su -c and user environment

[Woo Kim Chye]

Hi,
I try to run a script from the root user using the su -c command. The script to be called is using the $HOME environment. However, the $HOME env is till pointing to the root user instead of the intended su user. Below is what I get when I ru the su command from the root user:

$ su wsm-dev1 -c "echo $HOME"
/root

As you can see, the $HOME is echoed to be /root instead of /home/wsm-dev1 which is the home dir for the user wsm-dev1.

Does anyone have idea on how to get the user env instead of the root user?

Thanks.

[James R. Ferguson]

Hi:

# su - wsm-dev1 -c "echo \$HOME"

Use the 'su -' to cause the profile of the target user to be sourced (read) as if this were a login.

Escape ('\') the HOME variable so that the shell doesn't interpret the variable before it is passed along.

Also, consider the effect of the 'SU_KEEP_ENV_VARS' if you have defined it in your '/etc/default/security' file:

http://www.docs.hp.com/en/B3921-60631/security.4.html

Regards!

...JRF...

[sandeep mathur]

use su -wsm -dev1 -c "echo $/HOME".
su - for the profile of the target to be sourced.
and "/" for the shell is always good for use.

try this and you may get the answer.
if the answer is correct please gimme the points.

[Dennis Handly]

>sandeep: use su -wsm -dev1 -c "echo $/HOME".

This isn't helpful. There are at least 3 things wrong with it. Better to use JRF' solution.

[Peter Nikitka · Accepted solution]

Hi,
I'm missing the most obvious solution in preventing the expansion of the $-variable and using single quotes:
su - wsm-dev1 -c 'echo $HOME'

mfG Peter

[Dennis Handly]

>Peter: I'm missing the most obvious solution in preventing the expansion of the $-variable and using single quotes

Yes, that works. I guess it depends on how many $ variable are there and which need to be replaced by the current shell and which by the su shell.