Modifing a root file

[seattle vic]

I'm trying to install a program in /etc and make a mod to a conf file, but can't, even if I use sudo.

For example, if I create a directory and file: /etc/test/testfile using sudo, I can read the file, edit the file and delete the file, but what I can't seem to do is:

> sudo echo 'this is a test' > testfile

The result is:

bash: testfile: Permission denied

Here are the permissions:

drwxr-xr-x 2 root root 4096 2010-09-03 11:28 .
drwxr-xr-x 166 root root 12288 2010-09-03 10:43 ..
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root 20 2010-09-03 11:28 testfile



What am I missing here? I thought that as sudo I can do anything?

[Smart Viking]

Weird same happens to me.

But i could do this though:


[smartviking@localhost test]$ sudo su
[root@localhost test]# ls
testfile
[root@localhost test]# echo 'this is a test' > testfile
[root@localhost test]# exit
:)

[da burger]

sudo will allow you to do anything, BUT sudo applies to only the command, not the bash piping and such. If you give me a minute or two I'll try and remember a way to get around this.

EDIT, Couple of other things, @SM what you did worked because sudo su launches bash as root meaning everything is run with privileges including piping. And for future reference I believe is is advised to use sudo -i instead of sudo su.

EDIT2 Found a way of doing it. Run the command
echo "stuff" | sudo tee filename to replace piping with >. To replace piping with >> add the -a option to tee. This will also produce output on stdout as well as in the file. If this is problematic for some reason just add
>/dev/null to the end.

Angus.

[seattle vic]

OK, now I understand.

Thank you...

[ranch hand]

I am not sure you want the work test in there as it is a built in command in bash.