:: Re: [DNG] why is polkit needed?
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Author: Gastón
Date:  
To: dng
Subject: Re: [DNG] why is polkit needed?
On Thu, Feb 13, 2020 at 10:27:50PM -0300, Gastón wrote:
> On Thu, Feb 13, 2020 at 03:16:58PM -0800, tom wrote:
> > On Thu, 9 Jan 2020 16:50:15 +0000
> > Mark Hindley <mark@???> wrote:
> >
> > > On Thu, Jan 09, 2020 at 05:44:17PM +0100, Alessandro Vesely via Dng
> > > wrote:
> > > > Hi,
> > > >
> > > > is there a recommended GUI package browser for Devuan?
> > > >
> > > > After migrating, synaptic isn't installed. If I try to install it,
> > > > it says it needs policykit-1. Since the latter seems to be akin to
> > > > systemd, I reply 'n'.
> > >
> > > I really don't think that is true. There is no direct relationship
> > > between policykit-1 and systemd. And our policykit works with either
> > > elogind or consolekit, so you have options.
> > >
> > > If you want a integrated gui desktop that allows you to do privileged
> > > things like install packages, you will need policykit-1 or something
> > > similar.
> > >
> > > Alternatively, use apt or aptitude from the commandline.
> > >
> > > Mark
> > > _______________________________________________
> >
> > Sorry, can you explain why exactly polkit is needed here? What is wrong
> > with what everyone was doing before polkit which was gksu or gksudo?
> >
> gksu is no longer available from Beowulf. Now, apparently, you have to
> use: pkexec
>
> I'm in touch with the GNU/EterTics developer and he's having trouble
> running d-i from Live Mode on a beta version with Beowulf he's testing.
>
> He used to launch the d-i from Live mode using this command:
> `su-to-root -X -c /usr/sbin/debian-installer-launcher`, but su-tu-root is
> no longer available.
>
> When he wants to launch the d-i from Live mode using this command:
> `pkexec /usr/sbin/debian-installer-launcher` , the installer does not
> start in GUI mode.
>
> Yesterday we tried several alternatives, like this one, but without
> success:
>
> We tried running it this way:
> `pkexec env DISPLAY=$DISPLAY XAUTHORITY=$XAUTHORITY
> /usr/sbin/debian-installer-launcher` , with this it tries to open a
> window, but closes immediately.
>
> We couldn't get pkexec to run the d-I in GUI mode from live-version.
> Nor is there much documentation about its use available.
>
> Has anyone been through this using pkexec?
>
>


Hi again, thank you very much for all the suggestions that you shared
with us.

Finally we find a solution.

What was the problem? If we created an ISO image of Devuan Beowulf with
Mate, and we wanted to run d-i from live mode, it did not run in GUI
mode, it opened in text mode. Using su-to-root and pkexec.

On the other hand, if we tried the same from a Devuan Beowulf ISO with
XFCE or LXQt, it works without problems. Using su-to-root, d-i runs in
GUI mode. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

After trying in many ways, we managed to get the launcher to work in the
Mate version using this command:

`pkexec mate-terminal -e /usr/sbin/debian-installer-launcher`

We were left wondering why in XFCE it works with su-to-root and with
Mate we have to resort to launching it using pkexec in that way?

Thanks again :)


PS: In this URL: http://distro.misiones.gob.ar/ultima/beta/
are the beta versions where we were doing the tests,
there is a version with XFCE, another with Mate and one that includes
both. The version with Mate has already corrected the command in the d-i
launcher on the desktop, but you can try running from the terminal with:
`su-to-root -X -c /usr/sbin/debian-installer-launcher` or
`pkexec /usr/sbin/debian-installer-launcher` to see the behavior.