seems to be a single programmer.

[Cfeck (cfeck)]

Please read comment 7; changing status again.

[Kenobi (kazmirzak-2)]

Wow, I reported this bug 12 years ago. It is still not fixed?

No offence, but I switched to Linux Mint Gnome edition half a century ago. Maybe it is due to Mint, or due to Gnome, I don't know, but since then I am not affected by this bug anymore.

If there is still anyone working on KDE: it is way safer to open a single file as root than to open dolphin as a root, forgetting about it, opening tons of other things through the rooted file explorer unintendedly. Happened to me. End of story.