Bug 137663 - unable to execute link to an external application
Summary: unable to execute link to an external application
Status: RESOLVED UNMAINTAINED
Alias: None
Product: kpdf
Classification: Applications
Component: general (show other bugs)
Version: unspecified
Platform: Ubuntu Linux
: NOR wishlist
Target Milestone: ---
Assignee: Albert Astals Cid
URL:
Keywords:
: 164407 (view as bug list)
Depends on:
Blocks:
 
Reported: 2006-11-21 12:07 UTC by Bertrand
Modified: 2015-02-07 16:31 UTC (History)
2 users (show)

See Also:
Latest Commit:
Version Fixed In:


Attachments
a pdf test case (31.24 KB, application/pdf)
2007-01-17 08:59 UTC, Bertrand
Details
the script called by the second link (77 bytes, application/octet-stream)
2007-01-17 09:00 UTC, Bertrand
Details

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Description Bertrand 2006-11-21 12:07:58 UTC
Version:            (using KDE KDE 3.5.5)
Installed from:    Ubuntu Packages

I'm writing a presentation and I try to be able to execute a simulation by clicking on a link. I've had a hyperlink to my simulation program in my presentation but when I click on the link, the following message appears:
"The pdf file is trying to execute an external application and for your safety kpdf does not allow that."

I can understand that kpdf does not allow this by default. What I can't understand is why it isn't possible to specify somewhere that I really want to be able to execute this application (for example xpdf ask a confirmation before executing the application).

It would be great to ask if the user really wants to execute the link with a warning about possible security problem.
Comment 1 Albert Astals Cid 2006-11-21 19:38:47 UTC
We kpdf developers want to add it, but kde core developers won't allow it.

See http://lists.kde.org/?l=kde-commits&m=109511421422160&w=2 (Press [next in thread]  to see the whole thread) and http://lists.kde.org/?l=kde-core-devel&m=110470798901386&w=2

So unless you can convince the non believers you are not going to get that feature, sorry :-/
Comment 2 Bertrand 2006-11-29 19:19:02 UTC
Since I'm unable to answer on the kde-core-devel mailing list, I post here my try to convince the non believers...


Apparently the main issue was the potential security problem and the fact that 
some users which don't read/understand the popup dialogs must be protected. I 
think a simple way to tacke this problem is the following:
- By default the execution of external link is not allowed and a dialog warn 
the user that the command is not executed (like now).
- The user can activate an option deep in the menus (something like 
Settings->configure kpdf->Security) where the potential security problem is 
clearly stated. When this option is checked, each time the user click on a 
link, a confirmation box with the command is presented to the user.

With this scheme, the basic users never see a question so they can't make a 
big mistake. Since this feature is seldom used, there is no reason for the 
distributions to change the default settings.
Comment 3 Albert Astals Cid 2007-01-16 23:16:49 UTC
Bertrand, could you please attach that pdf you where creating so we can make some tests?

Thanks
Comment 4 Bertrand 2007-01-17 08:59:55 UTC
Created attachment 19308 [details]
a pdf test case

A pdf with two links to external applications. The first link tries to call
'kcalc'(\href{run:kcalc}) and the second link tries to call the script
'myscript' in the current directory (\href{run:./myscript}).
Comment 5 Bertrand 2007-01-17 09:00:45 UTC
Created attachment 19309 [details]
the script called by the second link

Don't forget to make it executable
Comment 6 Troels Kofoed Jacobsen 2008-12-03 15:48:19 UTC
*** Bug 164407 has been marked as a duplicate of this bug. ***
Comment 7 Christian Jann 2011-04-13 12:06:17 UTC
\href{run:OpenProgramm.shell}{[Open Editor]}  

~]$ bash OpenProgramm.shell

~]$ cat OpenProgramm.shell
#!/bin/bash
kate /home/user/folder1/somefile.c -l 393

//on KDE open System Settings->File Associations->Add
//Filename Pattern: *.shell
//Application Preference Order: bash

or search for mimetype x-konsole and add
Application Preference Order: bash

Now when you click on the link the script will be executed.
Comment 8 Albert Astals Cid 2015-02-07 16:31:55 UTC
Thank you for your bug report or feature suggestion.

The "KPDF" application is no longer maintained, and all tickets are now closed.

We recommend to switch to the "Okular" application.

Due to the high number of bugs/suggestions in "KPDF" we are not able to go through all of them and verify if they are still valid in "Okular".

That's why are we asking you to help us by checking if your bug/suggestion is still valid in Okular and if it still is opening a new bug/suggestion against it.

Thank you for your effort in making KDE better :)

(This is an automatic message from the KDE bug triaging team)