LOGIN(8) LOGIN(8) NAME login - sign on SYNOPSIS /etc/login name /etc/login -f name [ cmd ] /etc/login -p passwd-line [ cmd ] DESCRIPTION Login is executed by getty(8). See the Introduction to this volume for how to dial up initially. Login asks for a password if appropriate. Echoing is turned off during the typing of the password. The -f option forces login of the named user, without a password. -p is similar to -f, but an entire line of password file information is supplied. Login initializes the userid, the groupid, and the working directory according to specifications found in the password file; see passwd(5). It also initializes environment vari- ables PATH and HOME . Finally it executes a command inter- preter (usually sh(1)). Argument 0 of the command inter- preter is its name with a dash (`-') prepended. If a cmd argument was present, two additional arguments -c cmd are passed, and environment variable REXEC is set to `1'. Upon a successful login, accounting files are updated and, if no options are present, the message of the day is printed and the user is informed of the existence of mail. Successful logins are recorded in and If cmd was present, `*' is appended to the login name in wtmp, and no record is made in utmp. Only the super-user may execute login. FILES accounting accounting mail message-of-the-day password file groups file SEE ALSO newgrp(1), passwd(1), environ(5), passwd(5), getty(8), init(8), su(8), svcmgr(8). DIAGNOSTICS LOGIN(8) LOGIN(8) `Login incorrect': the name or the password is bad. `No Shell' or `no directory': the initial shell or home directory specified in the password file does not exist. `Cannot open password file': things are badly curdled. BUGS Information passed to options -p and -f is not checked. Only trusted programs should run login. Only trusted pro- grams may usefully do so anyway; login has no privileges.