[SOLVED] change prompt when I issue su for root

BW-userx · 01-14-2017, 09:45 AM

I have got it to change when I issue su - but not properly and when I issue just su
it only goes to #
and the arrow keys I can only get garbage out when I use them.

Code:

userz@voider [~]\>>$su
Password: 
# ls
Desktop    Downloads  Pictures	Templates  perform
Documents  Music      Public	Videos	   scripts
# ^[[A

using the up arrow to reissue the last command I get that # ^[[A

I am wanting to get a better prompt when going into su with colors (after I get this to work)
something like

Quote:

root@HostName [current directory]>>#

but even when I add this code into .bashrc (prompt code is for test purposes)

Code:

if [[ $( id -u ) -eq 0 ]] ; then
PS1="\[\e[34m\]\u\[\e[m\]@\[\e[34m\]\H\[\e[m\] [\[\e[33m\]\W\[\e[m\]]\\>>$"
else
PS1='[\u@\h \W]\<>$ '
fi

I get this

Code:

[userz@voider ~]\<>$ su
Password: 
# exit
[userz@voider ~]\<>$ su -
Password: 
-sh: 16: [[: not found
\[\e[1;32m\]\u [ \[\e[0m\]\w\[\e[1;32m\] ]$ \[\e[0m\]

How do I get this to work on a system wide platform?
I already know I have to use /etc/bashrc just what is it that needs to be put inside of these files?

my system has bashrc in /etc/bash/bashrc btw

hazel · 01-14-2017, 10:39 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Beyond Linux From Scratch

# Setup a red prompt for root and a green one for users.
NORMAL="\[\e[0m\]"
RED="\[\e[1;31m\]"
GREEN="\[\e[1;32m\]"
if [[ $EUID == 0 ]] ; then
PS1="$RED\u [ $NORMAL\w$RED ]# $NORMAL"
else
PS1="$GREEN\u [ $NORMAL\w$GREEN ]\$ $NORMAL"
fi

They recommend doing this in /etc/profile. The root user often has history turned off for security reasons, which may be why your arrow keys don't work.

Habitual · 01-14-2017, 10:55 AM

Before you edit...
Your bash_history arrow keys don't work because

Code:

su

gets you get root without root's environment, were

Code:

su -

you gets you root with root's environment.

Code:

PS1='${debian_chroot:+($debian_chroot)}\[\033[01;32m\]\u@\h\[\033[01;34m\] \w \$\[\033[00m\] '

in both user and root .bashrc files. Source 'em or logout and back in.
Gets you a red prompt for root, but you have to use

Code:

su -

to invoke it.

BW-userx · 01-14-2017, 11:54 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by hazel

They recommend doing this in /etc/profile. The root user often has history turned off for security reasons, which may be why your arrow keys don't work.

haha actaully tried that one and it didn't work -- lead me to having to post a how to in here. thanks!

BW-userx · 01-14-2017, 11:54 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Habitual

Before you edit...
Your bash_history arrow keys don't work because

Code:

su

gets you get root without root's environment, were

Code:

su -

you gets you root with root's environment.

Code:

PS1='${debian_chroot:+($debian_chroot)}\[\033[01;32m\]\u@\h\[\033[01;34m\] \w \$\[\033[00m\] '

in both user and root .bashrc files. Source 'em or logout and back in.
Gets you a red prompt for root, but you have to use

Code:

su -

to invoke it.

seen that one on the net, didn't understand it. plus it is saying debain when I am NOT running Debain .. soo it too may not work

grail · 01-14-2017, 12:46 PM

Try using single quotes instead of double, like you did for your user prompt.

BW-userx · 01-14-2017, 12:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by grail

Try using single quotes instead of double, like you did for your user prompt.

