adduser(8)adduser(8)NAMEadduser - Adds a new user interactively
SYNOPSIS
/usr/sbin/adduser
DESCRIPTION
Security Note
If you have enhanced security installed on your system, you should use
the dxaccounts command to add users. See the Security manual and the
dxaccounts(8) reference page for more information.
The adduser command is an interactive command for adding new user
accounts to your system. The command prompts you for specific informa‐
tion and informs you of its activity and error conditions.
The adduser command invokes /usr/sbin/useradd to add the user account
information to /etc/passwd and the hashed password database (if
present).
Only the superuser can execute this command.
The command performs the following tasks: Prompts you to enter a login
name for the new user. Enter the login name. If this entry already
exists in the passwd file, the command informs you of this and exits.
If the entry does not already exist, the command creates one for the
new user. Prompts you to enter a UID for the new user. A default UID,
which is based on previously existing UID's in the /etc/passwd file, is
displayed and can be selected by pressing the Return key. Enter a new
UID or accept the default. The command uses this UID in the
/etc/passwd file entry for the new user.
Note
While it is possible to have multiple entries with identical
login names and/or identical user id's, it is usually a mistake
to do so. Routines that manipulate these files will often
return only one of the multiple entries, and that one by random
selection. Prompts you for the full name of the new user.
Enter the user's full name. This is sometimes called the gecos
entry and is displayed by the finger command. Prompts you to
enter a login group for the new user and specifies the default
group, users. To accept the default, press the Return key. To
select a different group, enter the name of that group, 8 char‐
acters or less. If the group does not exist, the command dis‐
plays a message saying that the group is unknown, lists the
names of the groups that are available, and asks whether or not
you want to add the new group to the /etc/group file.
If you choose the default, the command calls the addgroup com‐
mand to add the new group to the /etc/group file. The addgroup
command queries for the group number of this new group and dis‐
plays a default value based on existing group numbers in the
/etc/group file. Select the default value by pressing Return.
Enter a group number or select the default. At this point, the
addgroup command ends and the adduser command resumes.
There is a limitation on the number of users that can be added
to a group. The maximum line length is LINE_MAX as defined in
the <limits.h> file. It is recommended that the users be
divided into a number of manageable groups.
See the System Administration manual for more information on the
/etc/group file. Prompts you for the name of other groups for
the user to belong to. Again, the group you specify must already
exist. If you specify a group to which the user already
belongs, the command informs you of this. Prompts you to enter
the base directory for the new user and specifies the default
directory, /usr/users. To accept the default, press the Return
key. To select a different home directory, enter the path of
that directory. The path that you specify must exist within a
mounted file system. Displays a message that it is adding the
new user. At this point, the command makes an entry for the
user in the passwd file, creates the home directory, creates the
/var/spool/mail directory if necessary, sets ownership and
access permissions on the new user's home and mail directories,
and copies startup files such as for the new user to the home
directory. Asks if you want to edit the authentication file
entry for the user. If the environment variable EDITOR is set,
adduser will use $EDITOR to edit the user's authentication
entries. The adduser command automatically runs the passwd com‐
mand, which asks you to enter and verify a new password for the
user. Note that you cannot use all lowercase letters. If you
do, the command asks that you use unusual capitalization and
suggests using control characters.
If you mistype the password when you are asked to verify it, no
password is set and the account is disabled. To enable the user
account, enter the passwd command followed by the user name.
At this point, the command ends.
NOTES
Users are advised to migrate to the /usr/sbin/useradd utility or the
dxaccounts utility as this command may be removed in a future version
of the operating system.
RESTRICTIONS
The addgroup command limits a group name to eight characters or less.
If you specify a new group name when prompted, your entry must meet
this restriction.
EXAMPLES
Enter a login name for the new user (for example, john): chris Enter a
UID for (chris) [5006]: Enter a full name for (chris): Chris Ryan Enter
a login group for (chris) [users]: Enter another group that (chris)
should be a member of. (<Return> for none): Enter a parent directory
for (chris) [/usr/users]: The shells are: /bin/sh /bin/csh
/bin/ksh Enter a login shell for (chris) [/bin/sh]: Adding new user ...
Do you wish to edit the auth file entry for this user (y/[n])? You
must enter a new password for (chris). Changing password for chris.
New password: Retype new password:
FILES
Specifies the command path Group file Password file Default files
directory
SEE ALSO
Commands: addgroup(8), chfn(1), chsh(1), dxaccounts(8), groupadd(8),
mkpasswd(8), passwd(1), removeuser(8), useradd(8), userdel(8), vipw(8)
Files: group(4), passwd(4)adduser(8)