Applescript for running sudo commands in terminal

Question

I'm a newbie when it comes to Applescript and was wondering if someone could help with a basic request. I need to write a small script to do the following:
1. Launch terminal
2. Run the 'Sudo -s' command
3. Enter the administrator password (in plain text)
and then
4. run some sudo commands like "sudo defaults write /Library/Preferences/com.apple.loginwindow HiddenUsersList -array-add administrator"
I actually WANT the administrator password to be in the script in plain text even though I understand the security risks (I will literally be the only person to ever see the script). I've trawled forums all over but can't seem to find what I am looking for and cannot get it working by patching together the various commands I have found. Thanks in advance for any help you can give!
Sean

Answer 1

I've included two examples.  The preferred way & the hacker way.
with administrator
It is easier to diagnose problems with debug information. I suggest adding log statements to your script to see what is going on.  Here is an example.
    Author: rccharles
    For testing, run in the Script Editor.
      1) Click on the Event Log tab to see the output from the log statement
      2) Click on Run
    For running shell commands see:
    http://developer.apple.com/mac/library/technotes/tn2002/tn2065.html
on run
    -- Write a message into the event log.
    log "  --- Starting on " & ((current date) as string) & " --- "
    --  debug lines
    set unixDesktopPath to POSIX path of "/System/Library/User Template/"
    log "unixDesktopPath = " & unixDesktopPath
    set quotedUnixDesktopPath to quoted form of unixDesktopPath
    log "quoted form is " & quotedUnixDesktopPath
    try
        set fromUnix to do shell script "sudo ls -l  " & quotedUnixDesktopPath with administrator privileges
        display dialog "ls -l of " & quotedUnixDesktopPath & return & fromUnix
    on error errMsg
        log "ls -l error..." & errMsg
    end try
end run
This version has an inline password.
Notice the echo 'password' |
The single quotes are no accident.
It is easier to diagnose problems with debug information. I suggest adding log statements to your script to see what is going on.  Here is an example.
    Author: rccharles
    For testing, run in the Script Editor.
      1) Click on the Event Log tab to see the output from the log statement
      2) Click on Run
    For running shell commands see:
    http://developer.apple.com/mac/library/technotes/tn2002/tn2065.html
on run
    -- Write a message into the event log.
    log "  --- Starting on " & ((current date) as string) & " --- "
    --  debug lines
    set unixDesktopPath to POSIX path of "/System/Library/User Template/"
    log "unixDesktopPath = " & unixDesktopPath
    set quotedUnixDesktopPath to quoted form of unixDesktopPath
    log "quoted form is " & quotedUnixDesktopPath
    try
        set fromUnix to do shell script "echo 'password' | sudo ls -l  " & quotedUnixDesktopPath
        display dialog "ls -l of " & quotedUnixDesktopPath & return & fromUnix
    on error errMsg
        log "ls -l error..." & errMsg
    end try
end run