Python Library Reference

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8.3 grp -- The group database

Availability: Unix.

This module provides access to the Unix group database. It is available on all Unix versions.

Group database entries are reported as 4-tuples containing the following items from the group database (see <grp.h>), in order:

Index	Field	Meaning
0	gr_name	the name of the group
1	gr_passwd	the (encrypted) group password; often empty
2	gr_gid	the numerical group ID
3	gr_mem	all the group member's user names

The gid is an integer, name and password are strings, and the member list is a list of strings. (Note that most users are not explicitly listed as members of the group they are in according to the password database. Check both databases to get complete membership information.)

It defines the following items:

getgrgid(gid)

Return the group database entry for the given numeric group ID. KeyError is raised if the entry asked for cannot be found.

getgrnam(name)

Return the group database entry for the given group name. KeyError is raised if the entry asked for cannot be found.

getgrall()

Return a list of all available group entries, in arbitrary order.

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Python Library Reference

Previous: 8.2 pwd Up: 8. Unix Specific Services Next: 8.4 crypt

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Release 2.2, documentation updated on December 21, 2001.