In this tutorial, we’ll walk you through the process of running Sublime Text as root from the launcher. This can be particularly useful when you need to edit system files or other files owned by the root user. However, it’s important to note that running applications as root should be done with caution, as it can pose security risks if not handled properly.
To run Sublime Text as root from the launcher, you need to modify the .desktop file for Sublime Text and add the gksudo or gksu command to the Exec= line. However, it’s important to note that running applications as root should be done with caution and can pose security risks if not handled properly.
Prerequisites
Before we begin, you need to have Sublime Text installed on your system. If you haven’t installed it yet, you can download it from the official website.
Locating the .desktop file
The first step is to locate the .desktop file for Sublime Text. This file is responsible for how the application is launched from the launcher. The .desktop file for Sublime Text is typically located in the /usr/share/applications/ directory.
cd /usr/share/applications/
ls | grep sublimeThe ls | grep sublime command will list all files in the directory that contain the word “sublime”. Look for a file named sublime-text.desktop or something similar.
Modifying the .desktop file
Once you’ve located the .desktop file, open it with a text editor. For this tutorial, we’ll use nano, but you can use any text editor you prefer.
sudo nano sublime-text.desktopIn the .desktop file, look for the Exec= line. This line specifies the command that is executed when you launch Sublime Text from the launcher.
Change the Exec= line to include gksudo or gksu at the beginning. For example:
Exec=gksudo /opt/sublime_text/sublime_text %FThe gksudo command is a graphical version of sudo, which prompts you for your password before executing the command. The %F at the end of the line allows Sublime Text to open files passed as arguments, which is necessary for opening files from the file manager.
Please note that the path to the Sublime Text executable (/opt/sublime_text/sublime_text) might be different on your system. Adjust the path accordingly.
Updating the launcher
After modifying the .desktop file, you need to update the launcher to use the modified file.
If you have Sublime Text pinned to the launcher, unpin it first. Then search for Sublime Text in the application menu and pin it to the launcher again. This ensures that the launcher uses the modified .desktop file.
Conclusion
You should now be able to launch Sublime Text as root from the launcher. However, remember that running applications as root can pose security risks. Always exercise caution when editing system files or other files owned by the root user.
In newer versions of Ubuntu, gksudo has been deprecated due to security concerns. If you’re using a newer version of Ubuntu, you might need to use alternative methods like sudo -H or pkexec. Always review the security implications and potential risks before deciding to run an application as root.
Yes, you can run Sublime Text as root from the launcher by modifying the .desktop file as explained in the tutorial.
Running applications as root can pose security risks because it grants them full access to your system. Any malicious actions or mistakes made by the application can have serious consequences. It is recommended to only run applications as root when necessary and to exercise caution.
The .desktop file for Sublime Text is typically located in the /usr/share/applications/ directory. You can find it by using the command cd /usr/share/applications/ followed by ls | grep sublime.
Yes, you can use any text editor you prefer to modify the .desktop file. In the tutorial, we used nano as an example, but you can use editors like vim or gedit as well.
The gksudo command is a graphical version of sudo that prompts you for your password before executing the command. It is used to run Sublime Text as root from the launcher, providing the necessary permissions for editing system files or files owned by the root user.
After modifying the .desktop file, unpin Sublime Text from the launcher if it is already pinned. Then, search for Sublime Text in the application menu and pin it to the launcher again. This ensures that the launcher uses the modified .desktop file.
In newer versions of Ubuntu, gksudo has been deprecated due to security concerns. If you’re using a newer version, you might need to use alternative methods like sudo -H or pkexec to run Sublime Text as root. Always review the security implications and potential risks before deciding to run an application as root.
