RMUSER (VIII)                 - 1 -                 RMUSER (VIII)




NAME
   rmuser -- remove accounts from system


SYNOPSIS
   # /etc/rmuser <filename>

   where "filename" is a file containing  login  names,  one  per
   line (left justified) to be deleted from the system.


DESCRIPTION
   "rmuser" is a program which  allows  the  orderly  removal  of
   several  accounts  from  the password and user-name files.  In
   order to keep the user-name file in the proper order,  deleted
   entries  must  be  replaced by blank lines.  "rmuser" provides
   this function.

   The first action that it takes is to read in file  "filename",
   and  to  store  internally the names of the accounts to be re-
   moved.  Next, the user-file is edited,  and  lines  containing
   matching  login  names are replaced by blank lines.  The pass-
   word file is then edited, with lines containing matching names
   deleted.   After  completing  the  edit  to  temporary  files,
   "rmuser" copies the temporary files back to the original ones.
   Its last action is to attempt to execute "mskf" to reconstruct
   the seek-format password file.

   "rmuser" turns off hangups, interrupts, and quits to prevent a
   bridge-burning  edit.   Also,  it cooperates with the "passwd"
   program by checking for, creating, and finally  removing,  the
   lock  file  "ptmp".  This prevents access to the password file
   by more than one program at a time.

   "rmuser" can only be run by root.


FILES
   /etc/6passwd -- password file
   /etc/user-file -- file of user names
   /etc/temp-pass -- working password file
   /etc/temp-user -- working user-name file
   /tmp/ptmp -- lock file


AUTHOR
   John D. Bruner


SOURCE LANGUAGE
   Written in C


BUGS
   The maximum number of users which "rmuser" can delete  at  any
   one  time  is  specified by the parameter NUM (using #define).
   "rmuser" should make sure that the file  "filename"  does  not
   contain too many names.
