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netrc(SFF)


netrc -- login file for remote networks

Description

If the .netrc file exists, it will be used by ftp(TC) for automatic login on the remote host. For each remote host, the file contains an entry that describes the login data for the user on that host.

The .netrc file contains login and initialization information used by the auto-login process. It resides in the user's home directory. The following tokens are recognized; they may be separated by spaces, tabs, or new-lines:


machine name
Identify a remote machine name. The auto-login process searches the .netrc file for a machine token that matches the remote machine specified on the ftp command line or as an open command argument. Once a match is made, the subsequent .netrc tokens are processed, stopping when the end of file is reached or another machine token is encountered.

default
This is the same as machine name except that default matches any name. There can be only one default token, and it must be after all machine tokens. This is normally used as:
default login anonymous password user@site
thereby giving the user automatic anonymous ftp login to machines not specified in .netrc. This can be overridden by using the -n flag to disable auto-login.

login name
Identify a user on the remote machine. If this token is present, the auto-login process will initiate a login using the specified name.

password string
Supply a password. If this token is present, the auto-login process will supply the specified string if the remote server requires a password as part of the login process. Note that if this token is present in the .netrc file, ftp will abort the auto-login process if the .netrc is readable by anyone besides the user.

NOTE: The literal password must be given in clear text; it is not encrypted.

If the .netrc file includes the password feature, permissions on the file must be set to prohibit reading by group and others; the file will not otherwise take effect.


account string
Supply an additional account password. If this token is present, the auto-login process will supply the specified string if the remote server requires an additional account password, or the auto-login process will initiate an ACCT command if it does not.

macdef name
Define a macro. This token functions like the ftp macdef command functions. A macro is defined with the specified name; its contents begin with the next .netrc line and continue until a null line (consecutive new-line characters) is encountered. If a macro named init is defined, it is automatically executed as the last step in the auto-login process.

Examples

The following example entry allows automatic login on the admin host by a user named superuser whose password is open.
   machine admin login superuser password open

Warning

For security reasons, use of the password feature is not recommended.

Files

$HOME/.netrc

See also

ftp(TC)
© 2005 The SCO Group, Inc. All rights reserved.
SCO OpenServer Release 6.0.0 -- 02 June 2005