PASSWD(1) UNIX Programmer's Manual PASSWD(1)
chfn, chsh, passwd - change password file information
S
\bSY
\bYN
\bNO
\bOP
\bPS
\bSI
\bIS
\bS
p
\bpa
\bas
\bss
\bsw
\bwd
\bd [ -
\b-f
\bf ] [ -
\b-s
\bs ] [ name ]
D
\bDE
\bES
\bSC
\bCR
\bRI
\bIP
\bPT
\bTI
\bIO
\bON
\bN
This command changes (or installs) a password, login shell
(-
\b-s
\bs option), or GECOS information field (-
\b-f
\bf option) associ-
ated with the user _
\bn_
\ba_
\bm_
\be (your own name by default).
When altering a password, the program prompts for the
current password and then for the new one. The caller must
supply both. The new password must be typed twice to fore-
New passwords must be at least four characters long if they
use a sufficiently rich alphabet and at least six characters
long if monocase. These rules are relaxed if you are
Only the owner of the name or the super-user may change a
password; the owner must prove he knows the old password.
When altering a login shell, _
\bp_
\ba_
\bs_
\bs_
\bw_
\bd displays the current
login shell and then prompts for the new one. The new login
shell must be one of the approved shells listed in
/_
\be_
\bt_
\bc/_
\bs_
\bh_
\be_
\bl_
\bl_
\bs unless you are the super-user. If /_
\be_
\bt_
\bc/_
\bs_
\bh_
\be_
\bl_
\bl_
\bs
does not exist, the only shells that may be specified are
/_
\bb_
\bi_
\bn/_
\bs_
\bh and /_
\bb_
\bi_
\bn/_
\bc_
\bs_
\bh.
The super-user may change anyone's login shell; normal users
may only change their own login shell.
When altering the GECOS information field, _
\bp_
\ba_
\bs_
\bs_
\bw_
\bd displays
the current information, broken into fields, as interpreted
by the _
\bf_
\bi_
\bn_
\bg_
\be_
\br(1) program, among others, and prompts for new
values. These fields include a user's ``real life'' name,
office room number, office phone number, and home phone
number. Included in each prompt is a default value, which
is enclosed between brackets. The default value is accepted
simply by typing a carriage return. To enter a blank field,
the word ``none'' may be typed. Below is a sample run:
N
\bNa
\bam
\bme
\be [
\b[B
\bBi
\bif
\bff
\bf S
\bSt
\btu
\bud
\bds
\bsw
\bwo
\bor
\brt
\bth
\bh I
\bII
\bI]
\b]:
\b:
R
\bRo
\boo
\bom
\bm n
\bnu
\bum
\bmb
\bbe
\ber
\br (
\b(E
\bEx
\bxs
\bs:
\b: 5
\b59
\b97
\b7E
\bE o
\bor
\br 1
\b19
\b97
\b7C
\bC)
\b) [
\b[]
\b]:
\b: 521E
O
\bOf
\bff
\bfi
\bic
\bce
\be P
\bPh
\bho
\bon
\bne
\be (
\b(E
\bEx
\bx:
\b: 1
\b16
\b63
\b32
\b2)
\b) [
\b[]
\b]:
\b: 1863
H
\bHo
\bom
\bme
\be P
\bPh
\bho
\bon
\bne
\be (
\b(E
\bEx
\bx:
\b: 9
\b98
\b87
\b75
\b53
\b32
\b2)
\b) [
\b[5
\b57
\b77
\b71
\b15
\b54
\b46
\b6]
\b]:
\b: none
_
\bP_
\ba_
\bs_
\bs_
\bw_
\bd allows phone numbers to be entered with or without
hyphens. It is a good idea to run _
\bf_
\bi_
\bn_
\bg_
\be_
\br after changing the
Printed 7/9/88 June 5, 1986 1
PASSWD(1) UNIX Programmer's Manual PASSWD(1)
GECOS information to make sure everything is setup properly.
The super-user may change anyone's GECOS information; normal
users may only change their own.
/etc/passwd The file containing all of this information
/etc/shells The list of approved shells
S
\bSE
\bEE
\bE A
\bAL
\bLS
\bSO
\bO
login(1), finger(1), passwd(5), crypt(3)
Robert Morris and Ken Thompson, _
\bU_
\bN_
\bI_
\bX _
\bp_
\ba_
\bs_
\bs_
\bw_
\bo_
\br_
\bd _
\bs_
\be_
\bc_
\bu_
\br_
\bi_
\bt_
\by
Printed 7/9/88 June 5, 1986 2
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