[ic] Gentoo: Different syntax for su command

[Grant]

> >>Upon installing IC on a new Gentoo box I found that the following does
> >>not work:
> >>
> >>     su -c "/usr/local/interchange/bin/interchange -r" interch (this is
> >>recommended during install/makecat)
> >>
> >>Using this syntax you will get the following:
> >>
> >>     "The Interchange server must not be run as root."
> >>
> >>instead I needed to use the following syntax:
> >>
> >>     su - interch -c "/usr/local/interchange/bin/interchange -r"
> >>
> >>
> >
> >
> >Well, "su interch" and "su - interch" should both be valid, and do one
> >little different thing; the inclusion of " - " creates a "login shell",
> >whereas su without it doesn't; and this is the same everywhere.
> >
> >You both changed the order of parameters, and added " - ". I don't
> >believe anyone would break su in a way you describe; try playing around
> >some more to come to the *actual* source of problem.
> >
> >A little hint, as root, try running:
> >
> >  su -c id nobody
> >
> >If it reports ID nobody, then nothing has changed in Gentoo version
> >of su.
> >
> >
> You are correct, the "-" is not needed. I do that out of habit. However,
> if you put the user ID at the end of the command, it does not work.
> Perhaps someone more knowledgeable than me can explain why, but I wasted
> about an hour on the tangent trying to figure out why this is as it is.
> 
> The "man su" page for the Gentoo version is pretty much worthless. It
> does not list any arguments that it supports (the man page for other
> distros does list a helpful list of arguments).
> 
> Also here are the results of your sugguested test:
> su -c id nobody
> uid=0(root) gid=0(root)
> groups=0(root),1(bin),2(daemon),3(sys),4(adm),6(disk),10(wheel),11(floppy),20(dialout),26(tape),27(video)
> 
> su nobody -c id
> {doesn't return any results}
> 
> One of the test I ran initially to get to my conclusion was very similar
> to your approach, although I did not post it I probably should have:
> su -c whoami interch
> root
> 
> su interch -c whoami
> interch
> 
> 
> -Gary

I recommend the Gentoo list for this.  They are very helpful:

http://www.gentoo.org/main/en/lists.xml

also the forums:

http://forums.gentoo.org/

- Grant