UNIX for Dummies Questions & Answers

How would I grep for password file entry without using
grep 'username' /etc/passwd?
perhaps with who?
I want to create alias that will find the password file entry regardless of the user who is using it.
I am trying to get the same exact line from the file entry like:
Name : Password : UserID : PrincipleGroup : Gecos : HomeDirectory : Shell

I was thinking something along the lines
alias me 'whoami \!*; grep /etc/passwd'
but ofcourse this didnt work, its jsut returning the username. I have been at this for hours.

help!

thanks

Like this?

Code:

grep `whoami` /etc/passwd

Belt an braces version of the above:

Code:

grep \^`whoami`: /etc/passwd

no, none of these work so far. I think it will have to be a combination.
Maybe if i get the username first by whoami and then piped to grep for that username in /etc/passwd...is that possible?

Please post a sample file.
Then post what would be sample input, and desired output.

Real questions are often easier to visualize and answer than theoretical.

sorry, yes both the ones above work....Since I am such a big fat NOOB I was using regular quotes instead of backquotes...and I have been trying to get this right since yestaurday ..LOL...and such a simple answer...anyway thanks all.
I chose this for the simplicity and cause the other one with belts did the same exact thing.
grep `whoami` /etc/passwd

Something else to ponder... env variables.
Type env at a prompt, and you will see them all.
Thus,

Code:

grep $USER /etc/passwd

might also do what you want.