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1991-04-29
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CHPASS User Commands CHPASS
NNAAMMEE
chpass, chfn, chsh - add or change user database information
SSYYNNOOPPSSIISS
chpass [ -a list ] [ user ]
DDEESSCCRRIIPPTTIIOONN
_C_h_p_a_s_s (or the alias _c_h_f_n ) allows editing of the user data-
base information associated with _u_s_e_r or, by default, the
current user. The information is formatted and supplied to
an editor for changes. The _v_i editor will be used unless
the environmental variable EDITOR selects an alternate edi-
tor. When the editor terminates, the information is re-read
and used to update the user database itself. Only the user,
or the super-user, may edit the information associated with
the user.
Only the information that the user is allowed to change is
displayed.
Possible display items are as follows:
Login: user's login name
Password: user's encrypted password
Uid: user's id
Gid: user's login group id
Change: password change time
Expire: account expiration time
Class: user's general classification
Home Directory: user's home directory
Shell: user's login shell
Full Name: user's real name
Location: user's normal location
Home Phone: user's home phone
Office Phone: user's office phone
The _l_o_g_i_n field is the user name used to access the computer
account.
The _p_a_s_s_w_o_r_d field contains the encrypted form of the user's
password.
The _u_i_d field is the number associated with the _l_o_g_i_n field.
Both of these fields should be unique across the system (and
often across a group of systems) as they control file
access.
While it is possible to have multiple entries with identical
login names and/or identical user id's, it is usually a mis-
take to do so. Routines that manipulate these files will
often return only one of the multiple entries, and that one
by random selection.
Sprite v1.0 March 12, 1989 1
CHPASS User Commands CHPASS
The _g_r_o_u_p field is the group that the user will be placed in
upon login. Since this system supports multiple groups (see
_g_r_o_u_p_s(1)) this field currently has little special meaning.
This field may be filled in with either a number or a group
name (see _g_r_o_u_p(5)).
The _c_h_a_n_g_e field is the date by which the password must be
changed.
The _e_x_p_i_r_e field is the date on which the account expires.
Both the _c_h_a_n_g_e and _e_x_p_i_r_e fields should be entered in the
form ``month day year'' where _m_o_n_t_h is the month name (the
first three characters are sufficient), _d_a_y is the day of
the month, and _y_e_a_r is the year.
The _c_l_a_s_s field is currently unused. In the near future it
will be a key to a _t_e_r_m_c_a_p(5) style database of user attri-
butes.
The user's home directory is the full UNIX path name where
the user will be placed on login.
The shell field is the command interpreter the user prefers.
If the _s_h_e_l_l field is empty, the Bourne shell (/_b_i_n/_s_h) is
assumed.
When altering a login shell, and not the super-user, the
user must select an approved shell from the list in
/_e_t_c/_s_h_e_l_l_s.
The last four fields are for storing the user's full name,
office location, and home and work telephone numbers.
The super-user is also allowed to directly supply a user
database entry, in the format specified by _p_a_s_s_w_d(5), as an
argument to the -_a option. This argument must be a colon
(``:'') separated list of all the user database fields,
although they may be empty.
Once the information has been verified, _c_h_p_a_s_s uses
_m_k_p_a_s_s_w_d(8) to update the user database. This is run in the
background, and, at very large sites could take several
minutes. Until this update is completed, the password file
is unavailable for other updates and the new information
will not be available to programs.
FFIILLEESS
/etc/master.passwd The user database
/etc/shells The list of approved shells
Sprite v1.0 March 12, 1989 2
CHPASS User Commands CHPASS
SSEEEE AALLSSOO
login(1), finger(1), getusershell(3), passwd(5),
mkpasswd(8), vipw(8)
Robert Morris and Ken Thompson, _U_N_I_X _p_a_s_s_w_o_r_d _s_e_c_u_r_i_t_y
BBUUGGSS
User information should (and eventually will) be stored
elsewhere.
Sprite v1.0 March 12, 1989 3