[Brass]

How do I run a task as root in Cocoa/ObjC? I guess I've got to somehow get some admin authentication and then "sudo" the task, but how do I do that in my ObjC Cocoa application?

[Rickster]

Use Authorization Services. Be sure to check out the technotes and sample code there, too -- there are lots of wrong ways to perform root-authorized operations, and your users won't appreciate an app that's a security hole.

[Angus_D]

Also take a look at ThemeChanger, I went to quite some lengths to make sure it adheres to Apple's recommended way of doing things as much as possible, and some have found it useful sample code...

[Brass]

Originally posted by Angus_D:
Also take a look at ThemeChanger, I went to quite some lengths to make sure it adheres to Apple's recommended way of doing things as much as possible, and some have found it useful sample code...

Where's the code?

I've almost got it all figured out from the Apple page linked to above (just about to start testing), but some working sample code might help.

[Brass]

Double post.

[Brass]

Okay, so I've found in the documentation, a function that allows me to execute things as root (which is what I need to chown root and setUID). But I'm not sure exactly how to use it. In fact I actually get a linking error when building (compilation is fine).

The code looks like this, so far:

Code:
#import <Security/Authorization.h>

...

char *chownPath = [@"/usr/sbin/chown" cString];
    char *chownArgs[] = { [@"root" cString], [scriptPath cString], NULL };
    char *chmodPath = [@"/bin/chmod/" cString];
    char *chmodArgs[] = { [@"4555" cString], [scriptPath cString], NULL };
    FILE *commPipe = NULL;
    AuthorizationRef authRef;
    
   if ( AuthorizationExecuteWithPrivileges(authRef, chownPath, kAuthorizationFlagDefaults, chownArgs, &commPipe)
         == errAuthorizationSuccess )
    {
        NSLog(@"Authorised chown root succeeded");
        if ( AuthorizationExecuteWithPrivileges(authRef, chmodPath, kAuthorizationFlagDefaults, chmodArgs, &commPipe)
             == errAuthorizationSuccess )
        {
            NSLog(@"Authorised chmod 4555 succeeded");
        }
        else
        {
            NSLog(@"Authorised chmod 4555 failed");
        }
    }
    else
    {
        NSLog(@"Authorised chown root failed");
    }
    
   AuthorizationFree (authRef, kAuthorizationFlagDestroyRights);

Why would I be getting a linking error with this? I'm I on the right track here at all?

[Chuckit]

Did you actually link in the Security framework?

[Angus_D]

Originally posted by Brass:
Where's the code?

Click the Source link, duh.