i m new to shell programming..
i want to add use using cgi script using web interface.
i have made an html form..

and iam want to take the value from the html form on user_add.cgi page and then add user from there..
this will create a web based useradd thing just like webmin...

can neone tell me how to do that...i have tried a lot but iam gettin error...premature end of script..

my code for user_add.cgi page is...

#!/bin/bash

echo "Content-type: text/html"
echo ""

x=gogo

useradd $x

if [ $? -eq 0 ]
then
echo "useradded"
else
echo "not added"
fi

Your script looks like it would work if run in the context of a root login. However, as a CGI, it is a bit lacking. You probably need to return some information to the browser, like a complete HTML page. This should include at minimum, a HTML element containing a head and body element. These should contain the stuff you want to display in response to the hit on your form page.
Once you get the trivial example working, you will want to generalize the script to actually take data from your HTML form. That will involve parsing strings from the input argument list, or from environment variables depending on the 'method' used by your form.
It is unconventional to use bash for a job such as this. Other languages, of which perl and PHP are probably most common, are much better suited to this kind of job.
--- rod.

To expand on the Nombr; useradd is a root level cmd, but the web server eg Apache does not run as root, so you'll need to add it to the sudoers file and enable it to use the adduser cmd specifically.

well if its easy in php..can neone tell me how to do the same in php..cause i tried doing that also but m not able to use the exec function to run the root commands..
can neone plzz show me a small sample code in php to add user..

I think chrism01 already pointed out your problem. The CGI script runs in the context of user 'apache' (assuming a typical installation). That user does not have the right to create users, and so the script must invoke sudo, passwordless, to use the useradd tool. To do this, you will need to add user apache to the sudoers file, using visudo as root.
Doing that will probably make your original bash script work, too.
--- rod.

Also if you're developing scripts please consider doing that in an development area that is access restricted by IP (ranges) and properly password-protected. That's "AND" not "OR" and properly here means not a login/pass combo of "blah:user", "test:test" or "root:123".

Just for note: if you will want to set a password for an user from your script you can use this command:


That is simple, but needs openssl installed.

i tried to add a superuser in addition to root...by editin /etc/sudoers file..
i did this..
echo 'avinash ALL=(ALL) ALL' >> /etc/sudoers

...but still iam not able to use root commands with avinash user logged in..

like useradd and ifconfig are still not run by user avinash....

can neone tell me how to make avinash user as root user...

You're not reading too well. theNbomr already told you to use 'visudo' to edit your /etc/sudoers and to add user apache to the sudoers file. Besides that allowing any user to execute any commands as root account user by adding an "ALL ALL" entry is a particularly risky way of doing things. I suggest you take some time to read up on and understand the tools you're working with, refine your CGI and *then* muck with Sudo.

Hi av.dubey,

in place of "echo 'avinash ALL=(ALL) ALL' >> /etc/sudoers" try this

echo 'apache ALL=(ALL) ALL' >> /etc/sudoers

This should work

wo! wo! the way you are adding he user to /etc/sudoers file is not correct

in place of using "echo 'avinash ALL=(ALL) ALL' >> /etc/sudoers"

open the sudoers file using *visudo* command [run as root] and then add the line I have mentioned in my previous note.

All the Best

@sir_com: 0) next time use the "edit" button to modify your post please and 1) adding an "ALL ALL" entry is a particularly risky way of doing things. Bad advice.

And...
Assuming your web server is a relatively standard apache httpd configuration, the user that will be executing the commands as a CGI will be 'apache'. If you have modified httpd.conf to use a different ID, then you will need to add a record to the sudoers file with the accordant ID.
Your script may need to specify the useradd utility by its full pathname, unless the appropriate directory is in the apache (or appropriate other's) $PATH. On the system I am writing from, that is /usr/sbin/useradd.
Please don't play fast and loose with security if the host you are using is connected to the internet. Bad things happen to all of us when a powerful system like a Linux host gets compromised and used for untoward purposes.
--- rod.

@@Mr unspawn and sir com
iam getting what u r saying but please ready this carefully...
if i am making a script in php to allow users to add other users on their linux machin with web interface instead of typing on the terminal..it means ill be prompting them on theri respective machine for root password...
if i add apache in sudoers file then it will work only in my system not in others...

so the need is of the command that allows me to add a user using php provided iam having root password which will be entered by the user...
secondly my php code should be universal that is when i give my code to another guy he should be able to run it on his linux box also...so i dont think now there is any need to edit sudoers file..

i need some command like exec (su -u root -p password )
then my useradd command..

plzz m waitin for ur kind reply

Please clarify something for us: are you attempting to create some web page that will allow users to add other users on the host where the browser is running?

To do this, your PHP code would have to make a ssh or telnet connection back to the client host, and using some passwordless root login, execute useradd with proper parameters. Did you hear when you were cautioned about security?

If this is not your intention, then you seem to be confused about how a web server & web browser interact. Any executable launched by the web server will run on the web server host only, and will do so as the user 'apache'. It may leverage some privileges through the use of sudo. This accomplishes the same thing your pseudo-code seems to suggest.

--- rod.