OK --

BW-userx · 01-14-2017, 01:12 PM

OK this is in order. System bashrc, root .bashrc, userx (me) .bashrc

Code:

[userx@voider.org ~]$ sudo cat /etc/bash/bashrc
# /etc/bash/bashrc

# Do not edit this file.
# Place your readable configs in /etc/bash/bashrc.d/*.sh 

if [[ $- != *i* ]] ; then
	# Shell is non-interactive.  Be done now!
	return
fi

if [ -d /etc/bash/bashrc.d/ ]; then
	for f in /etc/bash/bashrc.d/*.sh; do
		[ -r "$f" ] && . "$f"
	done
	unset f
fi

if [ -f /usr/bin/neofetch ]; then neofetch; fi

# Setup a red prompt for root and a green one for users.
NORMAL='\[\e[0m\]'
RED='\[\e[1;31m\]'
GREEN='\[\e[1;32m\]'
if [[ $EUID == 0 ]] ; then
PS1='$RED\u [ $NORMAL\w$RED ]# $NORMAL'
else
PS1='$GREEN\u [ $NORMAL\w$GREEN ]\$ $NORMAL'
fi

Code:

[userx@voider.org ~]$ sudo cat /root/.bashrc
# .bashrc

# If not running interactively, don't do anything
[[ $- != *i* ]] && return


alias ls='ls --color=auto'
PS1='[\u@\H \W]\$ '

Code:

[userx@voider.org ~]$ cat .bashrc
# .bashrc

# If not running interactively, don't do anything
[[ $- != *i* ]] && return


alias ls='ls --color=auto'
PS1='[\u@\H \W]\$ '

that bold line works as a system wide command, but that change prompt does not.

this isn't helping

Code:

[userx@voider.org ~]$ echo $EUID
1000
[userx@voider.org ~]$ su
Password: 
# echo $EUID

# su -
# echo $EUID

# echo $UID

# exit
# echo $UID

#

exit to get me back from su - to just su to echo $UID. both are coming up blank - null - empty

now when I change that test in /etc/bash/bashrc to this

Code:

# Setup a red prompt for root and a green one for users.
NORMAL='\[\e[0m\]'
RED='\[\e[1;31m\]'
GREEN='\[\e[1;32m\]'

#if [[ $EUID == 0 ]] ; then


if [[ $(id -u) -eq 0 ]] ; then
PS1='$RED\u [ $NORMAL\w$RED ]# $NORMAL'
else
PS1='$GREEN\u [ $NORMAL\w$GREEN ]\$ $NORMAL'
fi

then run this

Code:

[userx@voider.org ~]$ su
Password: 
# id
uid=0(root) gid=0(root) groups=0(root)
# id -u
0
# su -
# id -u
0
#

still nothing. all I am getting is this prompt.

Code:

[userx@voider.org ~]$ su
Password: 
#

grail · 01-14-2017, 01:34 PM

hmmm ... seems I was not clear

As per your original post, without the addition of variables, use single quotes:

Code:

if [[ $( id -u ) -eq 0 ]] ; then
PS1="\[\e[34m\]\u\[\e[m\]@\[\e[34m\]\H\[\e[m\] [\[\e[33m\]\W\[\e[m\]]\\>>$"
else
PS1='[\u@\h \W]\<>$ '
fi

# becomes

if [[ $( id -u ) -eq 0 ]] ; then
PS1='\[\e[34m\]\u\[\e[m\]@\[\e[34m\]\H\[\e[m\] [\[\e[33m\]\W\[\e[m\]]\\>>$ '
else
PS1='[\u@\h \W]\<>$ '
fi

When using double quotes you need to be aware of how many escapes you need in certain places or you get unusual responses.

This will not affect simple su, as was pointed out earlier you are not entering root's environment fully so this file you have changed will not be sourced.

