PASSWD(5)               GENIX Programmer's Manual               PASSWD(5)



      NAME
           passwd - password file

      DESCRIPTION
           Passwd contains for each user the following information:

           name (login name, contains no upper case)
           encrypted password
           numerical user ID
           numerical group ID
           user's real name, office, extension, home phone.
           initial working directory
           program to use as Shell

           The name may contain `&',  meaning  insert  the  login  name.   This
           information  is set by the chfn(1) command and used by the finger(1)
           command.

           This is an ASCII file.  Each  field  within  each  user's  entry  is
           separated from the next by a colon.  Each user is separated from the
           next by a new-line.  If the password field is null, no  password  is
           demanded; if the Shell field is null, then /bin/sh is used.

           This file resides in directory /etc.  Because of the encrypted pass-
           words, it can and does have general read permission and can be used,
           for example, to map numerical user ID's to names.

           Appropriate precautions must be  taken  to  lock  the  file  against
           changes  if  it is to be edited with a text editor; vipw(8) does the
           necessary locking.

      FILES
           /etc/passwd

      SEE ALSO
           getpwent(3),  login(1),  crypt(3),  passwd(1),  group(5),   chfn(1),
           finger(1), vipw(8), adduser(8)

      BUGS
           A binary indexed file format should be available for fast access.

           User information (name, office, etc.) should be stored elsewhere.













      Printed 11/16/83                                                        1