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grep for password file entry

 
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# 8  
Old 03-11-2011
The difference between these two is that the second version makes an exact match on the username field whereas the first version makes a match on any string in the password file containing those characters.
Quote:
grep `whoami` /etc/passwd
grep \^`whoami`: /etc/passwd
Though the first version may appear to work it is not safe with large password files.
Consider for example usernames "fred" "alfred" and "freda". When you search for username "fred" you only want the one hit.
 
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LEARN ABOUT HPUX

vipw

vipw(1M)																  vipw(1M)

NAME

       vipw - edit the password file

SYNOPSIS

DESCRIPTION

       edits the password file while setting the appropriate locks, and does any necessary processing after the password file is unlocked.  If the
       password file is already being edited, you will be told to try again later.  The editor is used unless the environment  variable  indicates
       an alternate editor.

       performs  a  number  of	consistency checks on the password entry for and does not allow a password file with an incorrectly formatted root
       entry to be installed.  To help reduce the possibility of leaving the system in an unbootable state, root's entry is not  considered  prop-
       erly formatted if it has a user ID that is not zero, or if it has a shell other than or

       Please refer to passwd(4) and the manual for further details of password file format.

WARNINGS

       An file that is not removed when a system crashes prevents further editing of the file using after the system is rebooted.  is the standard
       lock used by all commands which knowingly modify

       Successful execution of is not sufficient for proper system operation.  To help maintain consistency with other system  databases,  editing
       of the password file with is generally discouraged.  Please use or to edit

AUTHOR

       was developed by the University of California, Berkeley.

FILES

SEE ALSO

       chfn(1), chsh(1), passwd(1), sam(1M), useradd(1M), usermod(1M), userdel(1M), passwd(4).

																	  vipw(1M)