*nix: Run as different user GUI

Question

I want to run an application using only GUI as a different user. Not root. I want the user to be presented with a dropdown of system users, select one, enter the password, and the app gets run as that user. Like gksudo but user to run as specified in GUI and not as switch.

Does such an app exist?

Answer 1

I've never done it but... you may be able to piece together a script that will accomplish this.

You could use zenity to present the GUI list and gksu to execute the other application.

You would need to open up the xhosts permissions to allow the other user's process to access your workstation.

Answer 2

gksu is a program for graphically selecting the user as which to run a command. For more about specific situations and various authorization issues see a post on UbuntuForums.

Answer 3

In addition to what Chris Nava told about zenity (that is a really neat piece of software), you can also try whiptail, kdialog and xdialog. (Maybe an apropos dialog in your terminal will give you further hints).