switching users in the terminal

[jonniemuk]

hey folks,
i would like to know how to switch between users when on the terminal. for example i can switch to root using "su" then type "password". but here i want to switch to other accounts not root and switching from root without using exit.

[jayd512]

Let's assume that there are two users on the computer... Jack and Jill.
User Jack wants to su to Jill:

su Jill
*enter Jills password

Done.

Provided you have the user password, you can do this for any user.

su <username>

[atreyu]

To add, if you use a '-' (or '-l', or '--login') when you su, you will make it a login shell, e.g.:

su -  joeblow

Most obviously, this will cd you into the $HOME directory of the new user. In the case of suing to root, it has the important distinction of changing to root's PATH, which includes /sbin, /usr/sbin, and the like.

I use 'su -' so much that I literally can't type "su <USERNAME>" without automatically putting that dash there in between. I have to backspace it outa there...old habits die hard.

[jonniemuk]

Thanks *,
staff worked.