pynotify in python script go wrong when running with sudo in KDE

Question

I just want to show notification in KDE environment.So i tried pynotifytest.py

from pynotify import *
init("test")
Notification("test", "test").show()

then i run sudo python pynotifytest.py，the error i got was:

No protocol specified
/usr/lib/python2.7/site-packages/gtk-2.0/gtk/__init__.py:57: GtkWarning: could not open display warnings.warn(str(e), _gtk.Warning)
 ----> 3 Notification("test", "test").show()

Error: Command line `dbus-launch --autolaunch=cb94cb23372d0aff09ce7d8a000024b4 --binary-syntax --close-stderr' exited with non-zero exit status 1: No protocol specified\nAutolaunch error: X11 initialization failed.

then i tried to drop privilege pynotifytest.py

import os
os.setuid(1000)
from pynotify import *
init("test")
Notification("test", "test").show()

still i got the same error only in KDE.In gnome-shell and awesome the notification show up as expected.I have a python program must running with root privilege so i can't leave sudo behind. 1000 is my user's uid logging in X.

My linux distribution is Arch. Thanks

Answer 1

To allow sudo to start graphical application in X, you need to add:

Defaults env_keep += "HOME"

to visudo.

Answer 2

"it works for me" -- please give more details of your system. It worked on a fedora 15 with SELinux disabled here. Also note that the problem you are getting is on the GTK+ part - not pynotify per se.

Also - does your user "1000" is the one logged in the graphical environment? Of course this won't work if you are trying to diaplay windows with a user other than the one logged in or root itself.