groups and login shells

[Matthew Seaman]

On 26/12/2010 17:50, Chris Telting wrote:
> Just spent some time figuring this out.
> 
> I needed to create a group and add myself to it.
> 
> But after I added myself to the group while I could "id username" my
> username and
> get the correct groups if I did a base "id" or "groups" the new group
> wouldn't
> show up.  Not could I access a directory restricted to the group.  Turns
> out I needed
> to invoke a new login shell from an existing command prompt or
> essentially shut
> everything down and relogin a the console.  So I just reboot.
> 
> But owning to many years of resentment dealing with Microsoft platform I
> highly
> resent reboots.  Does anyone know if it's possible to update groups in
> memory?

You don't need to reboot.  All you need to do is login again, and your
session will have all the new group memberships.  Group membership is
only set at the beginning of a session; ie at login, so to see any
changes, you need to start a new session.

Actually, you seem confused as to the difference between logging out and
rebooting.  Rebooting is a drastic action on a multi-user server,
involving halting and restarting the whole OS and everything running on
it.  Logging out and back in again is pretty trivial, and only affects
your own processes.  Very different actions.

	Cheers,

	Matthew


-- 
Dr Matthew J Seaman MA, D.Phil.                   7 Priory Courtyard
                                                  Flat 3
PGP: http://www.infracaninophile.co.uk/pgpkey     Ramsgate
JID: matthew at infracaninophile.co.uk               Kent, CT11 9PW

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