Ticket #41: skel.xml.patch

skel.xml

@@ -2 +2 @@
 <?dbhtml filename="skel.html" dir="postlfs"?>
 <title>/etc/skel (Skeleton Home Directory Files)</title>
 
-<para>New Page to be written here.</para>
+<para>Using the <filename>/etc/skel</filename> directory is quite simple
+to setup and use.  It provides a way to make sure that all new users on
+your LFS system get the same settings to begin with.  The
+<filename>/etc/skel</filename> directory is used by the
+<filename>/usr/sbin/useradd</filename> program.</para>
+
+<para>For more information see <filename>man useradd</filename>.</para>
+
+<para>To get started create a <filename>/etc/skel</filename> directory.
+Creating the directory as root is the best way to go.  Next copy any
+files into <filename>/etc/skel</filename> that you want every new user
+to have placed in their home drive.  Examples include
+<filename>.bash_profile</filename>, <filename>.bashrc</filename>,
+<filename>.bash_logout</filename>, <filename>dircolors</filename>,
+<filename>.inputrc</filename>, and <filename>.vimrc</filename>.</para>
+
+<para>When creating a new user with
+<filename>/usr/sbin/useradd</filename> use the <userinput>-m</userinput>
+parameter.  For example:</para>
+
+<para><screen>[prompt]#<userinput>useradd -m -s/bin/bash
+jwrober</userinput></screen></para>
+
+<para>The <filename>/usr/sbin/useradd</filename> program uses a
+collection of default values.  It will read them from the
+<filename>/etc/default/useradd</filename> file if it exists.  If the
+file does not exist, then it uses some internal defaults.  They can be
+found by running <userinput>/usr/sbin/useradd -D</userinput>.</para>
+
+<para>To change these values to something new, create a base
+<filename>/etc/default/useradd</filename> file with the same values as
+the output of <userinput>/usr/sbin/useradd -D</userinput>.  Here is a
+sample.</para>
+
+<para><screen># Begin /etc/default/useradd
+
+GROUP=100
+HOME=/home
+INACTIVE=-1
+EXPIRE=
+SHELL=
+SKEL=/etc/skel
+
+# End /etc/default/useradd</screen></para>
+
+<para>The only thing missing from the file is a default shell.  Add that
+by running:</para>
+
+<para><screen><userinput>/usr/sbin/useradd -D
+-s/bin/bash</userinput></screen></para>
+
+<para>This will set the <userinput>SHELL=</userinput> line to
+<userinput>SHELL=/bin/bash</userinput>.  This makes it even easier to
+add new users to your LFS system.  The
+<filename>/usr/sbin/useradd</filename> has many parameters that can be
+set in the <filename>/etc/default/useradd</filename> file.  See the man
+page for more details.</para>
 
 </sect1>