[solved] hook to run commands when user logs in? (before bash profile)

Xyne · 2011-12-08 21:05:30

Is there any way to run commands when a user logs in but before the bash profile is sourced?

For example, I have a user account with a home directory on /tmp. When the user logs in, the home directory might not exist so there will be no .bash_profile to source. I want to run a script to create the directory if necessary and copy some files into it. How can that be done?

I thought of putting something in /etc/profile or /etc/profile.d/, but I would like to run something before the user's shell and environment become active.

I can use /etc/rc.local to do what I want, but I would prefer a hook to ensure that everything is set right when the user logs in.

Any ideas?

*edit*
Solution
In my case, I found that I could write my own shell script and set it as a login shell. In the script, I can configure everything I need before launching the interactive shell, then clean up anything after it exits.

Last edited by Xyne (2011-12-10 19:34:07)

dammannj · 2011-12-08 23:24:03

Take a look at 'man pam_exec'.
Maybe that is what you are looking for.

Xyne · 2011-12-10 19:36:02

Thanks, dammannj. PAM could probably do what I need but I think I have found a simpler solution (see original post).

Arch Linux

#1 2011-12-08 21:05:30

[solved] hook to run commands when user logs in? (before bash profile)

#2 2011-12-08 23:24:03

Re: [solved] hook to run commands when user logs in? (before bash profile)

#3 2011-12-10 19:36:02

Re: [solved] hook to run commands when user logs in? (before bash profile)

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