Editing configuration files

[Liam Proven]

On Fri, 23 Nov 2018 at 19:31, Ian Bruntlett <ian.bruntlett at gmail.com> wrote:
>
> Hi All,
>
> What is the preferred way to edit text configuration files that require root access?
>
> For example, I would normally use emacs to edit /etc/default/grub

Er. Depends on display server -- Wayland makes it more complicated --
but you can use your GUI editor of choice.

Open a terminal.
Do ``sudo -s'' to become root.
Navigate to the file, e.g. ``cd /etc/apt''
Open the editor, e.g. ``gedit sources.list''

That's what I do.

If apps running as root don't have permission to access the graphics
display, which I think is the default on Ubuntu but isn't on (e.g.)
openSUSE, you can add it with ``xhost+''

https://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/Xhost

If you want a nice friendly GUI-like editor for the console, my
favourite is Tilde:

https://os.ghalkes.nl/tilde/

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