Accessing the scanner requires sudo

Elive System Bugs
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#1

When wanting to scan with a USB device, I'm asked for a root password to communicate with the device.

I wouldn't call it a bug but this shouldn't be happening and it didn't before. I'm on installed 3.8.17 updated daily.

Bump @Thanatermesis

#2

Don't know if this is exactly related, but I cannot get my usb photo scanner to work anymore running Windows 7 as a guest in Virtualbox. I have basically given up - even trying to use as root/admin seems to make no difference. 5.7.0-0.bpo.2-amd64.

#3

There is a group 'scanner'. It should be associated with all usual scanners, but since there are a lot of different devices, it is only a 'should'.

See id

lupus@hope:~$ id
uid=1000(lupus) gid=1000(lupus) Gruppen=1000(lupus),24(cdrom),25(floppy),29(audio),30(dip),44(video),46(plugdev),109(netdev)

No group 'scanner' for me. But plugdev is a good idea here, too.
adduser lupus scanner. You'll can see the available groups with cat /etc/group.

If this won't work, we'll need to learn something about udev, usb and so on.

lsusb -> search scanner
looks like Bus 001 Device 004: ID 04b8:0122 My cool scanner at usb
ls -al /dev/bus/usb/001/004 -> See associated user/group

#4

Frankly I also could set the group plugdev to NOT require a password in "/etc/sudoers" with "visudo" but that wasn't my point in reporting the issue.

It was set passwordless before, so it's due to a change (or oversight) in one of the updates and should be set right again by @Thanatermesis .... as he is the only one with access to the code.

#5

Try group
plugdev usb sudo.

The group scanner is meant for non-usb scanners.

#6

Like I said, I'm not in need of a solution but merely want to point it out as a situation that should not be coming up. :shocked:
I'm just reporting a needless bug which apparently has gone unnoticed.
Novice Elive adapters should not need to kerfuffle around with "groups", "sudo" or commandline stuff to get something as simple as a scanning a page done.
It's as dumb as needing to be root to mount a disk ....... hasn't been necessary for years. :nod:

#8

I'd think the headline is misleading.

  • Q: Accessing the scanner requires sudo
    A: No, just the right group.

  • Real Q: New users have not the necessary groups.
    -- Text: If a new created user for example needs access scan, he/she/it can't use visudo.
    -- Suggestion: Add new users with 'sudo'.

The default /etc/sudoers gives the needed permission to all users in group sudo. See:

# Allow members of group sudo to execute any command
%sudo   ALL=(ALL:ALL) ALL

Since there are a lot of differernd scanners out there, it is not possible to make all working out of the box.
But do I understand your wish correct? -> New users need to be in the group sudo.

#9

I think I prefer "plugdev" but we'll see what @Thanatermesis comes up with.
In fact AFAIK the group "scanner" is only there for non-USB scanners ..... practically a diinosaur.

I'm actually not even sure how it was done in previous releases, haven't looked into it yet ..... and it isn't a pressing problem as "simplescan" just opens a "gksudo" widget to get the password.