NAME

chgrp — change group

SYNOPSIS

chgrp

[-R [-H | -L | -P]] [-fhv] group file ...

DESCRIPTION

The chgrp utility sets the group ID of the file named by each file operand to the group ID specified by the group operand.

Options:

-H

If the -R option is specified, symbolic links on the command line are followed. (Symbolic links encountered in the tree traversal are not followed.)

-L

If the -R option is specified, all symbolic links are followed.

-P

If the -R option is specified, no symbolic links are followed.

-R

Change the group ID for the file hierarchies rooted in the files instead of just the files themselves.

-f

The force option ignores errors, except for usage errors and doesn't query about strange modes (unless the user does not have proper permissions).

-h

If file is a symbolic link, the group of the link is changed.

-v

Cause chgrp to be verbose, showing files as they are processed.

If -h is not given, unless the -H or -L option is set, chgrp on a symbolic link always succeeds and has no effect. The -H, -L and -P options are ignored unless the -R option is specified. In addition, these options override each other and the command's actions are determined by the last one specified.

The group operand can be either a group name from the group database, or a numeric group ID. Since it is valid to have a group name that is numeric (and doesn't have the numeric ID that matches its name) the name lookup is always done first. Preceding the ID with a ``#'' character will force it to be taken as a number.

The user invoking chgrp must belong to the specified group and be the owner of the file, or be the super-user.

Unless invoked by the super-user, chgrp clears the set-user-id and set-group-id bits on a file to prevent accidental or mischievous creation of set-user-id or set-group-id programs.

The chgrp utility exits 0 on success, and >0 if an error occurs.

FILES

/etc/group

Group ID file

SEE ALSO

chown(2), lchown(2), fts(3), group(5), passwd(5), symlink(7), chown(8)

STANDARDS

The chgrp utility is expected to be POSIX 1003.2 compatible.

The -v option and the use of ``#'' to force a numeric group ID are extensions to IEEE Std 1003.2 (“POSIX.2”).