Name

vipw − edit the password file

Syntax

vipw

Description

The vipw command edits the password file while setting the appropriate locks and doing any necessary processing after the password file is unlocked. If the password file is already being edited, then you will be told to try again later.  The vi editor will be used unless the environment variable EDITOR indicates an alternate editor. The vipw command performs a number of consistency checks on the password entry for root, and does not allow a password file with a corrupted root entry to be installed.

If the hashed passwd database exists vipw will automatically invoke mkpasswd() on it to keep it synchronized with the passwd file.

Files

/etc/ptmp

See Also

chfn(1), chsh(1), passwd(1), passwd(5yp), adduser(8), mkpasswd(8)