Subject: user{mod,del,add} commands & /etc/usermgt.conf file
To: None <tech-userlevel@netbsd.org>
From: Pierre Bourgin <Pierre.Bourgin@lip6.fr>
List: tech-userlevel
Date: 09/04/2000 22:21:45
hello,

I've currently have a problem with this sets of commands (on
NetBSD-1.5ALPHA/i386) on a server.

this is because base home directory of our users can be in
/comptes/invites, /comptes/permanents or /comptes/stagiaires and default
groups can be 100 or 200.

someone know if /etc/usermgt.conf (the default configuration file) is abble
to deal with multiple possibilities ? 

in this case, what's the syntax for multiple possibilities (I've tried
somes without success : lists with ',' is not allowed, one line per
possibility implies the last one to be taken).

The worth is 'usermod' : because escaping /etc/usemgt.conf is not
available on command line (nor the use of alternate file), something like
:

%finger foo
Login: foo
Directory:/comptes/permanents/foo

% usermod -d /comptes/invites/foo foo

destroys the $HOME field in /etc/passwd ('U^A') of foo user :(

The other solution for me is doing it my perl script, but it won't be as
safe as the use of these command lines (deal with concurrent acceses afraid
me) !

any advice will be great (except rewrite myself the source, I'm not so
clever ..)

Regards,
Pierre Bourgin