UNIX for Dummies Questions & Answers

Hi guys

So I've got this PERL script that for one reason or another I need to run as a user other than the user that created the script.
When I su - to another user the script won't run and doesn't give me any output as to why. No permission denied or anything like that.
I've chmod 777'd the script but still no joy. What am I missing?

Hi Jay,

If you want the script to run as the same user all the time, you should use the Set User ID bit - so no matter who runs the script it will run as the user that owns it.

As for no output etc, you'll have to check the user environment.

To set the SUID bit.

Code:

chmod 4XXX /path_to_file

Regards

Dave

Thanks for the reply Gull. I don't want it to run as the same user all of the time. In fact I need to make sure that it is NOT run as the user that created it (it's a long story).

Anyway can I use this chmod 4XXX /path_to_file to make the script executable by everyone? What am I replacing the X's with (talking to an utter noob here sorry! :P)

Hi Jay,

To make the script executable by any one use the following;

Code:

chmod 755 /path_to_script

Things to be aware of here are the script may well be suppressing some of the output, although you should get at least a not found or a permission denied message. You'd have to have a look at yhe perl script to determine that.

Users will have to either invoke the script with it's full path name or have their path amended to include the file directory.

Regards

Dave

Thanks again Gull but still no joy. Literally all that happens is this:

user1@server> ./script.pl

running...
running...
running...

Ctrl + c

user1@server>su - user2
password:
user2@server> ./script.pl
user2@server>

---------- Post updated at 01:48 PM ---------- Previous update was at 01:35 PM ----------

Ok got it. It's the standard output being redirected like you said. The reason this is happening is because the script makes directories and user1 has permission to create said directories but user2 doesn't. Thanks Gull!

Thank you for following up with your solution. It may prove helpful to someone else in the future.

Regards,
Alister