Emacs client doesn't run by root

Emacs client doesn't run by root

[Tim Johnson]

I have been using the emacs daemon as my system editor.
Starting with the following script
;; code
emacs -q -nw --no-splash --daemon -l ~/.emacs.d/init_term.el
;; end code

Works fine as user tim, but if I try it as root, I get the following error
message:
;; quote
/usr/local/bin/emacsclient: can't find socket; have you started the server?
To start the server in Emacs, type "M-x server-start".
/usr/local/bin/emacsclient: No socket or alternate editor.  Please use:

     --socket-name
     --server-file      (or environment variable EMACS_SERVER_FILE)
     --alternate-editor (or environment variable ALTERNATE_EDITOR)
;; end quote

What else needs to be done?

Using emacs GNU Emacs 26.3 on ubuntu 16.04

thanks

-- 
Tim
tj49.com

Re: Emacs client doesn't run by root

[Tassilo Horn]

Tim Johnson <tim@akwebsoft.com> writes:

> I have been using the emacs daemon as my system editor.
> Starting with the following script
> ;; code
> emacs -q -nw --no-splash --daemon -l ~/.emacs.d/init_term.el
> ;; end code
>
> Works fine as user tim, but if I try it as root, I get the following error
> message:
> ;; quote
> /usr/local/bin/emacsclient: can't find socket; have you started the server?

The reason is that this will try to connect to the emacs demon run for
the user root which you would need to start as well.

I just find files as normal user and use the below snippet to be queried
if I want to open a file I have no write permission for using TRAMP's
sudo method:

--8<---------------cut here---------------start------------->8---
  (defun th/find-file-sudo (file)
    "Opens FILE with root privileges."
    (interactive "F")
    (set-buffer (find-file (concat "/sudo::" file))))

  (define-advice find-file (:around (ff file &rest more) th/find-file-maybe-sudo)
    (if (and (file-exists-p file)
             (not (file-directory-p file))
             (not (file-writable-p file))
             (not (file-remote-p file))
             (y-or-n-p (concat "File "
                               file
                               " is read-only.  Sudo? ")))
        (th/find-file-sudo file)
      (funcall ff file more)))
--8<---------------cut here---------------end--------------->8---

Bye,
Tassilo

Re: Emacs client doesn't run by root

[Tim Johnson]

On 2/28/21 11:09 AM, Tassilo Horn wrote:
> Tim Johnson <tim@akwebsoft.com> writes:
>
>> I have been using the emacs daemon as my system editor.
>> Starting with the following script
>> ;; code
>> emacs -q -nw --no-splash --daemon -l ~/.emacs.d/init_term.el
>> ;; end code
>>
>> Works fine as user tim, but if I try it as root, I get the following error
>> message:
>> ;; quote
>> /usr/local/bin/emacsclient: can't find socket; have you started the server?
> The reason is that this will try to connect to the emacs demon run for
> the user root which you would need to start as well.
>
> I just find files as normal user and use the below snippet to be queried
> if I want to open a file I have no write permission for using TRAMP's
> sudo method:
>
> --8<---------------cut here---------------start------------->8---
>    (defun th/find-file-sudo (file)
>      "Opens FILE with root privileges."
>      (interactive "F")
>      (set-buffer (find-file (concat "/sudo::" file))))
>
>    (define-advice find-file (:around (ff file &rest more) th/find-file-maybe-sudo)
>      (if (and (file-exists-p file)
>               (not (file-directory-p file))
>               (not (file-writable-p file))
>               (not (file-remote-p file))
>               (y-or-n-p (concat "File "
>                                 file
>                                 " is read-only.  Sudo? ")))
>          (th/find-file-sudo file)
>        (funcall ff file more)))
> --8<---------------cut here---------------end--------------->8---
Thanks. It is solved. Cheers

-- 
Tim
tj49.com

Re: Emacs client doesn't run by root

[Teemu Likonen]

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* 2021-02-28 10:10:05-0900, Tim Johnson wrote:

> I have been using the emacs daemon as my system editor.

> Works fine as user tim, but if I try it as root, I get the following
> error message:

Another option is to use "sudoedit" (or "sudo -e") instead of "sudo
emacsclient". "sudoedit" uses root access to copy the target file to a
temporary location for the current user. Then it starts editing the file
with user's default text editor and finally moves the temporary file to
the original location. This way the editor doesn't run as the root user.

-- 
/// Teemu Likonen - .-.. https://www.iki.fi/tlikonen/
// OpenPGP: 4E1055DC84E9DFF613D78557719D69D324539450

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Re: Emacs client doesn't run by root

[Tim Johnson]

On 2/28/21 9:00 PM, Teemu Likonen wrote:
> * 2021-02-28 10:10:05-0900, Tim Johnson wrote:
>
>> I have been using the emacs daemon as my system editor.
>> Works fine as user tim, but if I try it as root, I get the following
>> error message:
> Another option is to use "sudoedit" (or "sudo -e") instead of "sudo
> emacsclient". "sudoedit" uses root access to copy the target file to a
> temporary location for the current user. Then it starts editing the file
> with user's default text editor and finally moves the temporary file to
> the original location. This way the editor doesn't run as the root user.
Cool. Thanks!

-- 
Tim
tj49.com