VIPW(8) BSD System Manager's Manual VIPW(8)

NAME
     vviippww - edit the password file

SYNOPSIS
     vviippww

DESCRIPTION
     VViippww edits the password file after setting the appropriate locks, and
     does any necessary processing after the password file is unlocked.  If
     the password file is already locked for editing by another user, vviippww
     will ask you to try again later. The default editor for vviippww is vi(1).

     VViippww performs a number of consistency checks on the password entries, and
     will not allow a password file with a ``mangled'' entry to be installed.
     If vviippww rejects the new password file, the user is prompted to re-enter
     the edit session.

     Once the information has been verified, vviippww uses pwdmkdb(8) to update
     the user database.  This is run in the background, and, at very large
     sites could take several minutes.  Until this update is completed, the
     password file is unavailable for other updates and the new information is
     not available to programs.

ENVIRONMENT     If the following environment variable exists it will be utilized by vviippww:

     EDITOR  The editor specified by the string EDITOR will be invoked instead
             of the default editor vi(1).

SEE ALSO
     chpass(1), passwd(1), passwd(5), pwdmkdb(8)

HISTORY     The vviippww command appeared in 4.0BSD.

4th Berkeley Distribution        June 6, 1993        4th Berkeley Distribution