group(4) — CLIX 3.1r7.6.28



  group(4)                            CLIX                            group(4)



  NAME

    group, group.local, group.yp - System user-group files

  DESCRIPTION

    A system's /etc/group file is an ASCII file that contains access
    information on defined user account groups for that system.  Each group is
    on a separate line; each field within each group's entry is separated from
    the next by a colon.  The fields appear on each line in the following
    order:

    Name   The name of the user group.  The group name is limited to a length
           of 8 characters.

    Password
           The user group's encrypted password.  If the password field is null
           (::), no password is demanded.

    Numerical group ID
           The ID number of the user group.

    User list
           A comma-separated list of all users login accounts that belong to
           the group.

    On systems running the Network Information Services (NIS), the files
    /etc/group.local on the client and /etc/group.yp are used to generate the
    /etc/group file.  This is normally done at system boot by the NFS startup
    script.  On networks where the /etc/group.yp file changes frequently, it
    may be necessary to regenerate the group file more often by running the
    ypsync command with a crontab entry.

    A group.local file can have a line beginning with +, which means to
    incorporate entries from NIS.  There are two styles of + entries.  A +:
    line means to insert the entire contents of the NIS group file at that
    point.  A +name line means to insert the entry (if any) for name from the
    NIS group file at that point.  If a + entry has a non-null password or
    group member field, the contents of that field will override what is
    contained in NIS.  The numerical group ID field cannot be overridden.

  EXAMPLES

    Here is a sample /etc/group file:

    root::0:root,sysadm
    users::1:daboss,dnuc,dsys,flipper,janedoe,johndoe,okie,wombat
    bin::2:root,bin,daemon
    sys::3:root,bin,sys,adm
    adm::4:root,adm,daemon
    mail::6:root



  2/94 - Intergraph Corporation                                              1



  group(4)                            CLIX                            group(4)



    rje::8:rje,shqer
    daemon::12:root,daemon
    projectX::13:flipper,janedoe,johndoe,wombat
    projectY::13:dsys,dnuc,johndoe,okie,wombat

    Here is a sample /etc/group.local file:

    +myproject:::bill,steve,jerry
    +:

    If this sample entry appears at the end of a group file, the group
    myproject will have members bill, steve, and jerry, and the password and
    group ID of the NIS entry for the group myproject.  All the groups listed
    in NIS will be pulled in and placed after the entry for myproject.

  NOTES

    There is no convenient way to enter a password into /etc/group.  Use of
    group passwords is not encouraged, because, by their very nature, they
    encourage poor security practices.

    The file has general read permission and can be used, for example, to map
    numerical group IDs to names.

  RELATED INFORMATION

    Commands:  ypsync(8), ypserv(8), newgrp(1), passwd(1), crontab(1)

    Files:  passwd(4), ypfiles(4)

























  2                                              Intergraph Corporation - 2/94

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