DOKK / manpages / debian 12 / umview / viewsu.1.en
VIEW-OS(1) General Commands Manual VIEW-OS(1)

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

viewsu [options] [username]

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.

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.

su(1), linux.defs(5)

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>.

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

August 5, 2009 VIEW-OS: a process with a view