topic Re: Problem starting an application (unable to open /dev/console) in Operating System - HP-UX

Problem starting an application (unable to open /dev/console)

fario — Thu, 17 Oct 2002 14:48:13 GMT

Hi !!!,

I'm having some problems when starting an application. Everytime I'm trying to run a binary of the application (over HPUX 11i) I'm obtaining the same error:

*********************************************************
* FILE: ushbin
* Unable to open console.
* Unix system call open(/dev/console) failed,
* errno(1) = Not owner
*********************************************************

I have checked the /dev/console and it seems to have the right permissions:

$ ll /dev/console
crw--w--w- 1 root tty 0 0x000000 Oct 17 10:23 /dev/console

The binaries are owned by an special user (the one I use to start the ap.). Do I have to include this user in some group in order to use /dev/console ??? or have I to check any configuration file?

Thank you very much for your help,
Best Regards.

Re: Problem starting an application (unable to open /dev/console)

Ted Ellis_2 — Thu, 17 Oct 2002 15:11:20 GMT

any chance you have console listed in the /etc/securetty file? Maybe that is preventing the launch... This is a recommended security setting, but if it is there, go ahead and remove it and retest. If it works, you at least know the culprit. You should try and find a way to let you keep that securetty setting for security reasons

Ted

Re: Problem starting an application (unable to open /dev/console)

fario — Thu, 17 Oct 2002 15:34:38 GMT

Good Idea...but there is no /etc/securetty file.

Thank you very much.

Re: Problem starting an application (unable to open /dev/console)

Ken Hubnik_2 — Thu, 17 Oct 2002 15:38:24 GMT

Look at the man page on console. It suggest other ways to communicate the the system console perhaps the app is using one of these methods.

Re: Problem starting an application (unable to open /dev/console)

Jeff Schussele — Thu, 17 Oct 2002 17:17:58 GMT

Hi fario,

My guess is that this is a GUI application & you need to do either:

A) export DISPLAY=xxx.xxx.xxx.xxx:0 (The IP of your workstation running an X server)
OR
B) Install Xvfb (X-windows virtual frame buffer) that will "fake-out" the app to make it think there's an graphic device local to the server.

HTH,
Jeff