source: postlfs/config/skel.xml@ cfc2a54

<sect1 id="postlfs-config-skel">
<?dbhtml filename="skel.html" dir="postlfs"?>
<title>Configuring for Adding Users</title>

<para>Together, the <filename>/usr/sbin/useradd</filename> command and
<filename>/etc/skel</filename> directory (both are easy to setup and use)
provide a way to assure new users are added on your LFS system with the
same beginning settings for things like $PATH, keyboard processing and
environmental variables.  Using these two facilities makes it easier to
assure this initial state for each new user.
</para>

<para>
The <filename>/etc/skel</filename> directory holds copies of various
initialization and other files that may be copied to the new user's home
directory when the <filename>/usr/sbin/useradd</filename>
program adds the new user.</para>

<para>Useradd</para>

<para>The <filename>useradd</filename> program uses a collection of
default values kept in <filename>/etc/default/useradd</filename>,
if it exists.  If the file does not exist, then it uses some internal
defaults.  You can see the default values 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>.</para>

<para><filename>Useradd</filename> has many parameters that
can be set in the <filename>/etc/default/useradd</filename> file.
</para>

<para>For more information see <userinput>man useradd</userinput>.</para>

<para>/etc/skel</para>

<para>To get started create an <filename>/etc/skel</filename> directory
and make sure it is writable only by the system administrator, usually
root. Creating the directory as root is the best way to go.</para>

<para>The mode of any files from this part of the book that you put in
<filename>/etc/skel</filename> should be writable only by the owner.
Also, since there is no telling what kind of sensitive information a
user may eventually place in their copy of these files, you should
make them unreadable by "group" and "other".</para>

<para>You can also put other files in <filename>/etc/skel</filename> and
different permissions may be needed for them.
</para>

<para>
Decide which initialization files should be provided in every (or most)
new user's home directory. The decisions you make will affect what you
do in the next three sections, "/etc/inputrc", "The Bash Shell Startup
Files" and "/etc/vimrc, ~/.vimrc". Some or all of those files will be
useful for root, any already-existing users, and new users.</para>

<para>The files from those sections that you might want to place in
<filename>/etc/skel</filename> include
<filename>.inputrc</filename>, <filename>.bash_profile</filename>,
<filename>.bashrc</filename>, <filename>.bash_logout</filename>,
<filename>.dircolors</filename>, and <filename>.vimrc</filename>. If
you are unsure which of these should be placed there, just continue to
the following sections, read each section and any references provided,
and then make your decision.</para>

<para>You will run a slightly modified set of commands for files which
are placed in <filename>/etc/skel</filename>. Each section will remind
you of this. In brief, the book's commands have been written for files
<emphasis>not</emphasis> added to <filename>/etc/skel</filename> and
just send the results to the user's home directory. If the file is going
to be in <filename>/etc/skel</filename>, change the book's command(s) to
send output there instead and then just copy the file from
<filename>/etc/skel</filename> to the appropriate directories, like
<filename>/etc</filename>, <filename>~</filename> or the home directoriy
of any other user already in the system.</para>

<para>When Adding a User</para>

<para>When adding a new user with <filename>useradd</filename> use
the <userinput>-m</userinput> parameter, which tells
<filename>useradd</filename> to create the user's home directory and
copy files from <filename>/etc/skel</filename> (can be overridden) to
the new user's home directory.  For example:</para>

<para><screen><userinput>useradd -m -s/bin/bash jwrober</userinput></screen></para>

</sect1>