How to get root inside of vi?

Question

Possible Duplicate:
Becoming root from inside Vim

It could happen to anyone. The admin types:

vi /etc/resolv.conf

as a regular user. He edits the /etc/resolv.conf file, but when he wants to hit :x he suddenly notices that he was editing the file in read-only mode because he opened it with a normal user, not root.

Are there any vi commands to get root privileges, so that the admin won't have to hit :q! and sudo su - and vi /etc/resolv.conf and edit it again?

OT, but `sudo vi /etc/resolve.conf` should be sufficient, no need to start a root login shell. — Mat, Jan 04 '12 at 08:17
I'd probably just write the buffer to a temporary file, then quit and `sudo vi ...`. It doesn't quite do what you asked, but it avoid having to re-enter the changes you've made. — Keith Thompson, Jan 04 '12 at 09:09
I asked the same question about Vim a while ago: http://unix.stackexchange.com/questions/11004/becoming-root-from-inside-vim — Mad Scientist, Jan 04 '12 at 15:07

enzotib · Accepted Answer · 2012-01-04T08:42:06.887

51

In the page Top Ten One-Liners from CommandLineFu Explained is suggested this trick (the #3):

:w !sudo tee %

this write the current buffer to the stdin of the command after the !. The % symbol is substituted with the current filename.

edited Jan 04 '12 at 08:42

answered Jan 04 '12 at 08:10

enzotib

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Oooh, nice. Will have to remember that. – Shadur Jan 04 '12 at 08:48
A discussion about this very trick: http://stackoverflow.com/questions/2600783/how-does-the-vim-write-with-sudo-trick-work/7078429#7078429 – Nathan Long Jan 04 '12 at 15:33
2

What will happen if sudo asks you to enter your password? Will this be managed by vi / vim? – Giorgio Jan 04 '12 at 15:55
you simply write your password then, and it goes on – LanceBaynes Jan 04 '12 at 17:13
1

As retrieved from @Fabian's question, the more correct way to do this is `:w !sudo dd of=%` because the way above is an exploit of `tee`, but in practice either works fine. – user606723 Jan 04 '12 at 17:53
omg, 37 up? wow! – LanceBaynes Jan 04 '12 at 22:49

How to get root inside of vi?

1 Answers1