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From: ritzenth@bgsuvax.UUCP (Phil Ritzenthaler)
Newsgroups: comp.emacs
Subject: users init (.emacs) file not being used at startup when su'ed
Message-ID: <1186@bgsuvax.UUCP>
Date: Thu, 25-Jun-87 13:53:40 EDT
Article-I.D.: bgsuvax.1186
Posted: Thu Jun 25 13:53:40 1987
Date-Received: Sat, 27-Jun-87 07:51:16 EDT
Organization: The Land Beneath the Forest Moon of Endor
Lines: 38
Keywords: init, startup.el, .emacs

Background:
    1.)  Gnu Emacs 18.47 running on a Vax 785 4.3BSD Unix
    2.)  There is a .emacs file in the root directory ( / )

Problem:
When 18.45 was released, in /lisp/Changelog, there was an entry:

     Tue May 12 11:50:22 1987  Richard M. Stallman  (rms at prep)
                                     .
                                     .

	* startup.el (command-line): If running under `su',
	use user's original login name to get init file.
	Otherwise use $HOME.

Then for 18.47, another entry:

     Wed Jun 10 21:10:01 1987  Richard M. Stallman  (rms at prep)
	     * Version 18.47 released.
	     * startup.el (command-line): Old test for su failed.
	       Now assume su if (user-login-name) != (getenv "USER").

Our Emacs still searches only the $HOME environment (which is the root 
directory) when we have su'ed.  It never uses the user's original login name 
(or even $USER) to get the init (.emacs) file.  I kludged around this by
placing the entry:
     (load "~$USER/.emacs")
in the root's .emacs file, but can you say B-O-M-B if the user doesn't have
an init file!!!???!!!  There has to be a better way!  Anyone seen an Emacs-Lisp
manual?  Does one exist?

Any ideas, guesses, horse shoes, grenades available??
                                                   
Phil Ritzenthaler			 |USnail:University Computer Services
                                         |       241 Math-Science Bldg.
                                         |       Bowling Green State University
UUCP :.!cbosgd!osu-eddie!bgsuvax!ritzenth|       Bowling Green, OH   43403-0125
CSNET: ritzenth@research1.bgsu.edu       |       Phone: (419) 372-2102