Can't access a folder with sudo
I have been using Linux for two years, but today I encountered a very strange thing. I have nginx deployed on one server, and this is its log folder:
♪ log l -d nginx
drwx------ 2 nginx nginx 4.0K Dec 7 03:15 nginx
(I'm using zsh and ♪ log means I am in a folder named 'log'. As you can see, I ended up saying that I did not go into the folder named 'nginx'.)
When I try to access it:
♪ log cd nginx
cd: permission denied: nginx
♪ log sudo cd nginx
♪ log
Even after I changed its permissions to 766, this folder still can not be accessed：
♪ log sudo chmod -R 766 nginx
♪ log l -d nginx
drwxrw-rw- 2 nginx nginx 4.0K Dec 7 03:15 nginx
♪ log cd nginx
cd: permission denied: nginx
♪ log sudo cd nginx
♪ log
Can someone explain this to me?
filesystems cd-command
edited Dec 16 at 11:47
Rui F Ribeiro
38.9k1479129
asked Dec 7 '17 at 7:17
Xiaochen Cui
112
add a comment |
I have been using Linux for two years, but today I encountered a very strange thing. I have nginx deployed on one server, and this is its log folder:
♪ log l -d nginx
drwx------ 2 nginx nginx 4.0K Dec 7 03:15 nginx
(I'm using zsh and ♪ log means I am in a folder named 'log'. As you can see, I ended up saying that I did not go into the folder named 'nginx'.)
When I try to access it:
♪ log cd nginx
cd: permission denied: nginx
♪ log sudo cd nginx
♪ log
Even after I changed its permissions to 766, this folder still can not be accessed：
♪ log sudo chmod -R 766 nginx
♪ log l -d nginx
drwxrw-rw- 2 nginx nginx 4.0K Dec 7 03:15 nginx
♪ log cd nginx
cd: permission denied: nginx
♪ log sudo cd nginx
♪ log
Can someone explain this to me?
filesystems cd-command
edited Dec 16 at 11:47
Rui F Ribeiro
38.9k1479129
asked Dec 7 '17 at 7:17
Xiaochen Cui
112
Can you switch torootbysudo -iand then try to docd?
– kirill-a
Dec 7 '17 at 7:42
add a comment |
I have been using Linux for two years, but today I encountered a very strange thing. I have nginx deployed on one server, and this is its log folder:
♪ log l -d nginx
drwx------ 2 nginx nginx 4.0K Dec 7 03:15 nginx
(I'm using zsh and ♪ log means I am in a folder named 'log'. As you can see, I ended up saying that I did not go into the folder named 'nginx'.)
When I try to access it:
♪ log cd nginx
cd: permission denied: nginx
♪ log sudo cd nginx
♪ log
Even after I changed its permissions to 766, this folder still can not be accessed：
♪ log sudo chmod -R 766 nginx
♪ log l -d nginx
drwxrw-rw- 2 nginx nginx 4.0K Dec 7 03:15 nginx
♪ log cd nginx
cd: permission denied: nginx
♪ log sudo cd nginx
♪ log
Can someone explain this to me?
filesystems cd-command
edited Dec 16 at 11:47
Rui F Ribeiro
38.9k1479129
asked Dec 7 '17 at 7:17
Xiaochen Cui
112
I have been using Linux for two years, but today I encountered a very strange thing. I have nginx deployed on one server, and this is its log folder:
♪ log l -d nginx
drwx------ 2 nginx nginx 4.0K Dec 7 03:15 nginx
(I'm using zsh and ♪ log means I am in a folder named 'log'. As you can see, I ended up saying that I did not go into the folder named 'nginx'.)
