Polkit env for apps started from menu

[ManuelSchneid3r]

Distribution

22.3

Package version

Can't tell

Graphics hardware in use

No response

Frequency

Always

Bug description

User reports pkexec not working with third party launchers started from menu

Steps to reproduce

See albertlauncher/albert-plugin-applications#15 (comment)

Expected behavior

Pkexec works

Additional information

No response

[kaoneko]

Thank you @ManuelSchneid3r. To summarize the issue here:

Some applications are launched with pkexec to obtain elevated privileges. Their desktop entries contain for example:

Exec=pkexec mintsysadm

When one of the tested launchers—Albert, Ueli and Ulauncher—is started from the Cinnamon desktop environment, for example through the application menu, the run dialog or as a startup application, nothing happens when opening such an application from that launcher.

When these launchers are started from a terminal or systemd service instead, opening such applications through them shows the polkit authentication dialog as expected.

Changing the exec line in a desktop entry from e.g.

Exec=pkexec mintsysadm

to

Exec=sh -c "pkexec mintsysadm"

also "solves" the issue.