CODEWITHSUNDEEP
bashubuntu
user27068
user27068

Reputation: 43

Running some parts of the script with root and other parts with normal user

To make sure my bash script runs as root I use:

if [ "$UID" -ne "0" ]; then
echo "You must root to run $0. Try following"
echo "sudo $0"
exit 9
fi

But in the script, there some commands that I want to run with sudo -u $USER, however, if I run the whole script as root it comes out as sudo -u root ($USER will be root, not the original USER).

How do I run the script as root but also run certain commands in the script as the default logged in user so I don't have to put in the password or do chmod to change permissions?

Upvotes: 0

Views: 1888

Answers (2)

Walter A
Walter A

Reputation: 20032

You need the non-evaluated user in some variable.

How you want to do this depends on your actual use case.

You can look at:

Nasty temp file:

echo "$USER" >  /tmp/thatsme.tmp
su -
# Hmm, now hope nobody has changed the tmpfile doing the same trick
orguser=$(cat /tmp/thatsme.tmp)
rm /tmp/thatsme.tmp

Keep environment 

export orguser="$USER"
su # Not su -
echo "orguser=${orguser}"

Proces ps -ef and look for original user on the same tty you are on. (not recommended)

Call su - -c script additional parameter and change your master script that it pulls the user from $1.

Upvotes: 1

WickedWeb DesignRI
WickedWeb DesignRI

Reputation: 11

Within your bash script you'll need to use the 'su' command to switch user, then the -c command with your needed command/script.

If you run as root you won't need to put in the $USER password.

Example: su $USER -c "command"

Upvotes: 1

Related Questions