When I try to access it:
♪ log cd nginx
cd: permission denied: nginx
♪ log sudo cd nginx
♪ log
Even after I changed its permissions to 766, this folder still can not be accessed：
♪ log sudo chmod -R 766 nginx
♪ log l -d nginx
drwxrw-rw- 2 nginx nginx 4.0K Dec 7 03:15 nginx
♪ log cd nginx
cd: permission denied: nginx
♪ log sudo cd nginx
♪ log
Can someone explain this to me?
filesystems cd-command
filesystems cd-command
edited Dec 16 at 11:47
Rui F Ribeiro
38.9k1479129
asked Dec 7 '17 at 7:17
Xiaochen Cui
112
edited Dec 16 at 11:47
Rui F Ribeiro
38.9k1479129
asked Dec 7 '17 at 7:17
Xiaochen Cui
112
edited Dec 16 at 11:47
Rui F Ribeiro
38.9k1479129
edited Dec 16 at 11:47
Rui F Ribeiro
38.9k1479129
edited Dec 16 at 11:47
Rui F Ribeiro
38.9k1479129
38.9k1479129
asked Dec 7 '17 at 7:17
Xiaochen Cui
112
asked Dec 7 '17 at 7:17
Xiaochen Cui
112
asked Dec 7 '17 at 7:17
Xiaochen Cui
112
112
Can you switch torootbysudo -iand then try to docd?
– kirill-a
Dec 7 '17 at 7:42
add a comment |
Can you switch torootbysudo -iand then try to docd?
– kirill-a
Dec 7 '17 at 7:42
Can you switch to
root by sudo -i and then try to do cd?– kirill-a
Dec 7 '17 at 7:42
Can you switch to
root by sudo -i and then try to do cd?– kirill-a
Dec 7 '17 at 7:42
add a comment |
2 Answers
2
active
oldest
votes
The main reason is that sudo cd nginx entered the nginx folder and exited. So you are back to the previous state before launching the sudo command.
It's the same than doing sudo ls nginx/* for exemple which will list the content of the nginx folder and exit.
sudo spawns a new process with the requested privileges and running the requested command. Once the command finish, sudo exits and you fall back to previous situation.
To dig more, you have to understand that your location inside a file system, is dynamically managed by the shell program you are using. When a process is forked the shell context is replicated in the new process. Every manipulation of the copied context is specific to it, and is not affecting the parent context. So in our case, cd nginx is modifying the $PWD of the new process and not the parent's one. Once it finish, the related context is destroyed and then, you fallback in the parent's context which wasnt modified.
As the other dude explained to you, to be able to move into a folder you need to also have the execution permission (+x).
answered Dec 7 '17 at 7:36
netmonk
1,1741516
Thanks for your help but can you explain whysudo cd nginxwill execute exit operate?
– Xiaochen Cui
Dec 7 '17 at 7:38
If you read the last paragraph of the answer, you have an explanation of what happens and why so.
– netmonk
Dec 7 '17 at 7:45
add a comment |
A user has to have execute permissions on a directory to be able to change to it.
See e.g. the question "To cd into a directory".
To change to the directory as your ordinary user (not nginx or root), you will first have to sudo chmod o+x nginx. You may also start a root shell with sudo -s and access it from that shell session.
sudo cd nginx doesn't make much sense. The cd will succeed, but as soon as the sudo process exits, you will be left in the directory from where you executed sudo. The current working directory is part of the process' environment, and a child process (sudo) can't change the environment of its parent (your interactive shell).
answered Dec 7 '17 at 7:36
Kusalananda
121k16229372
add a comment |
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2 Answers
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active
oldest
votes
2 Answers
2
active
oldest
votes
active
oldest
votes
active
oldest
votes
The main reason is that sudo cd nginx entered the nginx folder and exited. So you are back to the previous state before launching the sudo command.
It's the same than doing sudo ls nginx/* for exemple which will list the content of the nginx folder and exit.
sudo spawns a new process with the requested privileges and running the requested command. Once the command finish, sudo exits and you fall back to previous situation.
