kbdload(1M)                                              kbdload(1M)


       NAME
             kbdload - load or link kbd tables

       SYNOPSIS
             kbdload [-p] filename
             kbdload -u table
             kbdload -l string
             kbdload -L string
             kbdload -e string

       DESCRIPTION
             Tables included in file are loaded into the kbd STREAMS module
             that must already have been pushed into the standard input
             stream.  (In this context loaded means copied from a disk file
             into main memory within the operating system.)  This program
             is intended both to provide for loading and linking of both
             shared or public tables and private tables implementing user-
             specific functionality.  New users should refer to kbdcomp(1M)
             and kbd(7) for a general description of the module's
             capabilities.

             Files are searched for only by the name specified on the
             command line; no search path is implied.  Tables loaded by a
             privileged user with the -p option from an absolute path
             beginning at /usr/lib/kbd are made publicly available and
             permanently resident.  Otherwise the loaded tables are
             available only to the caller, and are automatically unloaded
             when the kbd module is popped from the stream.

             The -u option can be used to unload private tables and by a
             privileged user to remove public tables.  Tables may be
             unloaded only if they are not currently in use.  (Tables that
             are members of composite tables always have non-zero reference
             counts since they are ``used'' in the composite; all
             composites that refer to them must be unloaded first.)

             The -L and -l options are used for making composite tables on
             the fly.  The -L option, when executed by a privileged user
             causes the composite to be made publicly available; otherwise,
             it is private and equivalent to -l.  The string argument is
             constructed in the same way as the link statement [see
             kbdcomp(1M)] in the compiler.  If any component of the
             intended composite is not presently loaded in memory or if a
             component of a public table is not also public, an error
             message is printed and the linkage fails.  More than one
             composite may be created in a single invocation by using


                           Copyright 1994 Novell, Inc.               Page 1

      kbdload(1M)                                              kbdload(1M)


            either option sequentially.

            The -e option with a string argument causes kbdload to declare
            to the kbd module a subroutine called string, which is assumed
            to be a subroutine managed by and registered with the alp
            module [see alp(7)].  These ``external'' subroutines may be
            used exactly as any other loaded table; they may participate
            as members of composite tables, and so on.

         Security Issues
            Allowing users other than a privileged user to load public
            tables is a security risk and is thus disallowed.  (In
            general, any manipulation of a module instance by a user who
            is neither a privileged user nor the user who originally
            pushed it is disallowed.)  The library directory and all files
            contained in it should be protected by being unwritable.
            Administrators are encouraged to remember that the kbd system
            can be used to arbitrarily re-map the entire keyboard of a
            terminal, as well as the entire output stream; thus in
            extremely hostile environments, it might be prudent to remove
            execution permissions from kbdload for non-administrative
            users (for example, setting the owner to bin or root and
            giving it a mode of 0500).

            The kbdload command checks to insure that the real uid of the
            invoker is the same as the owner of both standard input and
            standard output files, unless the real uid of the invoking
            user is the privileged user.  Paths to public tables are
            scrutinized for legitimacy.  The kbdload command refuses to
            work as a setuid program.

      DIAGNOSTICS
            Exit status is 0 if all tables can be loaded and all
            operations succeeded.  If there is an I/O error (for example,
            attempting to load a table with the same name as one already
            loaded and accessible to the caller) or failure to load a
            table, exit status is 1 and a message is printed showing the
            error.

      FILES
            /usr/lib/kbd - directory containing system standard map files.

      REFERENCES
            alp(7), kbd(7), kbdcomp(1M), kbdset(1)




                          Copyright 1994 Novell, Inc.               Page 2

       kbdload(1M)                                              kbdload(1M)


       NOTICES
             Composite tables may be unloaded while they are actually in
             use without affecting current users.  New users may no longer
             attach to the tables, since composite tables are copied and
             expanded when they are attached.  This is done to keep state
             information related to the attaching user.  The original
             composite always has a zero reference count, and is never
             itself attached.  This is an anomaly; the effect on the user
             is that a composite table may be attached and functional, yet
             not appear in the output of a kbdset(1) query.






































                           Copyright 1994 Novell, Inc.               Page 3