No, pkexec per default does not start a graphical application for security reasons. If you want to start a graphical application with pkexec, you need a policy in /usr/share/polkit-1/actions.
But, nowadays, it mostly isn't necessary to start a graphical application with elevated privileges, because there are better alternatives. On *buntu 18.04, synaptic does have a policy => https://packages.ubuntu.com/bionic/amd64/synaptic/filelist You can start it with synaptic-pkexec. The same command is used in /usr/share/applications/synaptic.desktop If it does not work and you have a policy, please check, that the PolicyKit Authentication Agent is running (lxsession-default-apps in section autostart) and logout/login. I don't understand, how "su -l $other_user" is related to this bug report? -- You received this bug notification because you are a member of Ubuntu Bugs, which is subscribed to Ubuntu. https://bugs.launchpad.net/bugs/1288786 Title: pkexec does not launch graphical authentication To manage notifications about this bug go to: https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/policykit-1/+bug/1288786/+subscriptions -- ubuntu-bugs mailing list ubuntu-bugs@lists.ubuntu.com https://lists.ubuntu.com/mailman/listinfo/ubuntu-bugs
