xref: /csrg-svn/lib/libc/gen/getpass.3 (revision 61111)
1*61111Sbostic.\" Copyright (c) 1989, 1991, 1993
2*61111Sbostic.\"	The Regents of the University of California.  All rights reserved.
320337Smckusick.\"
448352Scael.\" %sccs.include.redist.man%
548352Scael.\"
6*61111Sbostic.\"     @(#)getpass.3	8.1 (Berkeley) 06/04/93
748352Scael.\"
848352Scael.Dd
948352Scael.Dt GETPASS 3
1048352Scael.Os
1148352Scael.Sh NAME
1248352Scael.Nm getpass
1348352Scael.Nd get a password
1448352Scael.Sh SYNOPSIS
1549829Sbostic.Fd #include <pwd.h>
1648352Scael.Fd #include <unistd.h>
1748352Scael.Ft char *
1848352Scael.Fn getpass "const char *prompt"
1948352Scael.Sh DESCRIPTION
2048352ScaelThe
2148352Scael.Fn getpass
2248488Sbosticfunction displays a prompt to, and reads in a password from,
2348352Scael.Pa /dev/tty .
2448488SbosticIf this file is not accessible,
2548488Sbostic.Nm getpass
2648488Sbosticdisplays the prompt on the standard error output and reads from the standard
2748488Sbosticinput.
2848352Scael.Pp
2949829SbosticThe password may be up to _PASSWORD_LEN (currently 128)
3049829Sbosticcharacters in length.
3149829SbosticAny additional
3248488Sbosticcharacters and the terminating newline character are discarded.
3348488Sbostic.Pp
3448488Sbostic.Nm Getpass
3548488Sbosticturns off character echoing while reading the password.
3648488Sbostic.Pp
3748352Scael.Sh RETURN VALUES
3848488Sbostic.Nm Getpass
3948488Sbosticreturns a pointer to the null terminated password.
4048352Scael.Sh FILES
4148352Scael.Bl -tag -width /dev/tty - compact
4248352Scael.It Pa /dev/tty
4348352Scael.El
4448352Scael.Sh SEE ALSO
4548352Scael.Xr crypt 3
4648352Scael.Sh HISTORY
4748352ScaelA
4848488Sbostic.Nm getpass
4948352Scaelfunction appeared in
5048352Scael.At v7 .
5148352Scael.Sh BUGS
5248352ScaelThe
5348488Sbostic.Nm getpass
5448352Scaelfunction leaves its result in an internal static object and returns
5548488Sbostica pointer to that object.
5648488SbosticSubsequent calls to
5748488Sbostic.Nm getpass
5848352Scaelwill modify the same object.
5948488Sbostic.Pp
6048488SbosticThe calling process should zero the password as soon as possible to
6148488Sbosticavoid leaving the cleartext password visible in the process's address
6248488Sbosticspace.
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