newgrp(1M) MISC. REFERENCE MANUAL PAGES newgrp(1M)
NAME
newgrp - log in to a new group
SYNOPSIS
newgrp [-] [ group ]
DESCRIPTION
newgrp changes a user's real and effective group ID. The
user remains logged in and the current directory is
unchanged. The user is always given a new shell, replacing
the current shell, by newgrp, regardless of whether it ter-
minated successfully or due to an error condition (i.e.,
unknown group).
Exported variables retain their values after invoking
newgrp; however, all unexported variables are either reset
to their default value or set to null. System variables
(such as PS1, PS2, PATH, MAIL, and HOME), unless exported by
the system or explicitly exported by the user, are reset to
default values. For example, a user has a primary prompt
string (PS1) other than $ (default) and has not exported
PS1. After an invocation of newgrp, successful or not, the
user's PS1 will now be set to the default prompt string $.
Note that the shell command export [see the sh(1) manual
page] is the method to export variables so that they retain
their assigned value when invoking new shells.
With no arguments, newgrp changes the user's group IDs (real
and effective) back to the group specified in the user's
password file entry. This is a way to exit the effect of an
earlier newgrp command.
If the first argument to newgrp is a -, the environment is
changed to what would be expected if the user actually
logged in again as a member of the new group.
A password is demanded if the group has a password and the
user is not listed in /etc/group as being a member of that
group.
FILES
/etc/group
system's group file
/etc/passwd
system's password file
SEE ALSO
login(1), sh(1) in the User's Reference Manual.
group(4), passwd(4), environ(5) in the System
Administrator's Reference Manual.
see intro(2) ``Effective User ID and Effective Group ID" in
Last change: Essential Utilities 1
newgrp(1M) MISC. REFERENCE MANUAL PAGES newgrp(1M)
Programmer's Reference Manual
Last change: Essential Utilities 2