Power Menu in Carousel - sshd_config: open for write: permission denied

brimys

Hi folks!

I have younger kids, so I am trying to add an easy Power Menu to the main carousel. I found this:

https://retropie.org.uk/forum/topic/10736/power-on-off-option-in-main-menu/14

...but I am unable to do Steps 7 and 8:

Copy the contents of "Theme" to "/etc/emulationstation/themes". Here you will need super user permission.

Copy the content of es_system.cfg (it's 9 lines of text); open the file /etc/emulationstation/es_system.cfg; paste the text to second last line (of course, as separate sentences as in the source; it must be before </systemList> tag and after </system> tag). Here also you will need super user permission.

I am fairly new to this. I tried to edit the "sshd_config" in "/etc/ssh" but it keeps giving me errors (Error: /etc/ssh/sshd_config: open for write: permission denied, Error: File transfer failed).

Any help is appreciated!

Thanks!

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Pi Model or other hardware: 3B+
Power Supply used: Forgot to check, sorry!
RetroPie Version Used: retropie-4.4-rpi2_rpi3.img
Built From: Pre-made SD Image on RetroPie website
USB Devices connected: TurboTwist High/Low spinner, and an IPAC2 with the following connected: joystick + 6 buttons, minigrip w/ 2 buttons (thumb + trigger) + 6 buttons, (2x)coin, (2x)start
Controller used: None (I just use sticks/buttons above)
Emulator: advmame1.4

mitu

@brimys said in Power Menu in Carousel - sshd_config: open for write: permission denied:

I am fairly new to this. I tried to edit the "sshd_config" in "/etc/ssh" but it keeps giving me errors (Error: /etc/ssh/sshd_config: open for write: permission denied, Error: File transfer failed).

That's because you're logged as the user pi and you don't have permissions to write that file. Exit Emulationstation (quit menu or just press F4), then run

sudo nano /etc/ssh/sshd_config

and make your modifications.

brimys

@mitu If I do this, this will allow me to edit the config file on the pie (with a keyboard plugged in to the pie), correct?

How do I connect to the pie via FileZilla to drop the necessary art files in place? I believe I log in/connect to my pie as "pi" when I use FileZilla, si wouldn't I run into the same issue?

The two steps in the process that it looks like I need "super permission" are:

++++++++++++++++++++

Copy the contents of "Theme" to "/etc/emulationstation/themes". Here you will need super user permission.
Copy the content of es_system.cfg (it's 9 lines of text); open the file /etc/emulationstation/es_system.cfg; paste the text to second last line (of course, as separate sentences as in the source; it must be before </systemList> tag and after </system> tag). Here also you will need super user permission.

++++++++++++++++++++

So - I should hit F4, then run (sudo nano /etc/ssh/sshd_config). Edit that file to allow me to log in differently, so that I can do Steps 7 and 8? I'm confusing myself now... LOL

I was referencing this:

https://github.com/RetroPie/RetroPie-Setup/wiki/FAQ#why-cant-i-ssh-as-root-anymore

...but I'm not sure that's what I need to do. Looking in the file last night, I did not actually see "#PermitRootLogin without-password" as a separate line, I saw it referenced in the verbose text in that file, but not as a line.

mitu

@brimys said in Power Menu in Carousel - sshd_config: open for write: permission denied:

If I do this, this will allow me to edit the config file on the pie (with a keyboard plugged in to the pie), correct?

Yes, and I encourage you to do so. Permissions on the files in /etc/ssh are strictly checked so if you mess something up (via WinSCP or by changing them via the CLI), the SSH service might not start.

However, what you're trying to do is not worth changing any settings in SSH and I encourage you to copy the es_systems.cfg you want to modify from /etc/emulationstation to your user folder, as described in the docs. This way you'll be able to edit/modify as you see fit, without any permission errors.

brimys

@mitu OK, I'll stick with Choice #2 - " copy the es_systems.cfg you want to modify from /etc/emulationstation to your user folder"

What about the ability to do Step 7 - "Copy the contents of "Theme" to "/etc/emulationstation/themes" - moving some art files into place there? Or will that be allowed once I copy the es_systems.cfg over.

Just so I understand, copying that file over and making edits to it there basically overrides the source file (the one I copied) - ? Is that right?

Thanks!

mitu

@brimys said in Power Menu in Carousel - sshd_config: open for write: permission denied:

@mitu OK, I'll stick with Choice #2 - " copy the es_systems.cfg you want to modify from /etc/emulationstation to your user folder"

What about the ability to do Step 7 - "Copy the contents of "Theme" to "/etc/emulationstation/themes" - moving some art files into place there? Or will that be allowed once I copy the es_systems.cfg over.

No, themes are separate. You copy the themes' folders for the same reason - to be able to edit the theme and add the entries for the new system.

Just so I understand, copying that file over and making edits to it there basically overrides the source file (the one I copied) - ? Is that right?

Yes, this is described in the docs.

brimys

@mitu I’ll read through the docs, as well. Thank you.

When you say to copy it to my users folder, are you meaning on my pc, or on the pie? If on the pie, could you give me the folder path?

For the art (...the theme’s folders...), I also copy that folder into my users folder? Again, any help on correct folder path would be appreciated.

Many thanks!

mitu

The paths are specified in the docs - for the es_systems.cfg. For the themes, I think it's in the first post, but the idea is that the themes are copied in the /home/pi/.emulationstation/themes folder (which doesn't exist by default, you'll have to create it).