[lug] apache perms

[karl horlen]

normally i make necessary apache conf file and web server directory / file manipulation changes as root.  this means i usually have to go back and chown / chgrp / chmod those files as required by apache *after* i make the changes.

i'd love to be able to temporarily login as my apache user/group when i make these changes so i don't have to worry about perms or perform a separate set of perm operations every time i make apache related changes.  since my apache user doesn't have a login shell, is there a way to give it one temporarily per session on the fly by using a cmd versus having to modify /etc/passwd to change the shell and then change it back after i'm done with my ops?

similarly, for cases where root only needs group set to apache group, is there a way to temporarily on the fly set my root's primary group to the apache group instead of the default without editing /etc/groups per session ?

hope that makes sense