chpass [-l location] [-u authname] [-s newshell] [user]
Edits the user database associated with user by default, the current user.
Cannot change the password on Open Directory systems, use the passwd.
The information is formatted and supplied to an editor for changes.
Only the information that the user is allowed to change is displayed.
-l location
If not specified, chpass will perform a search for the user record on all available Open Directory nodes.
When specified, chpass will edit the user record on the directory node at the given location.
-u authname user name to use when authenticating to the directory node containing the user.
Login: login name user name used to access the computer account.
Uid: login
Gid: login group GID or GNAME
Generated uid: UUID
Full Name: real name
Office Location: office location
Office Phone: office phone
Home Phone: home phone
Home Directory: home directory full path
Shell: login shell default Bourne shell, /bin/sh
Users may not change from/to a non-standard shell. Standard shells are defined in /etc/shells.
The picture field is the path to a picture to be displayed for the user. sic
OPEN DIRECTORY
User database entries are under the control of DirectoryService(8) and may be physically located in many different places, including
the local Directory Service node, and remote LDAP servers. This version of chpass uses Open Directory to change user database
information. It does not interact with the historic flat file database /etc/master.passwd
ENVIRONMENT
The vi(1) editor will be used unless the environment variable EDITOR is set to an alternate editor. When the editor terminates, the
information is re-read and used to update the user database itself. Only the user, or the super-user, may edit the information
associated with the user.
FILES
/etc/chpass.XXXXXX temporary copy of the data to edit
/etc/shells the list of approved shells
SEE ALSO
login(1), passwd(1), getusershell(3), passwd(5)