Add switch to install dotfiles into another user directory

[seth--]

The idea

I have a server where I use different accounts depending on what I'm doing. Right now I have to copy the dotfiles directory to all the homes and run dfm umi in each one.

There should be a way to install dotfiles in another user directory.

Interface

I'm thinking in something like

• dfm install USERNAME
• dfm install -u USERNAME
• dfm install -p /home/USERNAME

  Internals

I'm thinking it should:

• link the files like it does now but in the other home
• chown all those files to USERNAME:USERNAME'S_PRIMARY_GROUP
• su USERNAME
• run all the files with the exec "flag"

The su is not only to execute those files with the right permissions but also to set environment variables

[justone]

For a little bit now, you have been able to run dfm from outside the dotfiles repo by using the $DFM_REPO environment variable. I just pushed a couple of commits (46ae22df29 and 140c077d2b) that make it possible for $DFM_REPO to have an absolute path outside of $HOME.

So, you should be able to do this:

user1 $ git checkout github.com:user1/dotfiles.git /usr/share/dotfiles
user1 $ su - user2
user2 $ export DFM_REPO=/usr/share/dotfiles
user2 $ $DFM_REPO/bin/dfm install
user2 $ . .bashrc
user2 $ dfm status

Each user would need to have DFM_REPO set in their .bashrc so that future logins would be able to find the repo again.

Does that work for you for sharing dotfiles repositories between users?

[seth--]

Yes, it's works for me. Maybe it would be good to add this to the wiki.

[justone]

I agree, it would be good to document this. I'm planning on making a separate website (#16) for dfm and dotfiles.

Closing this issue.