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<!DOCTYPE refentry PUBLIC "-//OASIS//DTD DocBook XML V4.3//EN"
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<refentry id='chfn.1'>
  <!-- $Id: chfn.1.xml,v 1.11 2005/06/14 20:18:17 kloczek Exp $ -->
  <refmeta>
    <refentrytitle>chfn</refentrytitle>
    <manvolnum>1</manvolnum>
    <refmiscinfo class="sectdesc">User Commands</refmiscinfo>
  </refmeta>
  <refnamediv id='name'>
    <refname>chfn</refname>
    <refpurpose>change real user name and information</refpurpose>
  </refnamediv>

  <refsynopsisdiv id='synopsis'>
    <cmdsynopsis>
      <command>chfn</command>    
      <arg choice='opt'>-f <replaceable>full_name</replaceable></arg>
      <arg choice='opt'>-r <replaceable>room_no</replaceable></arg>
      <arg choice='opt'>-w <replaceable>work_ph</replaceable></arg>
      <arg choice='opt'>-h <replaceable>home_ph</replaceable></arg>
      <arg choice='opt'>-o <replaceable>other</replaceable></arg>
      <arg choice='opt'><replaceable>user</replaceable></arg>
    </cmdsynopsis>
  </refsynopsisdiv>
  
  <refsect1 id='description'>
    <title>DESCRIPTION</title>
    <para><command>chfn</command> changes user fullname, office number,
      office extension, and home phone number information for a user's
      account. This information is typically printed by <citerefentry>
      <refentrytitle>finger</refentrytitle><manvolnum>1</manvolnum>
      </citerefentry> and similar programs. A normal user may only change
      may only change the fields for her own account, subject to the
      restrictions in <filename>/etc/login.defs</filename>. (The default
      configuration is to prevent users from changing their fullname.) The
      super user may change any field for any account. Additionally, only
      the super user may use the <option>-o</option> option to change the
      undefined portions of the GECOS field.
    </para>
    
    <para>The only restriction placed on the contents of the fields is that
      no control characters may be present, nor any of comma, colon, or
      equal sign. The <emphasis remap='I'>other</emphasis> field does not
      have this restriction, and is used to store accounting information
      used by other applications.
    </para>
    
    <para> If none of the options are selected, <command>chfn</command>
      operates in an interactive fashion, prompting the user with the
      current values for all of the fields. Enter the new value to change
      the field, or leave the line blank to use the current value. The
      current value is displayed between a pair of <emphasis remap='B'>[
        ]</emphasis> marks. Without options, chfn prompts for the current
      user account.
    </para>
  </refsect1>
  
  <refsect1 id='files'>
    <title>FILES</title>
    <variablelist>
      <varlistentry>
        <term><filename>/etc/passwd</filename></term>
        <listitem>user account information</listitem>
      </varlistentry>
      <varlistentry>
        <term><filename>/etc/login.defs</filename></term>
        <listitem>runtime configuration</listitem>
      </varlistentry>
    </variablelist>
  </refsect1>
  
  <refsect1 id='see_also'>
    <title>SEE ALSO</title>
    <para><citerefentry>
        <refentrytitle>passwd</refentrytitle><manvolnum>5</manvolnum>
      </citerefentry>
    </para>
  </refsect1>
  
  <refsect1 id='author'>
    <title>AUTHOR</title>
    <para>Julianne Frances Haugh &lt;jockgrrl@ix.netcom.com&gt;</para>
  </refsect1>
</refentry>
