pwd_mkdb(8) - NetBSD Manual Pages

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PWD_MKDB(8)             NetBSD System Manager's Manual             PWD_MKDB(8)


NAME

     pwd_mkdb - generate the password databases


SYNOPSIS

     pwd_mkdb [-pBL] [-d directory] file


DESCRIPTION

     pwd_mkdb creates db(3) style secure and insecure databases for the speci-
     fied file.  These databases are then installed into ``/etc/spwd.db'' and
     ``/etc/pwd.db'' respectively.  The file is installed into
     ``/etc/master.passwd''.  The file must be in the correct format (see
     passwd(5)).  It is important to note that the format used in this system
     is different from the historic Version 7 style format.

     The options are as follows:

     -p    Create a Version 7 style password file and install it into
           ``/etc/passwd''.

     -d directory
           Change the root directory of the generated files from ``/'' to
           directory.

     -B    Store data in big-endian format.

     -L    Store data in little-endian format.

     The two databases differ in that the secure version contains the user's
     encrypted password and the insecure version has an asterisk (``*'').

     The databases are used by the C library password routines (see
     getpwent(3)).

     pwd_mkdb exits zero on success, non-zero on failure.


FILES

     /etc/master.passwd                The current password file.
     /etc/passwd                       A Version 7 format password file.
     /etc/pwd.db                       The insecure password database file.
     /etc/pwd.db.tmp                   A temporary file.
     /etc/spwd.db                      The secure password database file.
     /etc/spwd.db.tmp                  A temporary file.


BUGS

     Because of the necessity for atomic update of the password files,
     pwd_mkdb uses rename(2) to install them.  This, however, requires that
     the file specified on the command line live on the same file system as
     the ``/etc'' directory.

     There are the obvious races with multiple people running pwd_mkdb on dif-
     ferent password files at the same time.  The front-ends to chpass(1),
     passwd(1), and vipw(8) handle the locking necessary to avoid this prob-
     lem.

     Although the DB format is endian-transparent, the data stored in the DB
     is not.  This is difficult to fix without breaking compatibility.


COMPATIBILITY

     Previous versions of the system had a program similar to pwd_mkdb which
     built dbm(3) style databases for the password file but depended on the
     calling programs to install them.  The program was renamed in order that
     previous users of the program not be surprised by the changes in func-
     tionality.


SEE ALSO

     chpass(1), passwd(1), db(3), getpwent(3), pw_mkdb(3), passwd(5), vipw(8)

NetBSD 1.5.2                    April 27, 1995                               2