format-udf does not work without sudo

[tloimer]

The format-udf script makes the assumptions that (1) it is run as unprivileged user and (ii) sudo is available. I wished that format-udf also works without sudo, run as root.

[JElchison]

Hi @tloimer, thanks for reporting.

Are you willing to test my fix for this issue, using your environment? The fix exists in the develop branch, currently at 1ca76af. Travis result here.

The specific commit that implements your fix is 89835bc. Please review.

Please report back. Thanks!

[tloimer]

Great, works. I simply formatted again the same device that I had formatted before (where all occurences of "sudo" were deleted from the script). However, I would suggest to add a warning if the script is not run as root, something along the lines of diff -u a/format-udf.sh b/format-udf.sh --- a/format-udf.sh 2017-07-26 16:40:11.636131851 +0200 +++ b/format-udf.sh 2017-07-26 16:38:36.706030054 +0200 @@ -27,6 +27,10 @@ # setup sudo SUDO='' if [[ $(id -u) -ne 0 ]]; then + if [[ ! -x $(which sudo 2>/dev/null) ]]; then + echo "[-] Please run this script as root." >&2 + exit 1; + fi SUDO='sudo' fi Otherwise, on my machine, if the script is mistakenly run as ordinary user, the output is $ ./format-udf.sh sdb GE [+] Validating arguments... [+] Testing dependencies... [+] Looking for drive info tool... [-] Dependencies unmet. Please verify that at least one of the following are installed, executable, and in the PATH: blockdev, ioreg [*] Exiting without changes to /dev/sdb With the change as above, the output would be $ ./format-udf.sh sdb GE [-] Please run this script as root. Thanks a lot.

[JElchison]

Thanks, @tloimer. I'm on board with your patch. It will be useful in cases where sudo is not available.

However, I want to ensure that I understand your scenario before merging in your patch. Concerning the following error message:

[-] Dependencies unmet.  Please verify that at least one of the following are installed, executable, and in the PATH:  blockdev, ioreg

The script is behaving as if blockdev is not in your unprivileged user's PATH, but it is in the root PATH. Is that what's happening?

Thanks!

[tloimer]

Yes, $su; which blockdev /sbin/blockdev

[JElchison]

Thanks, @tloimer.

It turns out that your recommended patch bypasses the core issue, but did not fix the core issue. The core issue is that the calls to which also need $(SUDO) if the usage of the tool uses $(SUDO). Can you please review b6aee7d, as well as 6690130?

Also, are you willing to re-test using your environment? The fix exists in the develop branch, currently at b6aee7d. Travis result here.

Thanks!

[tloimer]

Tested both. Both give now error messages which describe the issue in this case and propose a solution. Thanks a lot!

[JElchison]

Thanks again for reporting, and thanks for your help testing! I'll generate a new release shortly...