\section{\module{pwd} --- The password database}\declaremodule{builtin}{pwd} \platform{Unix}\modulesynopsis{The password database (\function{getpwnam()} and friends).}This module provides access to the \UNIX{} user account and passworddatabase. It is available on all \UNIX{} versions.Password database entries are reported as a tuple-like object, whoseattributes correspond to the members of the \code{passwd} structure(Attribute field below, see \code{<pwd.h>}):\begin{tableiii}{r|l|l}{textrm}{Index}{Attribute}{Meaning} \lineiii{0}{\code{pw_name}}{Login name} \lineiii{1}{\code{pw_passwd}}{Optional encrypted password} \lineiii{2}{\code{pw_uid}}{Numerical user ID} \lineiii{3}{\code{pw_gid}}{Numerical group ID} \lineiii{4}{\code{pw_gecos}}{User name or comment field} \lineiii{5}{\code{pw_dir}}{User home directory} \lineiii{6}{\code{pw_shell}}{User command interpreter}\end{tableiii}The uid and gid items are integers, all others are strings.\exception{KeyError} is raised if the entry asked for cannot be found.\note{In traditional \UNIX{} the field \code{pw_passwd} usuallycontains a password encrypted with a DES derived algorithm (see module\refmodule{crypt}\refbimodindex{crypt}). However most modern unices use a so-called \emph{shadow password} system. On those unices the\var{pw_passwd} field only contains an asterisk (\code{'*'}) or the letter \character{x} where the encrypted password is stored in a file\file{/etc/shadow} which is not world readable. Whether the \var{pw_passwd}field contains anything useful is system-dependent. If available, the\module{spwd} module should be used where access to the encrypted passwordis required.}It defines the following items:\begin{funcdesc}{getpwuid}{uid}Return the password database entry for the given numeric user ID.\end{funcdesc}\begin{funcdesc}{getpwnam}{name}Return the password database entry for the given user name.\end{funcdesc}\begin{funcdesc}{getpwall}{}Return a list of all available password database entries, in arbitrary order.\end{funcdesc}\begin{seealso} \seemodule{grp}{An interface to the group database, similar to this.} \seemodule{spwd}{An interface to the shadow password database, similar to this.}\end{seealso}
\section{\module{pwd} ---
The password database}
\declaremodule{builtin}{pwd}
\platform{Unix}
\modulesynopsis{The password database (\function{getpwnam()} and friends).}
This module provides access to the \UNIX{} user account and password
database. It is available on all \UNIX{} versions.
Password database entries are reported as a tuple-like object, whose
attributes correspond to the members of the \code{passwd} structure
(Attribute field below, see \code{<pwd.h>}):
\begin{tableiii}{r|l|l}{textrm}{Index}{Attribute}{Meaning}
\lineiii{0}{\code{pw_name}}{Login name}
\lineiii{1}{\code{pw_passwd}}{Optional encrypted password}
\lineiii{2}{\code{pw_uid}}{Numerical user ID}
\lineiii{3}{\code{pw_gid}}{Numerical group ID}
\lineiii{4}{\code{pw_gecos}}{User name or comment field}
\lineiii{5}{\code{pw_dir}}{User home directory}
\lineiii{6}{\code{pw_shell}}{User command interpreter}
\end{tableiii}
The uid and gid items are integers, all others are strings.
\exception{KeyError} is raised if the entry asked for cannot be found.
\note{In traditional \UNIX{} the field \code{pw_passwd} usually
contains a password encrypted with a DES derived algorithm (see module
\refmodule{crypt}\refbimodindex{crypt}). However most modern unices
use a so-called \emph{shadow password} system. On those unices the
\var{pw_passwd} field only contains an asterisk (\code{'*'}) or the
letter \character{x} where the encrypted password is stored in a file
\file{/etc/shadow} which is not world readable. Whether the \var{pw_passwd}
field contains anything useful is system-dependent. If available, the
\module{spwd} module should be used where access to the encrypted password
is required.}
It defines the following items:
\begin{funcdesc}{getpwuid}{uid}
Return the password database entry for the given numeric user ID.
\end{funcdesc}
\begin{funcdesc}{getpwnam}{name}
Return the password database entry for the given user name.
\end{funcdesc}
\begin{funcdesc}{getpwall}{}
Return a list of all available password database entries, in arbitrary order.
\end{funcdesc}
\begin{seealso}
\seemodule{grp}{An interface to the group database, similar to this.}
\seemodule{spwd}{An interface to the shadow password database, similar to this.}
\end{seealso}