su(1) — UTek W2.3



SU(1)                   COMMAND REFERENCE                   SU(1)



NAME
     su - substitute userid temporarily

SYNOPSIS
     su [ - ] [ -e ] [ -f ] [ username ]

DESCRIPTION
     Su demands the password of the specified username, and if it
     is given, changes to that username and invokes the Shell
     sh(1sh) without changing the current directory.  The user
     environment is unchanged except for HOME and SHELL, which
     are taken from the password file for the user being
     substituted (see environ(7)), unless the -e option is given.
     The new userid stays in force until the Shell exits.

     If no username is specified, root is assumed.  To remind the
     superuser of his or her responsibilities, the Shell
     substitutes # for its usual prompt.

     When a user attempts to su to root (or any username with a
     userid of 0), the attempt is reported to the system via
     syslog(3c). This applies to all attempts, including those
     where an invalid password is given.

OPTIONS
     -   Execute the shell as -su, causing the startup file (
         .profile or .login) to be read.

     -e  Use the original user's environment.  With this option,
         the substituted user's powers are given, but the user
         uses current environment variables and aliases (only in
         csh(1csh)).

     -f  Execute the shell with the -f flag. (This only works
         with csh(1csh)).

VARIABLES
     HOME           The home directory for the given username.

     SHELL          The login shell for the given username.

     USER           The given username.

     TERM           The type of terminal being used.

RETURN VALUE
     The exit code for a successful execution of su is that of
     the shell that was executed.

     [1]            The username given is not in the password
                    file.




Printed 10/17/86                                                1



SU(1)                   COMMAND REFERENCE                   SU(1)



     [2]            The password given was incorrect.

     [3]            The groupid for the given username could not
                    be set.

     [4]            The groups for the username could not be set.


     [5]            The username could not be set.

     [6]            Could not change directory to the home
                    directory for the given username.

     [7]            The shell program could not be executed.

     [NP_ERR]       An error occurred that was not a system
                    error.  Execution terminated.

CAVEATS
     When substituting a username which has no execute or read
     permission in the current directory, the shell may not be
     able to execute commands from the startup file.  Su can not
     check for this possibility, since some username's do not
     execute shells.

     If the basename of the shell to be executed is not csh, the
     -f option is ignored.

SEE ALSO
     csh(1csh), sh(1sh), environ(7).

























Printed 10/17/86                                                2

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