users, adduser
PURPOSE
Adds, deletes and changes user and group information.
SYNOPSIS
users [ configfile ]
adduser [ configfile ]
DESCRIPTION
The users command lets you add, change, or delete user
and group information in the /etc/passwd and /etc/group
files. To use the users command, you must be a member of
the system group or have superuser authority (see "su").
The users command does all of its work in temporary
files. When you enter the quit subcommand, the temporary
files become the permanent files. The old versions of
/etc/passwd and /etc/group are renamed /etc/opasswd and
/etc/ogroup. If users is ended by an INTERRUPT
(Alt-Pause), it removes the temporary files, and the
system files remain as they were before the session.
However any directories created still exist, so it may be
necessary to remove directories after sending an INTER-
RUPT.
For configuration, users uses the file
/usr/adm/user.cfile, the file specified with configfile,
or the default parameters that follow:
+---------+--------------+------------------------------+
| Paramete| Default Value| Description |
+---------+--------------+------------------------------+
| udir | /u/ | Prefix of user home direc- |
| | | tory names. |
+---------+--------------+------------------------------+
| program | null | The name of the user login |
| | | program. |
+---------+--------------+------------------------------+
| minage | null | Minimum number of weeks that |
| | | a password must be in effect |
| | | before the password can be |
| | | changed. |
+---------+--------------+------------------------------+
| maxage | null | Maximum number of weeks that |
| | | a password can be in effect |
| | | before the password must |
| | | changed. |
+---------+--------------+------------------------------+
Figure 12 (Part 1 of 2). Configuration File Parameters
+---------+--------------+------------------------------+
| Paramete| Default Value| Description |
+---------+--------------+------------------------------+
| siteinfo| null | Any site-specific informa- |
| | | tion. |
+---------+--------------+------------------------------+
| filesize| null | Size, in blocks, of the |
| | | largest file that a user can |
| | | make. |
+---------+--------------+------------------------------+
| gname | staff | Name of the group that a |
| | | user is initially assigned. |
+---------+--------------+------------------------------+
| minid | 200 | Minimum number that can be |
| | | assigned as a user or group |
| | | ID. |
+---------+--------------+------------------------------+
| maxid | 60000 | Maximum number that can be |
| | | assigned as a user or group |
| | | ID. |
+---------+--------------+------------------------------+
| pfile | /etc/passwd | Name of the password file. |
+---------+--------------+------------------------------+
| gfile | /etc/group | Name of the group file. |
+---------+--------------+------------------------------+
| owner | bin | Name of the owner of pass- |
| | | word and group files. |
+---------+--------------+------------------------------+
| invalid | /usr/lib/sorr| Program for invalid |
| | | accounts. |
+---------+--------------+------------------------------+
Figure 12 (Part 2 of 2). Configuration File Parameters
For information on how to use the users command, see Man-
aging the AIX Operating System.
Notes:
1. The /etc/passwd, /etc/opasswd, /etc/group,
/etc/ogroup, and /usr/adm/user.cfile files must all
exist on the same network node.
2. Each group has a limit of 500 users with 8 character
IDs. Shorter IDs may allow more users per group.
3. It is possible to delete a user who still owns files
or to delete a group that still has members. However
if you do this, it may cause problems later if the
user name or group name is reused.
SUBCOMMANDS
add Adds a new user or group.
change Changes data for an existing user or group.
delete Deletes an existing user or group.
help Displays a summary of available commands.
Entering a question mark (?) also works for
help.
invalidate Changes a user's shell to a do-nothing
program.
quit Updates files and exit.
show Shows information about a user or group.
The initial letter of each subcommand is recognized as
the subcommand name.
EXAMPLES
The following is a sample /usr/adm/user.cfile:
pfile /etc/passwd
gfile /etc/group
owner root
minid 200
maxid 1000
udir /u/
program /bin/sh
gname staff
invalid /usr/lib/sorry
FILES
/usr/adm/user.cfile Default configuration file.
/usr/adm/newuser.sys Initialization shell file for
added users.
/usr/adm/newuser.usr Initialization shell file for
added users.
/etc/passwd Password file that identifies all
known users.
/etc/group Group file that identifies all
known groups.
/etc/opasswd Saved previous version of the
password file.
/etc/ogroup Saved previous version of the
group file.
RELATED INFORMATION
The group and passwd files in AIX Operating System Tech-
nical Reference.
The discussion of users in Managing the AIX Operating
System.