[KLUG Members] Problem with launching applications

[Adam Tauno Williams]

> My problem is launching gui applications from a 'sudo su' root shell.
> Synaptic fails with:
> (synaptic:22507): Gtk-WARNING **: cannot open display:
> debaser:/home/user# synaptic
> (synaptic:22508): Gtk-WARNING **: cannot open display:
> debaser:/home/user# synaptic
> (synaptic:22509): Gtk-WARNING **: cannot open display:
> debaser:/home/user# synaptic
> K3b fails with:
> debaser:/home/user# k3b
> k3b: cannot connect to X server
> How would one begin troubleshooting this type of problem?  

In switching user contexts you've either lost the value of the DISPLAY
variable or the X authentication cookie, or both.  This isn't really
meant to work (go to shell, su, run GUI app).

> I am able to
> launch both synaptic and k3b by using the gnome gui -- they prompt me
> for my root password and everything works fine.  But not from within a
> 'sudo su' root shell.

Correct,  run "gnomesu", like I run "/opt/gnome/bin/gnomesu -c
"/usr/sbin/pptp mail.morrison.iserv.net call morrison-vpn"" to startup
my VPN.  The "gnomesu", and KDE must have an equivalent, makes sure all
the required bits make it across the river.

> Thank you in advance for helping someone that isn't sure where to start
> here