Adduser devel - Dec 2005 - Bug#344824: --firstuid should be usable with --system, but it is silently ignored

Package: adduser
Version: 3.80


Currently, --firstuid (and --lastuid) are silently ignored when used
with the --system option:

maxb@sanpietro:~$ sudo adduser --system --firstuid 200 test1
Adding system user `test1''...
Adding new user `test1'' (102) with group `nogroup''.

^^ UID 102 was allocated instead of 200 or something greater.



The help doesn''t mention any use of --firstuid with --system, but this
would be useful to allow local non-human users, to be created in a
separate uid range to the system users created by Debian packages.

Max.

severity #344824  wishlist
thanks

On Mon, Dec 26, 2005 at 04:53:04PM +0000, Max Bowsher
wrote:
> The help doesn''t mention any use of --firstuid with --system, but
this
> would be useful to allow local non-human users, to be created in a
> separate uid range to the system users created by Debian packages.
It is documented that adduser --system uses the first available UID
from the system UID range.

Is your goal reached with adduser --disabled-login --firstuid 200 test1?

Greetings
Marc

-- 
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Marc Haber         | "I don''t trust Computers. They | Mailadresse
im Header
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Processing commands for control@bugs.debian.org:
> severity #344824  wishlist
Bug#344824: --firstuid should be usable with --system, but it is silently
ignored
Severity set to `wishlist''.
> thanks
Stopping processing here.

Please contact me if you need assistance.

Debian bug tracking system administrator
(administrator, Debian Bugs database)

Marc Haber wrote:
> On Mon, Dec 26, 2005 at 04:53:04PM +0000, Max Bowsher wrote:
> 
>>The help doesn''t mention any use of --firstuid with --system,
but this
>>would be useful to allow local non-human users, to be created in a
>>separate uid range to the system users created by Debian packages.
> 
> 
> It is documented that adduser --system uses the first available UID
> from the system UID range.
The same language, except for ''normal'' being used instead of
''system'',
is used to document plain adduser (without --system).  The normal case
then goes on to describe --firstuid/--lastuid.  So, I agree the
documentation is correct.

But, is there a good reason to permit overriding the normal UID range
via the command line, but not permit overriding the system UID range?

> Is your goal reached with adduser --disabled-login --firstuid 200 test1?
Only partially, because I want the suppression of copying /etc/skel and
running chfn that --system provides.


Thanks,
Max.

On Mon, Dec 26, 2005 at 07:05:44PM +0000, Max Bowsher
wrote:
> Marc Haber wrote:
> > On Mon, Dec 26, 2005 at 04:53:04PM +0000, Max Bowsher wrote:
> > It is documented that adduser --system uses the first available UID
> > from the system UID range.
> 
> The same language, except for ''normal'' being used instead
of ''system'',
> is used to document plain adduser (without --system).  The normal case
> then goes on to describe --firstuid/--lastuid.  So, I agree the
> documentation is correct.
> 
> But, is there a good reason to permit overriding the normal UID range
> via the command line, but not permit overriding the system UID range?
This is probably there for historical reasons, but I am not inclined
to touch the code more than it is absolutely necessary. The code is
fragile and shouldn''t break
> > Is your goal reached with adduser --disabled-login --firstuid 200
test1?
> 
> Only partially, because I want the suppression of copying /etc/skel
Use --home with a directory that already exists
> and running chfn that --system provides.
use --gecos.

Greetings
Marc

-- 
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Marc Haber         | "I don''t trust Computers. They | Mailadresse
im Header
Mannheim, Germany  |  lose things."    Winona Ryder | Fon: *49 621 72739834
Nordisch by Nature |  How to make an American Quilt | Fax: *49 621 72739835

user adduser@packages.debian.org
usertags #344824 patch-appreciated
thanks

On Mon, Dec 26, 2005 at 08:14:44PM +0100, Marc Haber
wrote:
> This is probably there for historical reasons, but I am not inclined
> to touch the code more than it is absolutely necessary. The code is
> fragile and shouldn''t break
On a second and third thought, I''d appreciate a patch (including test
cases and documentation update).

Greetings
Marc

-- 
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Marc Haber         | "I don''t trust Computers. They | Mailadresse
im Header
Mannheim, Germany  |  lose things."    Winona Ryder | Fon: *49 621 72739834
Nordisch by Nature |  How to make an American Quilt | Fax: *49 621 72739835

Marc Haber said:
> user adduser at packages.debian.org
> usertags #344824 patch-appreciated
> thanks
> 
> On Mon, Dec 26, 2005 at 08:14:44PM +0100, Marc Haber wrote:
> > This is probably there for historical reasons, but I am not inclined
> > to touch the code more than it is absolutely necessary. The code is
> > fragile and shouldn''t break
> 
> On a second and third thought, I''d appreciate a patch (including
test
> cases and documentation update).
Any news on that? It''s been years, the bug is still there, though a
patch [1] has been submitted.

Thanks!

1. http://bugs.debian.org/cgi-bin/bugreport.cgi?bug=579107

-- 
mike dentifrice <fluor at poivron.org>