BW-userx · 01-14-2017, 02:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by grail

hmmm ... seems I was not clear

As per your original post, without the addition of variables, use single quotes:

Code:

if [[ $( id -u ) -eq 0 ]] ; then
PS1="\[\e[34m\]\u\[\e[m\]@\[\e[34m\]\H\[\e[m\] [\[\e[33m\]\W\[\e[m\]]\\>>$"
else
PS1='[\u@\h \W]\<>$ '
fi

# becomes

if [[ $( id -u ) -eq 0 ]] ; then
PS1='\[\e[34m\]\u\[\e[m\]@\[\e[34m\]\H\[\e[m\] [\[\e[33m\]\W\[\e[m\]]\\>>$ '
else
PS1='[\u@\h \W]\<>$ '
fi

When using double quotes you need to be aware of how many escapes you need in certain places or you get unusual responses.

This will not affect simple su, as was pointed out earlier you are not entering root's environment fully so this file you have changed will not be sourced.

sorry - I wiped my system and re-installed and well I figured I'd go from that linux from scratch in the system bashrc which is where this code should go to get system wide usage so I do not have to deal with my user .bashrc in this matter, yes?

if you look cose enough you'd see I replaced that " " with ' ' within the if else it is just the prompt code that is different, still regardless if I use

Code:

if [[ $( id -u ) -eq 0 ]] ; then or 
if [[ $EUID == 0 ]] ; then

it does not work.

look see

Code:

if [[ $(id -u) -eq 0 ]] ; then
PS1='$RED\u [ $NORMAL\w$RED ]# $NORMAL'
else
PS1='$GREEN\u [ $NORMAL\w$GREEN ]\$ $NORMAL'
fi

single quotes are being used. still no go.

look see

Code:

  GNU nano 2.7.4                                                                          File: /etc/bash/bashrc                                                                                     

# /etc/bash/bashrc

# Do not edit this file.
# Place your readable configs in /etc/bash/bashrc.d/*.sh

if [[ $- != *i* ]] ; then
        # Shell is non-interactive.  Be done now!
        return
fi

if [ -d /etc/bash/bashrc.d/ ]; then
        for f in /etc/bash/bashrc.d/*.sh; do
                [ -r "$f" ] && . "$f"
        done
        unset f
fi

if [ -f /usr/bin/neofetch ]; then neofetch; fi


if [[ $( id -u ) -eq 0 ]] ; then
PS1='\[\e[34m\]\u\[\e[m\]@\[\e[34m\]\H\[\e[m\]
[\[\e[33m\]\W\[\e[m\]]\\>>$ '
else
PS1='[\u@\h \W]\<>$ '
fi

I still get this

Code:

[userx@voider.org ~]$ su
Password: 
# su -
#

I think it is that the terminal starts out user, when it is still running and gets changed to root by su it does not look into that /etc/bash/basrc file again because it is already running(?) so it does not get sourced again?

Habitual · 01-14-2017, 03:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BW-userx

seen that one on the net, didn't understand it. plus it is saying debain when I am NOT running Debain .. soo it too may not work

You have to understand it to try it?
I ran that on Slackware.
I've had it for 8 years.

BW-userx · 01-14-2017, 03:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Habitual

You have to understand it to try it?
I ran that on Slackware.
I've had it for 8 years.

damn ... figures now that I am looking for that one post on this Debian_Chroot ... I cannot find it. SO i just stuck that in my if else in system bashrc it did nothing, so I stuck it in my ~/.bashrc and still I get nothing when changing from user to su (root) just the pound sign #

BW-userx · 01-14-2017, 06:41 PM

Code:

[userx@voider.org]:
[~]>>$  ps -p $$

Thank you
PID TTY TIME CMD
19323 pts/2 00:00:00 bash
[userx@voider.org]:
[~]>>$ su
Password:
# ps -p $$
PID TTY TIME CMD
15778 pts/2 00:00:00 sh
# su -
# ps -p $$
PID TTY TIME CMD
15947 pts/2 00:00:00 sh
# chsh -s /bin/bash
Changing shell for root.
Shell changed.
#

Now it is working.. just need to tweek the prompt

[root@voider.org userx]2

Now I got it.. failed to check shell for root ... always is something simple over looked item.