Bug 470222

Summary:	kate is unable to view/open files owned by root nor does it prompt for password when trying to save a root owned file
Product:	[Applications] kate	Reporter:	imthenachoman
Component:	general	Assignee:	KWrite Developers <kwrite-bugs-null>
Status:	RESOLVED NOT A BUG
Severity:	normal	CC:	imthenachoman
Priority:	NOR
Version First Reported In:	23.04.1
Target Milestone:	---
Platform:	openSUSE
OS:	Linux
Latest Commit:		Version Fixed/Implemented In:
Sentry Crash Report:

Description imthenachoman 2023-05-24 17:15:56 UTC

SUMMARY

From what I have read, there are two ways to have `kate` open/edit root files but neither of them work.

1. `SUDO_EDITOR=kate sudoedit <file>` => Will open a blank file, that does not have the contents of `<file>`. In fact, terminal spits out the message `<file> unchanged` even before I exit kate.
2. `kate <file>` > save > enter password => Does not prompt for the password.

If I try to `kate <file>` from a root terminal session, it spits out this message:

> THIS IS POTENTIALLY INSECURE!
> To edit files as root please use:
> SUDO_EDITOR=kwrite sudoedit <file>

According to https://www.reddit.com/r/kde/comments/bagrhp/how_to_save_file_as_root_with_kate_with_password/ this was disabled a few years ago but bugs/features for this were closed so I assume it should work. But it still doesn't.

From what I can gather, this is some sort of bug. I just don't know where. I can't tell if this is an issue with KDE or with openSUSE.

STEPS TO REPRODUCE
covered above

OBSERVED RESULT
covered above

EXPECTED RESULT
covered above

SOFTWARE/OS VERSIONS
OS: Linux openSUSE Tumbleweed 20230522
KDE Plasma Version: 5.27.5
KDE Frameworks Version: 5.106.0
Qt Verson: 5.15.9
Kernel Version: 6.3.2-1-default (64-bit)
Graphics Platform: Wayland

Comment 1 imthenachoman 2023-05-24 17:19:03 UTC

I forgot to add, for #2, it gives the following error:

> The document could not be saved, as it was not possible to write to <file>.
> Check that you have write access to this file or that enough disk space is available.
> The original file may be lost or damaged. Don't quit the application  until the file is successfully written.