[comp.sys.hp] too many memembers in etc/group

avpe@huldra.UUCP (Arild V. Pedersen) (05/24/91)

Problem: I need to use /etc/group, security reasons.
         But it's no room for all group members on one line.
         I need room for app. 200 users, and an ID of 4 char pr person.
         CPU: HP 9000-870, HP-UX 7.06
         Any solution to this problem?          
                
avpe@tdata.no
Tandberg Data A/S, P.O Box 9, Korsvoll, 0808-OSLO, NORWAY
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paul@prcrs.prc.com (Paul Hite) (05/29/91)

In article <8@huldra.UUCP>, avpe@huldra.UUCP (Arild V. Pedersen) writes:
> Problem: I need to use /etc/group, security reasons.
>          But it's no room for all group members on one line.
>          I need room for app. 200 users, and an ID of 4 char pr person.

Well first of all, lines in /etc/group are limited to BUFSIZ characters. 
BUFSIZ is 1024 on HP-UX (at least on the 800's).  So you might have room
in one line.  But it would be tight and you did say approximately 200.

Here's an idea that I saw in comp.unix.admin.  I haven't tried it, but it
seems like it should work.  Just use an extra line (or several lines) in
/etc/group with the same gid but with a different name.  Put the real
one first:
	big::9:tom,dick
	dummy1::9:jane,sally

Here tom, dick, jane, and sally are all members of group "big".

Paul Hite   PRC Realty Systems  McLean,Va   paul@prcrs.prc.com    (703) 556-2243
        You can't tell which way the train went by studying its tracks.