Name

getauthuid, getauthent, storeauthent, setauthent, setauthfile, endauthent − get/set auth entry

Syntax

#include <sys/types.h>
#include <auth.h>

AUTHORIZATION *getauthuid(uid)
uid_t uid;

AUTHORIZATION *getauthent()

int storeauthent(auth)
AUTHORIZATION *auth;

void setauthent()

void setauthfile(pathname)
char *pathname;

int endauthent()

Description

The getauthuid function looks up the auth entry for the specified user ID and returns a pointer to a static area containing it.

The getauthent function retrieves the next sequential entry from the auth database and returns a pointer to a static area containing it.

The storeauthent function stores the specified auth entry into the local auth database, overwriting any existing entry with the same a_uid field. 

The setauthent function sets a pointer to the beginning of the auth database. This function is used with getauthent to make multiple passes through the auth database.

The setauthfile function sets the pathname of the file to be used for the local auth database in all subsequent operations.

The endauthent function closes the auth database.  Subsequent calls to getauthuid, getauthent, or storeauthent reopen it.

The auth database can be distributed via the BIND/Hesiod naming service. 

Restrictions

Only the superuser and members of the group authread may read information from the auth database. 

Only the superuser may modify the auth database. 

The auth database cannot be distributed via the Yellow Pages service. 

When the auth database is served by BIND/Hesiod, a program must perform its own Kerberos initialization prior to using any of these functions. 

The values returned by getauthent and getauthuid point to a static area which is overwritten when subsequent calls are made.

Return Values

Functions which return a pointer value return the null pointer (0) on EOF or error.  Other functions return zero (0) on success and a negative value on failure. 

Files

/etc/auth.[pag,dir]

See Also

getpwent(3), auth(5), edauth(8)
Security Guide for Users
Security Guide for Administrators
Guide to the BIND/Hesiod Service