4.4BSD/usr/share/man/cat1/chfn.0

CHPASS(1)                    BSD Reference Manual                    CHPASS(1)

NNAAMMEE
     cchhppaassss - add or change user database information

SSYYNNOOPPSSIISS
     chpass [--aa _l_i_s_t] [--ss _n_e_w_s_h_e_l_l] [user]

DDEESSCCRRIIPPTTIIOONN
     CChhppaassss allows editing of the user database information associated with
     _u_s_e_r or, by default, the current user.  The information is formatted and
     supplied to an editor for changes.

     Only the information that the user is allowed to change is displayed.

     The options are as follows:

     --aa      The super-user is allowed to directly supply a user database en-
             try, in the format specified by passwd(5),  as an argument.  This
             argument must be a colon (``:'') separated list of all the user
             database fields, although they may be empty.

     --ss      The --ss option attempts to change the user's shell to _n_e_w_s_h_e_l_l.

     Possible display items are as follows:

           Login:           user's login name
           Password:        user's encrypted password
           Uid:             user's login
           Gid:             user's login group
           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 mistake to do so.  Routines
     that manipulate these files will often return only one of the multiple
     entries, and that one by random selection.

     The _g_r_o_u_p field is the group that the user will be placed in at login.
     Since BSD supports multiple groups (see groups(1))  this field currently
     has little special meaning.  This field may be filled in with either a
     number or a group name (see group(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 termcap(5) style database of user attributes.

     The user's _h_o_m_e _d_i_r_e_c_t_o_r_y is the full UNIX path name where the user will
     be placed at login.

     The _s_h_e_l_l 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 alter-
     ing a login shell, and not the super-user, the user may not change from a
     non-standard shell or to a non-standard shell.  Non-standard is defined
     as a shell not found in _/_e_t_c_/_s_h_e_l_l_s.

     The last four fields are for storing the user's _f_u_l_l _n_a_m_e, _o_f_f_i_c_e
     _l_o_c_a_t_i_o_n, and _h_o_m_e and _w_o_r_k _t_e_l_e_p_h_o_n_e numbers.

     Once the information has been verified, cchhppaassss uses pwd_mkdb(8) to update
     the user database.

EENNVVIIRROONNMMEENNTT
     The vi(1) editor will be used unless the environment variable EDITOR is
     set to an alternate editor.  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.

FFIILLEESS
     /etc/master.passwd  The user database
     /etc/passwd         A Version 7 format password file
     /etc/chpass.XXXXXX  Temporary copy of the password file
     /etc/shells         The list of approved shells

SSEEEE AALLSSOO
     login(1),  finger(1),  passwd(1),  getusershell(3),  passwd(5),
     pwd_mkdb(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.

HHIISSTTOORRYY
     The cchhppaassss command appeared in 4.3BSD-Reno.

4.4BSD                           June 29, 1993                               2