Groups | Search | Server Info | Keyboard shortcuts | Login | Register [http] [https] [nntp] [nntps]

Groups > linux.debian.user > #198702

Re: /etc/alternatives feedback for presentation

Show all headers | View raw

On Sat, Aug 11, 2018 at 05:28:37PM -0500, Ryan Nowakowski wrote:
> For example if I set the EDITOR env var how does
> that interact with update-alternatives when I run visudo?

The VISUAL or EDITOR variable takes precedence, if one of them is set.
If neither one is set, then visudo uses its compiled-in default, which
on Debian happens to be '/usr/bin/editor'.

The problem is that sometimes, sudo will strip environment variables,
and sometimes, it will not.  So, on any given computer with any given
sudoers configuration, you can't actually know in advance whether
"sudo visudo" will use VISUAL/EDITOR or not.

Isn't Unix *fun*?

Of course, if you simply use "su", then VISUAL/EDITOR will be preserved
in the environment (because "su" does not strip environment variables),
so "su" followed by "visudo" should work fine.

But, wait!  Debian has decided to CHANGE HOW SU WORKS in testing, so
after stretch, who knows how things will work?!

Some people claim you should muscle-memorize "su -" which strips the
environment in order to give you a usable PATH variable.  If you follow
THIS advice, then "su -" will strip VISUAL/EDITOR from the environment,
and then your VISUAL/EDITOR variables won't work when you type visudo.
So, I can't imagine why you would want to do that.  Losing all your
qualify-of-life environment variables is far too high a price to pay to
get a working PATH variable after su.

The other alternatives are:

1) Stay on stretch.
2) Edit /etc/login.defs to restore a functional su command (without needing
   to use "su -").
3) Put /usr/sbin and /sbin in your ordinary account's PATH.

*Fun*!

Back to linux.debian.user | Previous | Next — Previous in thread | Next in thread | Find similar | Unroll thread

Thread

/etc/alternatives feedback for presentation "der.hans" <deb-user@LuftHans.com> - 2018-08-09 22:10 +0200
  Re: /etc/alternatives feedback for presentation Ryan Nowakowski <tubaman@fattuba.com> - 2018-08-12 00:30 +0200
    Re: /etc/alternatives feedback for presentation Greg Wooledge <wooledg@eeg.ccf.org> - 2018-08-13 15:10 +0200
      Re: /etc/alternatives feedback for presentation David Wright <deblis@lionunicorn.co.uk> - 2018-08-14 17:40 +0200
        Re: /etc/alternatives feedback for presentation Greg Wooledge <wooledg@eeg.ccf.org> - 2018-08-14 17:50 +0200
      Re: /etc/alternatives feedback for presentation "der.hans" <deb-user@LuftHans.com> - 2018-08-24 04:30 +0200
        Re: /etc/alternatives feedback for presentation Greg Wooledge <wooledg@eeg.ccf.org> - 2018-08-24 14:20 +0200
    Re: /etc/alternatives feedback for presentation "der.hans" <deb-user@LuftHans.com> - 2018-08-17 04:40 +0200

csiph-web