pw_mkdb(3) - NetBSD Manual Pages

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PW_LOCK(3)                NetBSD Programmer's Manual                PW_LOCK(3)


NAME

     pw_lock, pw_mkdb, pw_abort - passwd file update functions


LIBRARY

     System Utilities Library (libutil, -lutil)


SYNOPSIS

     #include <util.h>

     int
     pw_lock(int retries);

     int
     pw_mkdb();

     void
     pw_abort();


DESCRIPTION

     The pw_lock(), pw_mkdb(), and pw_abort() functions allow a program to up-
     date the system passwd database.

     The pw_lock() function attempts to lock the passwd database by creating
     the file /etc/ptmp, and returns the file descriptor of that file.  If
     retries is greater than zero, pw_lock() will try multiple times to open
     /etc/ptmp, waiting one second between tries.  In addition to being a lock
     file, /etc/ptmp will also hold the contents of the new passwd file.

     The pw_mkdb() function updates the passwd file from the contents of
     /etc/ptmp.  You should finish writing to and close the file descriptor
     returned by pw_lock() before calling pw_mkdb().  If pw_mkdb() fails and
     you do not wish to retry, you should make sure to call pw_abort() to
     clean up the lock file.

     The pw_abort() function aborts a passwd file update by deleting
     /etc/ptmp.  The passwd database remains unchanged.


RETURN VALUES

     The pw_lock() and pw_mkdb() functions return -1 if they are unable to
     complete properly.


FILES

     /etc/master.passwd
     /etc/ptmp


SEE ALSO

     pw_init(3)

NetBSD 1.5.2                   December 15, 1995                             1