synaptic - problem under debian

[Phil Hyde]

Hello,

I just installed Debian 3 on my laptop. I followed these instructions:

http://www.osnews.com/story.php?news_id=2016&page=1

I installed synaptic, but when I try to run it, I get an error:

'cannot open display'

Any ideas?

Also, is there a nhf or other instructions on installing KDE?

many thanks,
Phil

[Thorin]

Are you running synaptic from an Xterm as it said on those instructions? That error message sounds like you are running synaptic from the CLI, therefore it can't display anything.

Try going into whatever Desktop Environment you use, opening a console window (konsole, or whatever it is called in your DE), logging in as root with su and running synaptic.

EDIT: Oops, I just noticed the bottom part of your post. To install KDE do apt-cache search kde
Look for the package name that you need and do apt-get install (packagename)

The package name will most likely be just kde, apt will install all other necessary packages.

[Phil Hyde]

I am following those instructions, which are just as you describe.

I open an Xterm, do an 'su -' to login as root, and type 'synaptic' and get this:

Xlib: connection to ":0.0" refused by server
Xlib: Client is not authorized to connect to Server
synaptic: could not open display

Could the 'su -' have been my problem? That's how I installed synaptic.

--phil

[demian]

Most likely you are trying to run synaptic as root while running an xsession started as user. This doesn't work because by default the X server doesn't allow connections from users other than the one who owns the X server.

Try this:
In an xterm (logged in as user do)
$ su
Password:
# export XAUTHORITY=~username/.Xauthority
# synaptic

Substitude username with the username that started the xsession.

[Phil Hyde]

This did not work :(

When I installed synaptic, I did an 'su -' - could this be the problem? How can I un-install synaptic and re-install it?

thanks!
Phil

[Saptech]

This is a quote from that article... Once apt has finished installing Synaptic, you can launch it by typing "synaptic" at the root user's command prompt (you can't run this program unless you are logged in as root). ...it sound like to me that you need to be Root user and run it while at the CLI and not in an X window.

I have Debian 3.0 and haven't installed it yet, but will give it a try when I get home.

[Middelburg]

I have the same problems with synaptic and Suse. I tried to solve it through several forums but did not succeed. My solution: uninstall it and work with apt-get command line commands.

[teeitup]

Also, is there a nhf or other instructions on installing KDE?

KDE was installed by the debian 3.0 install, it is the default.

As soon as you get X to start my guess is that KDE will load automatically.

[Saptech]

Originally posted by Middelburg
I have the same problems with synaptic and Suse. I tried to solve it through several forums but did not succeed. My solution: uninstall it and work with apt-get command line commands.
Did you try it from the console and not from x-window?

[Middelburg]

I tried it from the console as su. I also tried the suggestions as described in the howto: http://linux01.gwdg.de/apt4rpm/

[mrBen]

I'm not sure about Debian, but I know on Slackware, that if I am logged into X as a user, and then open up a console, if I run su - it won't run X apps, but if I run su (without the dash) then it will.

HTH

[Phil Hyde]

Originally posted by teeitup
KDE was installed by the debian 3.0 install, it is the default.

As soon as you get X to start my guess is that KDE will load automatically.

Since you have to specify everything Debian installs, how is anything installed by default?

Did you read the instructions I followed? It basically had me skip the tasksel section of setup. I am re-installing on another box now and this time I did not skip the tasksel section. I chose X windows and desktop environment, so perhaps that's what you mean where KDE gets installed?

We shall see... Thanks everyone!