Okay, help me understand...

chpass, useradd, vipw all give you access to encrypted passwords or at least
you can add a password that is already encrypted.

So how is one suppose to encrypt the password?

i.e. I want to write a script to add users via useradd, but you can only add
a pre-encrypted password.  In the useradd man page there is some mention of
using chpass, but that too assumes you have a pre-encrypted password.

Now I usually hack passwd (call the new binary 'supasswd' and restrict
execute access) and allow the passing of a 2nd parameter, which is an
unencrypted password, so I can write scripts to add users.

Why are there no equivalent commands?

I've always wondered, but never asked.

John Maier
Administrator
Midamerica Internet Services
573-446-8881
http://www.midamerica.net
ICQ# 38643380