[comp.archives] [emacs] Re: "turning on" root privileges in a running emacs

ange@hplb.hpl.hp.com (Andy Norman) (01/16/91)

Archive-name: ftp/client/ange-ftp/1991-01-15
Archive: tut.cis.ohio-state.edu:pub/gnu/emacs/elisp-archive/as-is/ange-ftp.el.Z [128.146.8.60]
Original-posting-by: ange@hplb.hpl.hp.com (Andy Norman)
Original-subject: Re: "turning on" root privileges in a running emacs
Reposted-by: emv@ox.com (Edward Vielmetti)

>>>>> "Fred" == lakin@csli.stanford.edu (Fred Lakin) writes:

Fred> Sometimes in the middle of a session I want to read or modify a file
Fred> requiring root privs. At the moment, I have to go to a shell, become
Fred> su, and start another emacs. Is there some to momentarily enable (and
Fred> later "turn back off") su privs in an emacs started by a regular
Fred> user??

Firstly let me assume that you mean GNU Emacs when you say 'emacs'.

This is a roundabout solution to your problem.  You will probably barf when
you think about it.  ;-)

There is a package in tut.cis.ohio-state.edu:pub/gnu/emacs/elisp-archive/as-is
called ange-ftp.el.Z which augments most of the usual GNU Emacs file-handling
routines to work over FTP.

Using this package, you can access files as root on your system by just using
the filename:

  /root@system:pathname

instead of 'pathname'.

OK, feel free to barf!  ;-)

Please let me know if this solves your problem.

					-- ange --

					ange@hplb.hpl.hp.com