Replacement for the unix wall command, which also works with gnome-terminal

wall.sh

#!/bin/bash

usage="
Usage:
 wall [options] [message]

Write a message to all users.

Options:
 -n, --nobanner          do not print banner
 -h, --help              display this help and exit
"

SHORT=nh
LONG=nobanner,help

PARSED=$(getopt --options $SHORT --longoptions $LONG --name "$0" -- "$@")
if [[ $? -ne 0 ]]; then
    echo "$usage"
    exit 2
fi
eval set -- "$PARSED"

while true; do
    case "$1" in
        -n|--nobanner)
            n=y
            shift
            ;;
        -h|--help)
            echo "$usage"
            exit 0
            ;;
        --)
            shift
            break
            ;;
        *)
            exit 3
            ;;
    esac
done

ps -ef | grep " pts/" | awk '{print $6}' | sort -u > terminals_list.temp
ps -ef | grep " tty" | awk '{print $6}' | sort -u | grep -v "pts" >> terminals_list.temp
if [ "$n" ]; then
    pre=""
    post=""
else
    pre="-e \nBroadcast message from $(whoami)@$(hostname) ($(ps ax | grep "^$$" | awk '{ print $2 }')) ($(date +"%a %b %d %H:%M:%S %Y")):\n\n"
    post="\n"
fi
cat terminals_list.temp | while read TTY_TO; do echo $pre"$*"$post | sudo tee /dev/$TTY_TO 1>/dev/null; done
rm terminals_list.temp

Hello Danmou,

I found this script from your SO post. I have a question I wonder you could help me with.

I am using this in conjunction with a python tool i created to manage aws ec2 instances from the command line.

I can successfully use your script in the command line with out needing higher level permission. However, when I use your script with in a python script... I am asked for permission before the script will finish. Once I give it the elevated permission it requests, the script will work fine untill the elevated permission times out.

I am using this on os x.

any thoughts?

Thanks for the script!
-KJS

Update:
So it seems that the original wall must have root privileges. Is this something that I can change in your script? Or is this a must based on permissions to be able to write to everyones terminal?