chfn(1)

chfn(1)

NAME

 

chfn - change user information; used by finger

 

SYNOPSIS

 

chfn [login-name]

 

chfn -r files [login-name]

 

chfn -r nis [login-name]

 

chfn -r nisplus [login-name]

 

chfn -r dce [login-name]

 

DESCRIPTION

The chfn command changes the user information that is stored in the repository for the current logged-in user or for the user speci®ed by login-name(see passwd(1)).

The information is organized as four comma-separated sub®elds within the reserved (5th) ®eld of the password ®le entry. It consists of the user's full name, location code, of®ce phone number, and home phone number, in that order. This information is used by the finger command and other programs (see ®nger(1)).

chfn prompts you for each sub®eld. The prompt includes a default value, which is enclosed in brackets. Accept the default value by pressing the Return key. To enter a blank sub®eld, type the word none.

The DCE repository (-r dce) is only available if Integrated Login has been con®gured, see auth.adm(1M). If Integrated Login has been con®gured, other considerations apply. A user with appropriate DCE privileges is capable of modifying a user's ®nger (gecos) information; this is not dependent upon superuser privileges.

If the repository is not speci®ed; i.e., chfn [login-name], the ®nger information is changed in the passwd ®le only.

Run finger after running chfn to make sure the information was processed correctly.

Options

The following option is recognized:

-r

Specify the repository to which the operation is to be applied. Supported repositories

 

include files, nis, nisplus, and dce.

Sub®eld Values

Up to 1022 printing characters.

Name

 

The finger command and other utilities expand an & found anywhere in this

 

sub®eld by substituting the login name for it and shifting the ®rst letter of the

 

login name to uppercase. (chfn does not alter the input &.)

Location

Up to 1022 printing characters.

Office Phone Up to 25 printing characters.

 

finger inserts appropriate hyphens if the value is all digits.

Home Phone

Up to 25 printing characters.

 

finger inserts appropriate hyphens if the value is all digits.

Security Restrictions

You must have appropriate privileges to use the optional login-nameargument to change another user's information.

EXAMPLES

The following is a sample run. The user's input is shown in regular type.

Name [Tracy Simmons]:

Location (Ex: 47U-P5) []: 42L-P1

Office Phone (Ex: 1632) [77777]: 71863

Home Phone (Ex: 9875432) [4085551546]: none

c

HP-UX Release 11i: December 2000

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