How do I access an "askpass" program for getting root privileges in a GUI?

1
votes

I'm building my first sizable Linux program that I plan on uploading to the Ubuntu Software Center, and I've run into a problem: I assumed calling something like system("sudo mkdir /opt/test"); in a graphical program would automatically bring up the little dialog that asks for the root password, but it doesn't. I get the error: "sudo: no tty present and no askpass program specified"

So is my assumption that this is handled automatically when the user doesn't have access to a terminal incorrect? And if so, what is the default "askpass" program for Ubuntu, and how might I call it? Can I use gksudo?

I would really appreciate some help. Thanks!

1
c++linuxqtubunturoot
The GUI doesn't use sudo, but any of a family of similar programs – Ben Voigt
I think you'll have the send a DBUS message to a XDG standard address, which askpass-type programs will reply with the GUI and status afterwards. – Spidey
If my program is installed through the Ubuntu Software Center, will it be given the proper permissions to change things like /etc/environment? Using sudo apt-get install kdesudo would defeat the purpose of doing this graphically as my program would have to be root to install this dependency. – ICoffeeConsumer

1 Answers

2
votes

I figured it out. You can use gksudo for this, and format the command to meet your needs.

system("gksudo mkdir testdir");