I have been installing and configuring Debian on a laptop recently and got most stuff working except ALSA.

But I'm wondering about permissions to put the computer into standby, it's done with the command 'echo -n "standby" > /sys/power/state', and you have to have write permission to the /sys/power/state file to be able to do it.

The file is by default set to owner "root" group "root" and "-rw-r--r--/644". So what would be the best way to let users be able to do this command? Should I add them to the root group and put write permission to "Groups"? Should I put write permission for "Others"? Should I create a new group called "X" and change the group of this file to "X" and give writing permission to "Groups"?

I don't really know what would be the ideal way, that's why I'm asking.

Is it that you want all users to be able to do it? Or just some?

Either way i like the sudo idea.

It allows the user to have root privileges for specific commands if you so wish.

In RH distros the list can be accessed and editted by running visudo or otherwise editting the /etc/sudoers file.

lemme know if that helped.

I want all users to be able to, it's a laptop and users should be able to put it into standby without having administration privileges I believe.

I could use sudo but I rather not since I don't think a laptop user should need a password to be able to put the computer into standby or any other power saving mode..

hmmm....ok

I think ACPI or something like that will handle laptop battery monitoring as well as allowing for suspend and standby settings as well as the auto-timing of those events.

hope this helps...

Yea I have already installed ACPI, and the command I'm talking about in the beginning of this thread is the way ACPI put's the computer into standby, but normal users don't have write access to the file so they can't do 'echo -n "standby" > /sys/power/state' , I'm wondering what the ideal way is to allow normal users to do that.

Back to square one..

I figure a chmod 646 to the state file may work.

I hope this file isn't rewritten with precise permisions often or on every reboot.

Give it a try...lemme know how it works out

I think i had this working on an old laptop once....but i never checked...ACPI just worked for me...