su(1M)                                                               su(1M)


   NAME
         su - become super-user or another user

   SYNOPSIS
         su [ - ] [ name [ arg ... ] ]

   DESCRIPTION
         su allows one to become another user without logging off.  The
         default user name is root (that is, super-user).

         To use su, the appropriate password must be supplied (unless one is
         already root).  If the password is correct, su will execute a new
         shell with the real and effective user and group IDs and
         supplementary group list set to that of the specified user.  The new
         shell will be the optional program named in the shell field of the
         specified user's password file entry [see passwd(4)] or /usr/bin/sh
         if none is specified [see sh(1)].  To restore normal user ID
         privileges, type an EOF character (CTRL-d) to the new shell.

         Any additional arguments given on the command line are passed to the
         program invoked as the shell.  When using programs such as sh, an arg
         of the form -c string executes string via the shell and an arg of -r
         gives the user a restricted shell.

         The following statements are true only if the optional program named
         in the shell field of the specified user's password file entry is
         like sh.  If the first argument to su is a -, the environment will be
         changed to what would be expected if the user actually logged in as
         the specified user.  This is done by invoking the program used as the
         shell with an arg0 value whose first character is -, thus causing
         first the system's profile (/etc/profile) and then the specified
         user's profile (.profile in the new HOME directory) to be executed.
         Otherwise, the environment is passed along with the possible
         exception of $PATH, which is set to /sbin:/usr/sbin:/usr/bin:/etc for
         root.  Note that if the optional program used as the shell is
         /usr/bin/sh, the user's .profile can check arg0 for -sh or -su to
         determine if it was invoked by login or su, respectively.  If the
         user's program is other than /usr/bin/sh, then .profile is invoked
         with an arg0 of -program by both login and su.

         All attempts to become another user using su are logged in the log
         file /var/adm/sulog.

   EXAMPLES
         To become user bin while retaining your previously exported
         environment, execute:
               su bin

         To become user bin but change the environment to what would be
         expected if bin had originally logged in, execute:
               su - bin


   7/91                                                                 Page 1

   su(1M)                                                               su(1M)


         To execute command with the temporary environment and permissions of
         user bin, type:
             su - bin -c "command args"

   FILES
         /etc/passwd system's password file
         /etc/profilesystem's profile
         $HOME/.profileuser's profile
         /var/adm/suloglog file
         /etc/default/suthe default parameters that live here are:

                     SULOG:
                           If defined, all attempts to su to
                           another user are logged in the indicated file.

                     CONSOLE:
                           If defined, all attempts to suroot
                           are logged on the console.

                     PATH: Default path.

                     SUPATH:
                           Default path for a user invoking suroot.

   SEE ALSO
         env(1), login(1), sh(1) in the User's Reference Manual.
         passwd(4), profile(4), environ(5) in the Programmer's Reference
         Manual.

























   Page 2                                                                 7/91