Path: utzoo!utgpu!water!watmath!clyde!rutgers!husc6!cmcl2!brl-adm!umd5!decuac!dolqci!stein
From: stein@dolqci.UUCP (Mike Stein)
Newsgroups: comp.unix.questions
Subject: System V newgrp
Keywords: group
Message-ID: <722@dolqci.UUCP>
Date: 24 Dec 87 16:48:12 GMT
References: <4718@well.UUCP> <6866@ncoast.UUCP> <1014@bakerst.UUCP>
Reply-To: stein@dolqci.UUCP (Mike Stein)
Distribution: na
Organization: Dept. of Labor, Unemployment Insurance
Lines: 19


     I experienced one "gotcha" with the System V 'newgrp' command.
When doing a 'newgrp', you are given a new environment REGARDLESS OF
THE SUCCESS OR FAILURE OF THE COMMAND.  What does this mean?  After your
'newgrp', all shell variables previously marked for export are no longer
so marked, and all unexported variables are lost.  This happens even if
you make a typo and try to change to a group that doesn't exist (e.g.,
'newgrp fo' when you meant 'newgrp foo'.)  If you do this and then
correct your typo without re-exporting everything, you end up with no
environment variables left other than the "builtins" (and I'm not even
sure about those).

                                         - Mike Stein
                                           ... uunet!vrdxhq!dolqci!stein
                 U. S. Dept. of Labor / 200 Constitution Ave. NW
                 Rm. S-4519 / Washington DC 20210 / (202) 535-0640

The above represents the Absolute Truth.  Therefore it could not possibly
have been written or approved by the U. S. Government.