chown(1)                                                    chown(1)


       NAME
             chown - change file owner

       SYNOPSIS
             chown [-h] [-R] owner[:group] file . . .

       DESCRIPTION
             chown changes the owner of the files to owner.  The value of
             owner may be either a decimal user ID or a login name found in
             the /etc/passwd file.  Login names in /etc/passwd must begin
             with a non-numeric character; an alphabetic character or any
             special character except colon is acceptable.  chown will
             optionally also change the group ID of the files to group.
             The value of group may be either a decimal group ID or a group
             name found in the group ID file /etc/group.

             If chown is invoked by someone other than a privileged user,
             the set-user-ID and set-group ID bit of the file mode, 04000,
             is cleared.

             Only the owner of a file (or a privileged user) may change the
             owner or group of that file.

             Valid options to chown are:

             -R    Recursive.  chown descends through the directory, and
                   any subdirectories, setting the ownership (and group) ID
                   as it proceeds.  When symbolic links are encountered,
                   they are traversed.

             -h    If the file is a symbolic link, change the owner (and
                   group) of the symbolic link.  Without this option, the
                   owner (and group) of the file referenced by the symbolic
                   link is changed.  (See NOTICES below.)

             The operating system has a configuration option
             {_POSIX_CHOWN_RESTRICTED}, to restrict ownership changes.
             When this option is in effect the owner of the file is
             prevented from changing the owner ID of the file, and may
             change the group of the file to a group to which the owner
             belongs.  Only a privileged user can arbitrarily change owner
             (and group) IDs whether this option is in effect or not.  When
             this option is in effect, only a privileged user can
             arbitrarily change group IDs.




                           Copyright 1994 Novell, Inc.               Page 1

      chown(1)                                                    chown(1)


      FILES
            /etc/passwd
            /usr/lib/locale/locale/LC_MESSAGES/uxcore.abi
                  language-specific message file [see LANG on environ(5)].

      REFERENCES
            chgrp(1), chmod(1), chown(2), passwd(4)

      NOTICES
            chown(1) does not check the user ID if it is in decimal form;
            to check a user ID in this form, you can use chown(2).

            Note that, with appropriate permissions, the owner of setuid
            files might inadvertantly be changed.


































                          Copyright 1994 Novell, Inc.               Page 2