getusershell(3)                                   getusershell(3)



NAME
     getusershell,   setusershell,   endusershell   -    generate
     authenticated  pathnames  corresponding  to executable shell
     programs

SYNOPSIS
     char *getusershell()
     int  setusershell()
     int  endusershell()

DESCRIPTION
     getusershell returns a pointer to a string that is a legal
     user shell as specified by the /etc/shells file (see
     shells(4)).  One shell pathname is returned for each
     getusershell call until the end-of-file character is
     reached. When the last pathname has been read, subsequent
     calls to getusershell cause it to return a pointer value of
     NULL.

     If the file /etc/shells does not exist, the getusershell
     function first returns /bin/sh and then returns /bin/csh.

     A call to setusershell resets the ``file pointer'' so that
     the next call to getusershell returns the first legal shell
     pathname.

     A call to endusershell closes the file /etc/shells, if it
     had been successfully opened before.

STATUS MESSAGES AND VALUES
     The return value for getusershell is a NULL when the last
     legal shell pathname has already been read, or when there is
     any error.

FILES
     /etc/shells
          File containing list of shells

SEE ALSO
     shells(4)















January 1992                                                    1