ckuid(1)

ckuid, erruid, helpuid, valuid -- prompt for and validate a user ID

Synopsis

ckuid [-Q] [-W width] [-m] [-d default] [-h help] [-e error] [-p prompt] [-k pid [-s signal]]

erruid [-W width] [-e error]

helpuid [-W width] [-m] [-h help]

valuid input

Description

ckuid prompts a user and validates the response. It defines, among other things, a prompt message whose response should be an existing user ID, text for help and error messages, and a default value (which is returned if the user responds with a <Return>).

All messages are limited in length to 70 characters and are formatted automatically. Any white space used in the definition (including newline) is stripped. The -W option cancels the automatic formatting. When a tilde is placed at the beginning or end of a message definition, the default text is inserted at that point, allowing both custom text and the default text to be displayed.

If the prompt, help or error message is not defined, the default message (as defined under ``Notices'') is displayed.

Three visual tool modules are linked to the ckuid command. They are erruid (which formats and displays an error message), helpuid (which formats and displays a help message), and valuid (which validates a response). These modules should be used in conjunction with FML objects. In this instance, the FML object defines the prompt.

The options and arguments for this command are:

-Q: Do not allow quit as a valid response.
-W: Use width as the line length for prompt, help, and error messages.
-m: Display a list of all logins when help is requested or when the user makes an error.
-d: The default value is default. The default is not validated and so does not have to meet any criteria.
-h: The help message is help.
-e: The error message is error.
-p: The prompt message is prompt.
-k: Send process ID pid a signal if the user chooses to abort.
-s: When quit is chosen, send signal to the process whose pid is specified by the -k option. If no signal is specified, use SIGTERM.
input: Input to be verified against /etc/passwd.

Exit codes

0: Successful execution
1: EOF on input
1: Usage error
3: User termination (quit)

Notices

The default prompt for ckuid is:

Enter the login name of an existing user [?,q]

The default error message is:

ERROR - Please enter the login name of an existing user.

(If the -m option of ckuid is used, a list of valid users is also displayed.)

The default help message is:

Please enter the login name of an existing user.

(If the -m option of ckuid is used, a list of valid users is also displayed.)

When the quit option is chosen (and allowed), q is returned along with the return code 3. The valuid module does not produce any output. It returns zero for success and non-zero for failure.