LinuxQuestions.org - [SOLVED] chown

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Hi all

I've got a question about the command chown...
In the man pages, they say the you need to use the command like this

Code:

# chown user:user /folder

so they say, you need to use the ':'

but i've used '.' like

Code:

# chown user.user /folder

and it also works..

is this normal , or is it something in a config file?
or is it just a coincidence?

Thanks in advance

Brownie :hattip:

Read under the section for Compatibility in the chown man page.

Hi Björn,

Or from the info page:

Code:

info coreutils "chown invocation"

Quote:

Some older scripts may still use `.' in place of the `:' separator.
POSIX 1003.1-2001 (*note Standards conformance::) does not require
support for that, but for backward compatibility GNU `chown' supports
`.' so long as no ambiguity results. New scripts should avoid the use
of `.' because it is not portable, and because it has undesirable
results if the entire OWNER`.'GROUP happens to identify a user whose
name contains `.'.

Kind regards,

Eric

so i geuss, both are the same and both can be used??
if so, why don't they say that in the man pages of linux?
i mean, when i do

Code:

# man chown

i don't get anything of the '.'

* UPDATE *
but i did the

Code:

# info chown

  Some older scripts may still use `.' in place of the `:' separator.

POSIX 1003.1-2001 (*note Standards conformance::) does not require

support for that, but for backward compatibility GNU `chown' supports

`.' so long as no ambiguity results.  New scripts should avoid the use

of `.' because it is not portable, and because it has undesirable

results if the entire OWNER`.'GROUP happens to identify a user whose

name contains `.'.

and they say it's better to be avoid..

---------- Post added 05-23-11 at 02:34 PM ----------

Quote:

Originally Posted by EricTRA (Post 4364487)

Hi Björn,

Or from the info page:

Code:

info coreutils "chown invocation"

Kind regards,

Eric

yeah, i've noticed it to :p thanks ;)