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Using the Konqueror File Manager With Root Privileges

© Copyright Darrell Anderson.

The K Desktop Environment, KDE, has evolved in many wonderful ways the past few years. Unfortunately, one aspect of any ‘nix environment is that user rights and permissions continue to play a critical role in how users access files and directories. Many users of GNU/Linux and KDE migrate from the Windows world, where, under different development goals and priorities, security plays a different role. Thus, such users desiring to perform basic maintenance and administrative tasks on their GNU/Linux desktop often are frustrated by this different climate of file access permissions.

KDE users, however, need not be frustrated. The Konqueror file manager is a convenient tool for people who prefer to maintain some respectable distance from the command line. Additionally, such users can continue using Konqueror to perform some of those administrative maintenance tasks. Of course, using Konqueror with full administrative privileges means one must exercise a bit more caution when performing those tasks. To use Konqueror with root privileges:

  1. On your Kicker taskbar, right-click on an empty section of the bar.
  2. From the pop-up menu, select Add.
  3. From the Add menu option, select Application Button.
  4. From the Application Button menu option, select System.
  5. From the System menu option, select File Manager - Super User Mode.
  6. A blue colored icon should appear on the Kicker. (Look closely and you’ll see that the icon is a file cabinet.)
  7. Right-click on this new icon.
  8. From the pop-menu select Move File Manager - Super User Mode.
  9. When the mouse pointer changes to a cross-hairs icon, select the icon and drag the icon to the right of the red Logout button. Release the button. (Moving the icon to this section of the Kicker taskbar is merely a way to distinguish programs you run with root privileges from the other tools you might place in the quick-start section of the Kicker.)

    [Image: Screen capture of the Kicker system tray showing Konqueror - Super User.]

  10. Click once on the new icon to open Konqueror as super user (root). Even if you have your desktop configured to respond to double-clicks, you need only click once on these system tray icons.
  11. A dialog box will appear asking you for the password to the root login account. Enter the password.
  12. Konqueror will open and look exactly the same as if you had opened as normal user.

The simple fact that users cannot immediately distinguish this Konqueror session from a normal user session could cause problems. To help you distinguish this Konqueror session from your normal user Konqueror:

  1. Select the View menu.
  2. From the View menu select Configure Background.
  3. In the dialog box, if necessary, select the Color radio button.
  4. Click once on the color bar that is located just to the right of the Color radio button.
  5. In the HTML: text box, enter #FDD9E6. This color is a mild pink.
  6. Select the OK buttons to close the dialog boxes.

[Image: Screen capture of the Konqueror - Super User.]

(click to enlarge in a new tab or window—46KB File Size)

You now have Konqueror Super User Mode configured differently from your normal user account. The different background color will help remind you that you are working with root privileges. The color pink is a reasonable choice—related to the traditional warning color of red. Red, however, would render the background difficult to read.

File management is not the only task regularly needing root privileges. Editing various system configuration files and scripts also requires root privileges. As a KDE user, if you want Kate (K Advanced Text Editor) to open as root, you can edit configuration files that require root access without using the typical user-hostile console editors:

  1. Repeat the previous steps to place a Kate icon on your system tray. You’ll find the Kate application in the Editors menu option.
  2. Move the icon next to your Konqueror Super User Mode icon.
  3. At this point the Kate icon is configured for normal user mode and not as root.
  4. Right-click on the Kate icon.
  5. From the pop-up menu, select Properties.
  6. From the Properties dialog box, select the Application tab.
  7. In the Command text box, enter kdesu kate %U.
  8. For your information: the kdesu command is a special KDE command allowing you to open various applications and programs as root rather than as normal user. The command functions similarly to the command line su -c command.
  9. Select the OK buttons to close the dialog boxes.
  10. Click once on the Kate system tray button.
  11. A familiar dialog box will appear asking you for the root password. The Keep password check box is good only for the current login session. If you have inquisitive children, spouses, or pets running around you might not want to enable that check box.
  12. Kate will open as root user and not as normal user.
  13. To again provide you some mental feedback that you are using Kate as root and not normal user, select the Kate Settings menu.
  14. Select the Configure Kate menu option.
  15. From the options tree, select the Editor-Fonts and Colors option.
  16. Select the Colors tab.
  17. In the Text Area Background section, click once on the bar for Normal Text.
  18. In the HTML: text box, enter #FDD9E6.
  19. Select the OK buttons to close the dialog boxes.

You now have your root Kate configured differently from your normal user account.

[Image: Screen capture of the K Advanced Text Editor (KATE).]

(click to enlarge in a new tab or window—58KB File Size)

Sometimes working as root is simply far easier than playing the root password game. Despite the opinions of the priesthood, one should not be afraid to create a KDE login session as root. Once again, however, modify the screen background color to remind yourself of the environment you are working. Red (#B20003) is a good selection. Use a vertical gradient to help reduce the intensity of the red color, but the red background helps remind you that you are working as root and not as a normal user. Some hard-core people frown (and actually scream) upon logging in as root in a graphical environment, but most single desktop users will find the setup useful. Just use some horse sense—and buy some ear plugs.

Finis.

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