Clams.....

[Doug]

>>> Just become root (su -) and edit the file.
>>>
>>>
>> Several folks have answered this:  you have to access the editor
>> from the command line.  Even if it's a GUI editor. So if you want to
>> use gedit, or Kate, you'd have to go to a terminal, and become root,
>> either by su > password > Kate, or sudo Kate.  Then find and open
>> the file and edit it, and save it.It should save OK, since you were
>> running in root.
>>
>> --doug
>>
> As a matter of curiosity, have you set up sudo?
> sudo allows one to perform certain root commands as if root.
> Once set up, the command sudo gedit /etc/filename would ask for the 
> user password and grant root access to edit the file.
>
> Roger
>
You are correct, Roger, but some distros do not include sudo (and 
sudoers and visudo) in their regular repos.  I believe that
this is unfortunate, and it may be possible to suss out a way to obtain 
them then, but it is necessary for some users to
know the su system of using root capability.  (I am forbidden by the 
purveyors of the distro I use from going into any
greater detail.)

--doug

-- 
Blessed are the peacekeepers...for they shall be shot at from both sides. --A.M. Greeley