vipw(1M) vipw(1M)
NAME [Toc] [Back]
vipw - edit the password file
SYNOPSIS [Toc] [Back]
vipw
DESCRIPTION [Toc] [Back]
vipw edits the password file while setting the appropriate locks, and
does any necessary processing after the password file is unlocked. If
the password file is already being edited, you will be told to try
again later. The vi editor is used unless the environment variable
EDITOR indicates an alternate editor.
vipw performs a number of consistency checks on the password entry for
root, and does not allow a password file with an incorrectly formatted
root entry to be installed. To help reduce the possibility of leaving
the system in an unbootable state, root's entry is not considered
properly formatted if it has a user id that is not zero, or if it has
a shell other than /sbin/sh, /usr/bin/csh, /usr/bin/ksh, or
/usr/bin/sh.
Please refer to passwd(4) and the Managing Systems and Workgroups
manual for further details of password file format.
WARNINGS [Toc] [Back]
An /etc/ptmp file not removed when a system crashes prevents further
editing of the /etc/passwd file using vipw after the system is
rebooted. /etc/ptmp is the standard lock used by all commands which
knowingly modify /etc/passwd.
Successful execution of vipw is not sufficient for proper system
operation. To help maintain consistency with other system databases,
editing of the password file with vipw is generally discouraged.
Please use sam, useradd, usermod, userdel, chfn, chsh or passwd to
edit /etc/passwd.
AUTHOR [Toc] [Back]
vipw was developed by the University of California, Berkeley.
FILES [Toc] [Back]
/etc/ptmp
SEE ALSO [Toc] [Back]
passwd(1), sam(1M), useradd(1M), usermod(1M), userdel(1M), chfn(1),
chsh(1), passwd(4).
Hewlett-Packard Company - 1 - HP-UX 11i Version 2: August 2003 [ Back ] |
