util-linux (2.39)
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VersionsCHFN(1) User Commands CHFN(1)
NAME
chfn - change your finger information
SYNOPSIS
chfn [-f full-name] [-o office] [-p office-phone] [-h home-phone] [-u] [-V] [username]
DESCRIPTION
chfn is used to change your finger information. This information is stored in the /etc/passwd file, and is
displayed by the finger program. The Linux finger command will display four pieces of information that can be
changed by chfn: your real name, your work room and phone, and your home phone.
Any of the four pieces of information can be specified on the command line. If no information is given on the
command line, chfn enters interactive mode.
In interactive mode, chfn will prompt for each field. At a prompt, you can enter the new information, or just
press return to leave the field unchanged. Enter the keyword "none" to make the field blank.
chfn supports non-local entries (kerberos, LDAP, etc.) if linked with libuser, otherwise use ypchfn(1), lchfn(1)
or any other implementation for non-local entries.
OPTIONS
-f, --full-name full-name
Specify your real name.
-o, --office office
Specify your office room number.
-p, --office-phone office-phone
Specify your office phone number.
-h, --home-phone home-phone
Specify your home phone number.
-u, --help
Display help text and exit.
-V, --version
Print version and exit. The short options -V have been used since version 2.39; old versions use deprecated
-v.
-h, --help
Display help text and exit.
-V, --version
Print version and exit.
CONFIG FILE ITEMS
chfn reads the /etc/login.defs configuration file (see login.defs(5)). Note that the configuration file could be
distributed with another package (e.g., shadow-utils). The following configuration items are relevant for chfn:
CHFN_RESTRICT string
Indicate which fields are changeable by chfn.
The boolean setting "yes" means that only the Office, Office Phone and Home Phone fields are changeable, and
boolean setting "no" means that also the Full Name is changeable.
Another way to specify changeable fields is by abbreviations: f = Full Name, r = Office (room), w = Office
(work) Phone, h = Home Phone. For example, CHFN_RESTRICT "wh" allows changing work and home phone numbers.
If CHFN_RESTRICT is undefined, then all finger information is read-only. This is the default.
EXIT STATUS
Returns 0 if operation was successful, 1 if operation failed or command syntax was not valid.
AUTHORS
[34mSalvatore Valente <svalente@mit.edu>
SEE ALSO
chsh(1), finger(1), login.defs(5), passwd(5)
REPORTING BUGS
For bug reports, use the issue tracker at [34mhttps://github.com/util-linux/util-linux/issues.
AVAILABILITY
The chfn command is part of the util-linux package which can be downloaded from [34mLinux Kernel Archive
<https://www.kernel.org/pub/linux/utils/util-linux/>.
util-linux 2.39 2023-03-23 CHFN(1)
NAME
chfn - change your finger information
SYNOPSIS
chfn [-f full-name] [-o office] [-p office-phone] [-h home-phone] [-u] [-V] [username]
DESCRIPTION
chfn is used to change your finger information. This information is stored in the /etc/passwd file, and is
displayed by the finger program. The Linux finger command will display four pieces of information that can be
changed by chfn: your real name, your work room and phone, and your home phone.
Any of the four pieces of information can be specified on the command line. If no information is given on the
command line, chfn enters interactive mode.
In interactive mode, chfn will prompt for each field. At a prompt, you can enter the new information, or just
press return to leave the field unchanged. Enter the keyword "none" to make the field blank.
chfn supports non-local entries (kerberos, LDAP, etc.) if linked with libuser, otherwise use ypchfn(1), lchfn(1)
or any other implementation for non-local entries.
OPTIONS
-f, --full-name full-name
Specify your real name.
-o, --office office
Specify your office room number.
-p, --office-phone office-phone
Specify your office phone number.
-h, --home-phone home-phone
Specify your home phone number.
-u, --help
Display help text and exit.
-V, --version
Print version and exit. The short options -V have been used since version 2.39; old versions use deprecated
-v.
-h, --help
Display help text and exit.
-V, --version
Print version and exit.
CONFIG FILE ITEMS
chfn reads the /etc/login.defs configuration file (see login.defs(5)). Note that the configuration file could be
distributed with another package (e.g., shadow-utils). The following configuration items are relevant for chfn:
CHFN_RESTRICT string
Indicate which fields are changeable by chfn.
The boolean setting "yes" means that only the Office, Office Phone and Home Phone fields are changeable, and
boolean setting "no" means that also the Full Name is changeable.
Another way to specify changeable fields is by abbreviations: f = Full Name, r = Office (room), w = Office
(work) Phone, h = Home Phone. For example, CHFN_RESTRICT "wh" allows changing work and home phone numbers.
If CHFN_RESTRICT is undefined, then all finger information is read-only. This is the default.
EXIT STATUS
Returns 0 if operation was successful, 1 if operation failed or command syntax was not valid.
AUTHORS
[34mSalvatore Valente <svalente@mit.edu>
SEE ALSO
chsh(1), finger(1), login.defs(5), passwd(5)
REPORTING BUGS
For bug reports, use the issue tracker at [34mhttps://github.com/util-linux/util-linux/issues.
AVAILABILITY
The chfn command is part of the util-linux package which can be downloaded from [34mLinux Kernel Archive
<https://www.kernel.org/pub/linux/utils/util-linux/>.
util-linux 2.39 2023-03-23 CHFN(1)