Call external script within chroot environment

Question

I use a chroot development environment for developing software for devices. The chroot dev environment isolates the rest of my system from my build-system hacking. The chroot environment is text-based, but I prefer to use a graphical text editor. Right now, I keep one terminal chrooted into the dev environment to build packages and one terminal pointed at the chroot environment from the outside to edit files.

I'm tired of constantly switching back and forth between these terminals, but I don't want to install X and Gnome on my compact dev environment for obvious reasons. I need a way to forward certain commands to the exterior environment, but I can't think of a simple solution. How can I execute a command on the exterior system from within a chroot environment?

Answer 1

You could SSH into your own system, enabling X forwarding, and set it up with keys so no password is required. At minimum, something like:

ssh localhost -c my-graphical-editor

Answer 2

When an account is chrooted, everything that you need has to exist in the chroot / environment. That means /usr, /opt/, etc., has to be "local" and populated with whatever code is required. Graphical interfaces typically require a boatload of support code.

You may personally prefer a graphical interface but is it necessary? Or more correctly will it compromise the jail; make it easier to break out of jail?

You can su back and forth pretty quickly...

Answer 3

Yes, SSH can be used, but without X forwarding, because you want to run the app outside of chroot, not inside. This means you have to tell the app where is its X server, because SSH won't do it for you. It is done by setting DISPLAY environment variable prior running any X app to the same value as your non-chrooted terminal has, usually it is:

export DISPLAY=:0