UNIX for Dummies Questions & Answers

I need to do a switch user in an automated mode and do a ftp using that switched id.

Scenario:
initial login xx.
switch to user-yy without manually entering the password.
ftp some files from user yy to another user zz - automated mode.

Can any unix experts can help me for my above query?

https://www.unix.com/shell-programmin...x-solaris.html <--- will this be ok for you to give you some kind of idea?

#!/bin/sh
HOST='something.else.com'
USER='yourid'
PASSWD='yourpw'
FILE='file.txt'

ftp -n $HOST <<END_SCRIPT
quote USER $USER
quote PASS $PASSWD
put $FILE
quit
END_SCRIPT
exit 0

Linux, Unix and BSD users have the alternative of using a .netrc file. The ftp man page documents the format of .netrc. To accomplish the task of using ftp in a shell script you would have to fill out a .netrc file something like this:


machine something.else.com
login myid
password mypassword

ftp demands that .netrc not have group or world read or write permissions:


$ ls -l .netrc
-rw------- 1 bediger users 51 Dec 16 13:30 .netrc

Using a .netrc file has a few problems that may or may not prevent you from using it.

A shell scripkt that does FTP using .netrc is no longer self-contained. You have to keep track of two files, which means that bugs can be less than obvious.
ftp reads it's user ID's .netrc. If you develop your script under a given user ID, then put it in production under a second user ID, you have to coordinate .netrc file contents between those two user IDs.

This will help me in ftping. but how do i do a automated switch user?

Code:

su - myotheruser -c "thatftpscript.sh"

the .netrc file is the way to go - note the permissions on the .netrc file (contained in the home directory of the user executing the ftp) must be 00 to group and world... the user executing the ftp call is *usually* not the same user logging in and executing the ftp commands.

the call is in your script:
ftp -iv ftp.somesite.net 1>>$COMMDIR.out 2>>$COMMDIR.err

that call uses the .netrc which looks like this:
machine ftp.somesite.net login OTHERUSER password 53MB3e
macdef init
binary
cd incoming
put AMR.dat
cd ../outgoing
mget *Report.txt
mdelete *Report.txt
mget *.xml
mdelete *.xml
quit
#####END SOMESITE#####

Also you have to have at least one empty line following the macdef init entry in the .netrc file for it to be read.