Editing .desktop file to run executable as root?

Question

I have compiled a c program into an executable that I would now like to integrate into the applications menu in Debian 7.4 XFCE. In order to run the application under normal circumstances, I am required to type

sudo myprogram

Now I have created my .desktop file and placed it in /usr/share/applications

[Desktop Entry]
Type=Application
Encoding=UTF-8
Name=myprogram
Comment=configuration loader
Exec=sudo loader
Icon=/usr/share/icons/hicolor/48x48/apps/myprogram.png
Terminal=false
Categories=Development;IDE

The item is added to my applications menu as expected, and the icon shows up properly. The problem, however, is that double clicking the menu item to launch the application does nothing.

If I navigate to /usr/bin (where I have placed my executable) and type "sudo myprogram", the program launches as expected.

What can I do to fix this issue and get the program to launch from the menu? Perhaps /usr/bin is not the correct place to put it, or I have the incorrect Exec command. I greatly appreciate the help.

Debera

Answer 1

I ended up using (after installing gksu)

Exec = gksu myprogram

this launches a graphical sudo prompt, which is sufficient for my needs.

Debera

On Ubuntu 18.04 gksu doesn't seem to be available (either by default or in a repo). The above solution by @noraj using pkexec is preferable. – Retrochoir

Answer 2

The pkexec solution from askubuntu:

Exec=pkexec env DISPLAY=$DISPLAY XAUTHORITY=$XAUTHORITY APP_COMMAND

Jehiah

Answer 3

This approach does not need additional installation of packages.

Terminal=true opens a new terminal window which runs sudo -i to ask for the password. Then, using sh to run the program, the Terminal is closed and myprogram runs in the background because it has a & at the end.

[Desktop Entry]
Type=Application
Name=...
Exec=sudo -i sh -c "myprogram &"
Terminal=true

Request: Please report if it works under your OS. Tested under:

• Xubuntu

Mclyman

Works in Raspberry Pi OS/Debian 12 (bookworm) on Pi 4b – Shibboleth

Works on Ubuntu 22.04.4 on wayland – Damage

Answer 4

This is what the setuid bit in the permissions is for. It makes executables run with permissions of the file owner. This only works on actual executables, not on shell scripts!

sudo chmod u+s myprogram
sudo chown root myprogram
./myprogram # now runs as root

Please be careful when using this as it will always execute that program as root no matter who executes it. You can limit access by setting it to your usergroup and deny all execute.

chgrp "${USER}" myprogram # provided you have individual groups set up
chmod a-x myprogram       # deny all execute

Gangling

Answer 5

Try adding this to .desktop

Path=/path/to/myprogram

Pluck