PASSWD(1-BSD)       RISC/os Reference Manual        PASSWD(1-BSD)



NAME
     chfn, chsh, passwd - change password file information

SYNOPSIS
     passwd [ -f ] [ -s ] [ name ]

DESCRIPTION
     This command changes (or installs) a password, login shell
     (-s option), or GECOS information field (-f option) associ-
     ated with the user name (your own name by default).  The
     chfn program invokes passwd with the -f option.  The chsh
     program invockes passwd with the -s option.

     When altering a password, the program prompts for the
     current password and then for the new one.  The caller must
     supply both.  The new password must be typed twice to fore-
     stall mistakes.

     New passwords must be at least four characters long if they
     use a sufficiently rich alphabet and at least six characters
     long if monocase.  These rules are relaxed if you are
     insistent enough.

     Only the owner of the name or the super-user may change a
     password; the owner must prove he knows the old password.

     When altering a login shell, passwd displays the current
     login shell and then prompts for the new one.  The new login
     shell must be one of the approved shells listed in
     /etc/shells unless you are the super-user.  If /etc/shells
     does not exist, the only shells that may be specified are
     /bin/sh and /bin/csh.

     The super-user may change anyone's login shell; normal users
     may only change their own login shell.

     When altering the GECOS information field, passwd displays
     the current information, broken into fields, as interpreted
     by the finger(1) program, among others, and prompts for new
     values.  These fields include a user's ``real life'' name,
     office room number, office phone number, and home phone
     number.  Included in each prompt is a default value, which
     is enclosed between brackets.  The default value is accepted
     simply by typing a carriage return.  To enter a blank field,
     the word ``none'' may be typed.  Below is a sample run:

          Name [Biff Studsworth II]:
          Room number (Exs: 597E or 197C) []: 521E
          Office Phone (Ex: 1632) []: 1863
          Home Phone (Ex: 987532) [5771546]: none





                        Printed 11/19/92                   Page 1

PASSWD(1-BSD)       RISC/os Reference Manual        PASSWD(1-BSD)



     passwd allows phone numbers to be entered with or without
     hyphens.  It is a good idea to run finger after changing the
     GECOS information to make sure everything is set up prop-
     erly.

     The super-user may change anyone's GECOS information; normal
     users may only change their own.

NOTES
     If the GECOS field contains information used by a program
     other than finger(1) then the -f option (or chfn) should not
     be used to change this field.

FILES
     /etc/passwd    The file containing all of this information
     /etc/shells    The list of approved shells

SEE ALSO
     login(1), finger(1).
     passwd(4) in the Programmer's Reference Manual.



































 Page 2                 Printed 11/19/92