This archive contains answers to questions sent to Unidata support through mid-2025. Note that the archive is no longer being updated. We provide the archive for reference; many of the answers presented here remain technically correct, even if somewhat outdated. For the most up-to-date information on the use of NSF Unidata software and data services, please consult the Software Documentation first.
Hi HP, re: > I am setting up McIdas on a my new Linux notebook running Suse 10.1 (I > know - not supported) where it primarily should feed IDV (on the same > amcine) with AREA files of MSG data from EUMETSAT's ADDE server. Sounds good. Even though we do not have a SuSE platform in-house and even though SSEC does not support anything but RedHat WS distributions for McIDAS, I have no doubt that things will work correctly on your machine. > Now I have run into a problem right at the outset. With Suse's Yast I > cannot create the mcadde account with mcidas' home directory as > recommended. Yast simply issues an error message and blocks account > creation. This is a very 'Windows like' instance of someone trying to protect the user from themselves. > It must be possible to tweak the home directory after having > created it. Unfortunately I am not well versed in Linux/Unix. You should be able to use Yast (I am not familiar with Yast) to create the mcadde account using a directory other than that of 'mcidas' and then run 'vipw' as root to change the setup. Again, I am assuming that SuSE contains the standard Linux utility 'vipw'. 'vipw' must be run as 'root'. It uses the 'vi' editor to edit the /etc/passwd and shadow password files. The only change you should have to make is to the /etc/passwd file: simply change the HOME directory for 'mcadde' from /home/mcadde to /home/mcidas. While at it, change the default shell from whatever you set it to be to /sbin/nologin (if Yast didn't allow you to do that when you create the 'mcadde' account). Here is what the /etc/passwd entries for 'mcidas' and 'mcadde' look like on my Fedora Core 6 system: mcidas:x:500:500:Unidata McIDAS-X:/home/mcidas:/bin/bash mcadde:x:501:500:McIDAS ADDE Remote ServerX:/home/mcidas:/sbin/nologin If for some reason SuSE does not have 'vipw', or if for some unexpected reason it doesn't allow you to change the /etc/passwd entry for 'mcadde' (I would be very suprised if it doesn't, by the way), then I recommend that you create a symbolic link from the HOME directory of 'mcidas' to the HOME directory of 'mcadde' as follows: <as 'root'> cd /home rm -rf mcadde ln -s mcidas mcadde Please let me know your results. Cheers, Tom **************************************************************************** Unidata User Support UCAR Unidata Program (303) 497-8642 P.O. Box 3000 address@hidden Boulder, CO 80307 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Unidata HomePage http://www.unidata.ucar.edu **************************************************************************** Ticket Details =================== Ticket ID: LDE-412096 Department: Support McIDAS Priority: Normal Status: Closed