Date: Fri, 15 Aug 2003 13:50:11 -0700 (PDT) From: underway@comcast.net (Gary W. Swearingen) To: freebsd-doc@FreeBSD.org Subject: Re: docs/55613: su man page confusing, probably incorrect Message-ID: <200308152050.h7FKoBS2024675@freefall.freebsd.org>
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The following reply was made to PR docs/55613; it has been noted by GNATS.
From: underway@comcast.net (Gary W. Swearingen)
To: Gregory Neil Shapiro <gshapiro@FreeBSD.org>
Cc: FreeBSD-gnats-submit@FreeBSD.org
Subject: Re: docs/55613: su man page confusing, probably incorrect
Date: Fri, 15 Aug 2003 13:44:38 -0700
Gregory Neil Shapiro <gshapiro@FreeBSD.org> writes:
> Clearly the -c in these examples is not pointing at a login class. It is
> pointing at a command to run. Sure a later example gives the even more
> confusing:
>
> su -c staff man -c `catman /usr/share/man /usr/local/man /usr/X11R6/man'
>
> However, -c is never documented in the man page as pointing to a command
> to run, which it in fact does do.
That example actually contains a hint. The syntax is
su [-] [-flms] [-c class] [login [args]]
so in all examples, "man" is the "login"** and the "-c" which follows
"man" is the "args" (to the login shell). The "-c" is documented in
the "sh" (or is it "csh"?) manpages, on the assumption that the reader
is using a shell which supports such a "-c" option.
If it tripped you up, it could trip up others and should be improved.
** I almost wrote a PR once on that use of "login" in the syntax
and description. "user" (as used by "passwd"), "username",
"user-name", "login-name" or almost anything would be better than
"login", especially in the text where it should be even longer,
like "user account name". (The "login" "man" doesn't even log in. :)
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