To dig more, you have to understand that your location inside a file system, is dynamically managed by the shell program you are using. When a process is forked the shell context is replicated in the new process. Every manipulation of the copied context is specific to it, and is not affecting the parent context. So in our case, cd nginx is modifying the $PWD of the new process and not the parent's one. Once it finish, the related context is destroyed and then, you fallback in the parent's context which wasnt modified.
As the other dude explained to you, to be able to move into a folder you need to also have the execution permission (+x).
answered Dec 7 '17 at 7:36
netmonk
1,1741516
Thanks for your help but can you explain whysudo cd nginxwill execute exit operate?
– Xiaochen Cui
Dec 7 '17 at 7:38
If you read the last paragraph of the answer, you have an explanation of what happens and why so.
– netmonk
Dec 7 '17 at 7:45
add a comment |
The main reason is that sudo cd nginx entered the nginx folder and exited. So you are back to the previous state before launching the sudo command.
It's the same than doing sudo ls nginx/* for exemple which will list the content of the nginx folder and exit.
sudo spawns a new process with the requested privileges and running the requested command. Once the command finish, sudo exits and you fall back to previous situation.
To dig more, you have to understand that your location inside a file system, is dynamically managed by the shell program you are using. When a process is forked the shell context is replicated in the new process. Every manipulation of the copied context is specific to it, and is not affecting the parent context. So in our case, cd nginx is modifying the $PWD of the new process and not the parent's one. Once it finish, the related context is destroyed and then, you fallback in the parent's context which wasnt modified.
As the other dude explained to you, to be able to move into a folder you need to also have the execution permission (+x).
answered Dec 7 '17 at 7:36
netmonk
1,1741516
Thanks for your help but can you explain whysudo cd nginxwill execute exit operate?
– Xiaochen Cui
Dec 7 '17 at 7:38
If you read the last paragraph of the answer, you have an explanation of what happens and why so.
– netmonk
Dec 7 '17 at 7:45
add a comment |
The main reason is that sudo cd nginx entered the nginx folder and exited. So you are back to the previous state before launching the sudo command.
It's the same than doing sudo ls nginx/* for exemple which will list the content of the nginx folder and exit.
sudo spawns a new process with the requested privileges and running the requested command. Once the command finish, sudo exits and you fall back to previous situation.
To dig more, you have to understand that your location inside a file system, is dynamically managed by the shell program you are using. When a process is forked the shell context is replicated in the new process. Every manipulation of the copied context is specific to it, and is not affecting the parent context. So in our case, cd nginx is modifying the $PWD of the new process and not the parent's one. Once it finish, the related context is destroyed and then, you fallback in the parent's context which wasnt modified.
As the other dude explained to you, to be able to move into a folder you need to also have the execution permission (+x).
answered Dec 7 '17 at 7:36
netmonk
1,1741516
The main reason is that sudo cd nginx entered the nginx folder and exited. So you are back to the previous state before launching the sudo command.
It's the same than doing sudo ls nginx/* for exemple which will list the content of the nginx folder and exit.
sudo spawns a new process with the requested privileges and running the requested command. Once the command finish, sudo exits and you fall back to previous situation.
To dig more, you have to understand that your location inside a file system, is dynamically managed by the shell program you are using. When a process is forked the shell context is replicated in the new process. Every manipulation of the copied context is specific to it, and is not affecting the parent context. So in our case, cd nginx is modifying the $PWD of the new process and not the parent's one. Once it finish, the related context is destroyed and then, you fallback in the parent's context which wasnt modified.
As the other dude explained to you, to be able to move into a folder you need to also have the execution permission (+x).
answered Dec 7 '17 at 7:36
netmonk
1,1741516
edited Dec 7 '17 at 7:50
answered Dec 7 '17 at 7:36
netmonk
1,1741516
answered Dec 7 '17 at 7:36
netmonk
1,1741516
answered Dec 7 '17 at 7:36
netmonk
1,1741516
1,1741516
Thanks for your help but can you explain whysudo cd nginxwill execute exit operate?
