VIEW-OS(1)

NAME
viewsu - change (virtual) user ID or become (virtual) superuser

SYNOPSIS

viewsu [options] [username]

DESCRIPTION

The viewsu command is used to become another user during a login session. Invoked without a username, viewsu defaults to becoming the superuser. The optional argument - may be used to provide an environment similar to what the user would expect had the user logged in directly. This command is the View-OS counterpart of the su(1) command. The value of $PATH is reset to /bin:/usr/bin for normal users, or /sbin:/bin:/usr/sbin:/usr/bin for the superuser. This may be changed with the ENV_PATH and ENV_SUPATH definitions in /etc/login.defs.

OPTIONS

The options which apply to the viewsu command are:

-c, --command COMMAND
    Specify a command that will be invoked by the shell using its -c.

-, -l, --login
    Provide an environment similar to what the user would expect had the user logged in directly.

    When - is used, it must be specified as the last viewsu option. The other forms (-l and --login) do not have this restriction.

-s, --shell SHELL
    The shell that will be invoked.

    The invoked shell is chosen from (highest priority first):

        • The shell specified with --shell.

        • The shell indicated in the /etc/passwd entry for the target user.

        • /bin/sh if a shell could not be found by any above method.

SEE ALSO
su(1), linux.defs(5)

AUTHORS
View-OS is a project of the Computer Science Department, University of Bologna. Project Leader: Renzo Davoli.
<http://www.sourceforge.net/projects/view-os> Howto's and further information can be found on the project wiki <wiki.virtualsquare.org>.

NOTE
Most part of the text is taken from su(1).