The ktalkd Handbook: Questions and Answers
Description: ktalkd documentation
Keywords: KTALKD kotalkd talk talkd otalk ntalk ktalkdlg kcmktalkd

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### 5. Questions and Answers

### 5.1 Why Doesn't Root Receive KDE Announcements ?

Because this would be security hole, with the current user detection. You can bypass the limitation by adding two lines in xdm config files (which are the same than kdm ones). Note : the S.u.S.E linux distribution includes those lines by default.

Those config files are normally in a directory such as /etc/X11/xdm, or /usr/X11R6/lib/X11/xdm on other systems. The following supposes that they are in /etc/X11/xdm, so you might have to translate them for another directory.

Here is what you have to do : Edit the file Xstartup, or create it, (in the xdm config directory) so that it reads :

> `

>     #!/bin/sh
>     /etc/X11/xdm/GiveConsole
>     sessreg -a -l $DISPLAY -x /etc/X11/xdm/Xservers $USER

> `

and the file Xreset so that it reads :

> `

>     #!/bin/sh
>     /etc/X11/xdm/TakeConsole
>     sessreg -d -l $DISPLAY $USER

> `

Make sure that xdm-config make reference to those two files:

> `

>     DisplayManager._0.startup:      /etc/X11/xdm/Xstartup
>     DisplayManager._0.reset:        /etc/X11/xdm/Xreset

> `

This will make kdm (or xdm) log the user into utmp, which is the right thing to do. It's not up to kvt, nor xterm, to log the user, but to xdm and kdm, in my opinion. However, this will not log the user as a X user when using startx... Any hint about that ?

### 5.2 Why Don't I, as a Normal User, Receive KDE Announcements ?

If you're running a linux system (with /proc enabled), this behaviour is a bug. Please send me a description of it so that I correct it.

If you're running linux 2.0.35, this is a known bug in the kernel, which doesn't let root read /proc. The solution is the same as in section 5.1, provided that you run kdm or xdm to log into X. Or upgrade !

Otherwise, this is normal : ktalkd can't find the user, as KDE doesn't log him into utmp and the linux based (/proc) detection is disabled. The solution is the same as in section 5.1, provided that you run kdm or xdm to log into X. Another solution is to make sure you always have a xterm running.

### 5.3 How Do I Get Debug Output from Ktalkd ?

As it is a daemon, there is no debug output on standard output. To get debugging output (for instance before submitting me a bug report !), update the lines in inetd.conf which launches ktalkd and kotalkd to be :

> `

>     talk   dgram   udp     wait    root    /usr/sbin/tcpd  /opt/kde/bin/kotalkd -d
>     ntalk  dgram   udp     wait    root    /usr/sbin/tcpd  /opt/kde/bin/ktalkd -d

> `

(notice the -d option)

Then edit /etc/syslog.conf to add the following line :

> `

>     *.*         /var/log/all_messages

> `

To make it work, you then have to restart inetd and syslogd :

> `

>     % killall -HUP inetd
>     % killall -HUP syslogd

> `

Finally, run a talk session and see the result in /var/log/all_messages

When submitting a bug report, never forget to include the debugging output, but also ktalkd's version number and the "./configure" output. Thanks.

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