Follow up -Re: Running a GUI App from a Remote SSH Terminal

[Peter Garrett]

On Wed, 10 Jan 2007 23:25:50 +1100
Peter Garrett <peter.garrett at optusnet.com.au> wrote:

> > When trying to run just gaim, I get an error stating the display is
> > unset....
> 
> Yes, currently :0 belongs to her :) So you have to "become" her either
> with sudo -u <her> <command>  or su <her>  and <her> pass followed by the
> command. ( "su" means "switch user" ) 
> 
> One of these should work - I haven't tested here but I think I have it
> right ;-)

OK follow up.... tried on the local network.

Assuming you have sudo rights on the machine, and don't know her password:

sudo -i   #gives you root

# su <her-username>  ( since you are root it won't ask for a password)
( you are now "her")

gaim --display :0 &

exit

(you are now root again:  exit again to become "yourself"

This appears to work :)  Apologies for the convoluted and inaccurate
previous post!

Peter