– Xiaochen Cui
Dec 7 '17 at 7:38
If you read the last paragraph of the answer, you have an explanation of what happens and why so.
– netmonk
Dec 7 '17 at 7:45
add a comment |
Thanks for your help but can you explain whysudo cd nginxwill execute exit operate?
– Xiaochen Cui
Dec 7 '17 at 7:38
If you read the last paragraph of the answer, you have an explanation of what happens and why so.
– netmonk
Dec 7 '17 at 7:45
Thanks for your help but can you explain why
sudo cd nginx will execute exit operate?– Xiaochen Cui
Dec 7 '17 at 7:38
Thanks for your help but can you explain why
sudo cd nginx will execute exit operate?– Xiaochen Cui
Dec 7 '17 at 7:38
If you read the last paragraph of the answer, you have an explanation of what happens and why so.
– netmonk
Dec 7 '17 at 7:45
If you read the last paragraph of the answer, you have an explanation of what happens and why so.
– netmonk
Dec 7 '17 at 7:45
add a comment |
A user has to have execute permissions on a directory to be able to change to it.
See e.g. the question "To cd into a directory".
To change to the directory as your ordinary user (not nginx or root), you will first have to sudo chmod o+x nginx. You may also start a root shell with sudo -s and access it from that shell session.
sudo cd nginx doesn't make much sense. The cd will succeed, but as soon as the sudo process exits, you will be left in the directory from where you executed sudo. The current working directory is part of the process' environment, and a child process (sudo) can't change the environment of its parent (your interactive shell).
answered Dec 7 '17 at 7:36
Kusalananda
121k16229372
add a comment |
A user has to have execute permissions on a directory to be able to change to it.
See e.g. the question "To cd into a directory".
To change to the directory as your ordinary user (not nginx or root), you will first have to sudo chmod o+x nginx. You may also start a root shell with sudo -s and access it from that shell session.
sudo cd nginx doesn't make much sense. The cd will succeed, but as soon as the sudo process exits, you will be left in the directory from where you executed sudo. The current working directory is part of the process' environment, and a child process (sudo) can't change the environment of its parent (your interactive shell).
answered Dec 7 '17 at 7:36
Kusalananda
121k16229372
add a comment |
A user has to have execute permissions on a directory to be able to change to it.
See e.g. the question "To cd into a directory".
To change to the directory as your ordinary user (not nginx or root), you will first have to sudo chmod o+x nginx. You may also start a root shell with sudo -s and access it from that shell session.
sudo cd nginx doesn't make much sense. The cd will succeed, but as soon as the sudo process exits, you will be left in the directory from where you executed sudo. The current working directory is part of the process' environment, and a child process (sudo) can't change the environment of its parent (your interactive shell).
answered Dec 7 '17 at 7:36
Kusalananda
121k16229372
A user has to have execute permissions on a directory to be able to change to it.
See e.g. the question "To cd into a directory".
To change to the directory as your ordinary user (not nginx or root), you will first have to sudo chmod o+x nginx. You may also start a root shell with sudo -s and access it from that shell session.
sudo cd nginx doesn't make much sense. The cd will succeed, but as soon as the sudo process exits, you will be left in the directory from where you executed sudo. The current working directory is part of the process' environment, and a child process (sudo) can't change the environment of its parent (your interactive shell).
answered Dec 7 '17 at 7:36
Kusalananda
121k16229372
edited Dec 7 '17 at 9:58
answered Dec 7 '17 at 7:36
Kusalananda
121k16229372
answered Dec 7 '17 at 7:36
Kusalananda
121k16229372
answered Dec 7 '17 at 7:36
Kusalananda
121k16229372
121k16229372
add a comment |
add a comment |
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Can you switch to
rootbysudo -iand then try to docd?– kirill-a
Dec 7 '17 at 7:42