ui(1)

ui1

Show information about local users

Usage

ui {[-hvVL] [-F separator] [-m separator] [-t format] [-d] [[-xXO] module1.so [options] [-- [-xXO] module2.so [options] []]] [-c filename] [user] | [-f filename] []}

Overview

ui uses loadable modules to display various information about a local user. Multiple usernames or filenames (see -f) may be specified. If no arguments are given or a username or filename is ‘-’, then arguments are read via standard input.

-d

Load the default modules (passwd.so, mail.so and login.so). This can be used anywhere in the module list.

-t format

Specify an alternate time format for modules which have time values. See the strftime(3) manual page for format syntax.

-c filename

Load a configuration file. May be used more than once. See below for details.

-O filename

Load a module. The remaining switches are to be options for this module. End options for this module by specifying --. This option may by used more than once. Due to the way module chaining is implemented, the same module may be loaded more than once.

-x filename

Like -O but chain module1.so output to module2.so input. This will only work if the module is chainable. You can specify this option more than once for unlimited chaining.

-X filename

The same as -x but don't output module1.so info, only pass the strings to module2.so for processing.

-F separator

Alternate character used to separate fields. Standard escape sequences are supported.

-m separator

Alternate character used to separate multi string values. Standard escape sequences are supported.

-f

Get information for the owners of the specified files.

-L

If the -f option is specified and the file is a symbolic link, get owner information for the file the link points to and not the link itself.

-v

Be verbose when possible. Some modules may limit their display. This should show everything available. This is reset for each loaded module unless specified twice.

-h

Display help text. A module must be specified either with the -O command line option or loaded via configuration file -c for a modules help text to be displayed.

-V

Version information.

Return values

Returns 1 on failure and 0 on success. Note that a modules return value affects this exit status.

Files

PREFIX/lib/userinfo Default location of loadable modules.

Examples

The following will load two modules, specify module options and load a configuration file. Module options end when -- is reached.

ui -O module.so -switches -- -O another.so -- -c filename `users`

Configuration file syntax

There is no default configuration file that will be loaded so you'll have to create one and load it with the -c command-line option. Empty lines and everything to the right of a '#' are ignored. If you need a '#' in your options, escape it with a '\'. This file should contain any modules you want loaded and their options separated by one or more whitespace characters on one line per module.

Each module should have a .so filename extension. If a module filename begins with a ~, it will be expanded to your home directory. Some module options may require quoting. Single and double quotes are supported and may also be escaped with a backslash character. Multiple configuration files may be specified and may also be used with the -O command-line option. The order of module loading and output is dependent on the order of the module stack and any module options.

If you want module chaining, put a '>' or '-' at the beginning of the module name before any '~'. This is the same as specifying -x or -X on the command line, respectively. The following module, which may also be chained, will be chained to this module.

Releases

12 releases since Debian 3.0 (Woody); the text changed 4 times.

  1. 3.0
  2. 3.1
  3. 4.0
  4. 5.0–11
  5. 12–13

-F since Debian 3.1 (Sarge); -O since Debian 5.0 (Lenny); -X since Debian 5.0 (Lenny).

-A until Debian 4.0 (Etch); -C until Debian 4.0 (Etch); -D until Debian 4.0 (Etch); -M until Debian 4.0 (Etch); -P until Debian 4.0 (Etch); -a until Debian 4.0 (Etch); -b until Debian 4.0 (Etch); -e until Debian 4.0 (Etch); -g until Debian 4.0 (Etch); -i until Debian 4.0 (Etch); -j until Debian 4.0 (Etch); -k until Debian 4.0 (Etch); -l until Debian 4.0 (Etch); -n until Debian 4.0 (Etch); -o until Debian 4.0 (Etch); -p until Debian 4.0 (Etch); -q until Debian 4.0 (Etch); -r until Debian 4.0 (Etch); -s until Debian 4.0 (Etch); -u until Debian 4.0 (Etch); -w until Debian 4.0 (Etch); -y until Debian 4.0 (Etch); -z until Debian 4.0 (Etch).

Authors

Ben Kibbey ⟨[email protected]⟩

From userinfo 2.5-5+b1 in Debian 13 (Trixie). Parsed by carta from the page's mdoc source.