Automating tasks with SSH, Zenity, Yad, KDialog, PuTTY, WinSCP, and Rex Secure Agent
Self-Service
Starting a script on a Linux server with just a few mouse clicks sounds more complicated than it really is. If you want to create attractive and interactive dialogs for your desktop users, all you need is a small utility called SSH and a little Bash know-how.
Deleting all the tasks in the print spool or saving a complete backup to the SAN immediately after finishing a large project are all typical tasks that keep systems administrators from getting their real work done. How much easier it would be if they could enable their users to complete selected administrative tasks themselves.
To allow even inexperienced users to accomplish these housekeeping chores, admins can simply place an appropriate icon on their desktops. With it, the user starts a self-made program with a simple but sufficient GUI, which in turn triggers actions on the Linux server via SSH – also via script. If admins have SSH, sudo, and one of the dialog systems described below (Zenity, Yad, KDialog, or Rex) in their tool boxes, the client users don’t have to grapple with Linux concepts. Windows clients have PuTTY, WinSCP, or PowerShell.
Buy this article as PDF
(incl. VAT)
Buy Linux Magazine
US / Canada
UK / Australia
Subscribe to our Linux Newsletters
Find Linux and Open Source Jobs
Subscribe to our ADMIN Newsletters
Support Our Work
Linux Magazine content is made possible with support from readers like you. Please consider contributing when you’ve found an article to be beneficial.
News
-
TuxCare Announces Support for AlmaLinux 9.2
Thanks to TuxCare, AlmaLinux 9.2 (and soon version 9.6) now enjoys years of ongoing patching and compliance.
-
Go-Based Botnet Attacking IoT Devices
Using an SSH credential brute-force attack, the Go-based PumaBot is exploiting IoT devices everywhere.
-
Plasma 6.5 Promises Better Memory Optimization
With the stable Plasma 6.4 on the horizon, KDE has a few new tricks up its sleeve for Plasma 6.5.
-
KaOS 2025.05 Officially Qt5 Free
If you're a fan of independent Linux distributions, the team behind KaOS is proud to announce the latest iteration that includes kernel 6.14 and KDE's Plasma 6.3.5.
-
Linux Kernel 6.15 Now Available
The latest Linux kernel is now available with several new features/improvements and the usual bug fixes.
-
Microsoft Makes Surprising WSL Announcement
In a move that might surprise some users, Microsoft has made Windows Subsystem for Linux open source.
-
Red Hat Releases RHEL 10 Early
Red Hat quietly rolled out the official release of RHEL 10.0 a bit early.
-
openSUSE Joins End of 10
openSUSE has decided to not only join the End of 10 movement but it also will no longer support the Deepin Desktop Environment.
-
New Version of Flatpak Released
Flatpak 1.16.1 is now available as the latest, stable version with various improvements.
-
IBM Announces Powerhouse Linux Server
IBM has unleashed a seriously powerful Linux server with the LinuxONE Emperor 5.