Re: slappasswd compiles but fails to work without --enable-crypt (ITS#2906)

[cat@reptiles.org]

On Thu, 8 Jan 2004, Kurt D. Zeilenga wrote:
> >The documentation states that:
> >
> >        /usr/local/sbin/slappasswd -h {CRYPT}
> >        New password:
> >        Re-enter new password:
> >        Password generation failed.
> >
> >should function as expected.
>
> That failed because your shell treated, I assume, { and } as being
> special.  However, I agree that the error message could be more
> descriptive.

;>

> >As it turns out, the format should
> >actually be:
> >
> >        /usr/local/sbin/slappasswd -h '{CRYPT}'
> >        New password:
> >        Re-enter new password:
> >        {CRYPT}DMWh.dJyy54xg
>
> Note that would have failed if the single quotes we're special to
> your shell.

*sigh* Was there a specific design reason for using curly brackets, when
they have a side-effect of causing syntax issues with various shells?

> >I also tried:
> >
> >        /usr/local/sbin/slappasswd -h CRYPT
> >        New password:
> >        Re-enter new password:
> >        Password generation failed.
> >
> >just to see.
> >
> >The output is incorrect IMHO, because it doesn't indicate why the
> >password generation failed in enough detail to indicate the source of
> >the issue. Similarly, the documenation (via the man page) is actually
> >incorrect.
>
> The documentation, though I will add a clarification, is actually quite
> correct.  The user must pass, via their shell, {CRYPT}.  If your shell
> requires that to be protected somehow, then that's what you need to do.

Fair 'nuf. It's rather an annoying gotcha, since {foo} is a format that
I've often seen used to indicate that 'foo' is to be used, rather than
'{foo}'. The clarification is appreciated, though!

cheers!
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