usr/src/usr.bin/su/su.1

.\" Copyright (c) 1980, 1988 Regents of the University of California.
.\" All rights reserved.  The Berkeley software License Agreement
.\" specifies the terms and conditions for redistribution.
.\"
.\"	@(#)su.1	6.4 (Berkeley) %G%
.\"
.TH SU 1 ""
.UC
.SH NAME
su \- substitute user id
.SH SYNOPSIS
.B su
[-fl] [login]
.SH DESCRIPTION
.I Su
requests the password for
.I login
(or for ``root'', if no login is provided), changes to that user and
group ID and invokes another instance of your login shell.
The environment is unmodified.
.PP
If the invoked shell is
.IR csh ,
the
.I -f
option prevents it from reading your
.I .cshrc
file.  Otherwise, the
.I -f
option is ignored.
.PP
The
.I -l
option simulates a full login; the environment is discarded except for
HOME, SHELL, TERM, and USER.  HOME, SHELL, and USER are taken from the
password file for the user being substituted.  TERM is copied from
your environment.  The invoked shell is the substituted user's, not
yours.
.PP
The new user ID stays in force until the shell exits.
.PP
If the substituted user has no password, their login shell is invoked
rather than yours.
.PP
Only users in group 0 (normally ``wheel'') can
.I su
to ``root'', even with the root password.
.PP
To remind the super-user of his responsibilities, by default,
the shell substitutes ``#'' for its usual prompt.
.SH "SEE ALSO"
csh(1), login(1), sh(1), environ(7)
Commit	Line	Data
	1	.\" Copyright (c) 1980, 1988 Regents of the University of California.
	2	.\" All rights reserved. The Berkeley software License Agreement
	3	.\" specifies the terms and conditions for redistribution.
	4	.\"
	5	.\" @(#)su.1 6.4 (Berkeley) %G%
	6	.\"
	7	.TH SU 1 ""
	8	.UC
	9	.SH NAME
	10	su \- substitute user id
	11	.SH SYNOPSIS
	12	.B su
	13	[-fl] [login]
	14	.SH DESCRIPTION
	15	.I Su
	16	requests the password for
	17	.I login
	18	(or for ``root'', if no login is provided), changes to that user and
	19	group ID and invokes another instance of your login shell.
	20	The environment is unmodified.
	21	.PP
	22	If the invoked shell is
	23	.IR csh ,
	24	the
	25	.I -f
	26	option prevents it from reading your
	27	.I .cshrc
	28	file. Otherwise, the
	29	.I -f
	30	option is ignored.
	31	.PP
	32	The
	33	.I -l
	34	option simulates a full login; the environment is discarded except for
	35	HOME, SHELL, TERM, and USER. HOME, SHELL, and USER are taken from the
	36	password file for the user being substituted. TERM is copied from
	37	your environment. The invoked shell is the substituted user's, not
	38	yours.
	39	.PP
	40	The new user ID stays in force until the shell exits.
	41	.PP
	42	If the substituted user has no password, their login shell is invoked
	43	rather than yours.
	44	.PP
	45	Only users in group 0 (normally ``wheel'') can
	46	.I su
	47	to ``root'', even with the root password.
	48	.PP
	49	To remind the super-user of his responsibilities, by default,
	50	the shell substitutes ``#'' for its usual prompt.
	51	.SH "SEE ALSO"
	52	csh(1), login(1), sh(1), environ(7)