Number of users using /bin/bash

shorte85 · 03-14-2009, 07:40 PM

I'm trying to currently figure out the number of users using /bin/bash as their shell to login into the crux. I think I have the right command, but I'm not entirely sure. I was hoping someone could look at the two different commands I have and let me know if it's correct or possibly point me into a direction?

The first command I figured out (or I think so) is this one:

Code:

$ cat /etc/passwd | grep -c "/bin/bash"
4314

Then I have another version of that command that I put together which was:

Code:

$ grep -c "bin/bash" /etc/passwd
4314

As you can see they both come out with the same amount. But I guess what I'm trying to figure out is if that is getting what I'm trying to figure out, which is the number of users who use /bin/bash as their login shell in crux. I think both work correctly since both commands give me the same amount, but I guess I'm a little weary of it because I'm not sure if it's giving me the number of users who use /bin/bash as their login shell.

AsusDave · 03-14-2009, 08:14 PM

I think either command will work for you.

The result would be the number of users that use /bin/bash for their login shell.

HTH
Dave

shorte85 · 03-14-2009, 09:33 PM

Thanks Dave. Now I'm stuck on something else. I'm working on pretty much the samething, but now I'm trying to figure out what the second most commonly used shell program in crux is. I figured using the same command would work by adding a * at the end of /bin/bash/* but that doesn't work. It just gives me a 0. Like this:

Code:

$ grep -c "/bin/bash/*" /etc/passwd
0

Not sure what I'm doing wrong. Maybe I'm not using the right command. Hmm, lol

nflenz · 03-14-2009, 10:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by shorte85

Thanks Dave. Now I'm stuck on something else. I'm working on pretty much the samething, but now I'm trying to figure out what the second most commonly used shell program in crux is. I figured using the same command would work by adding a * at the end of /bin/bash/* but that doesn't work. It just gives me a 0. Like this:

Code:

$ grep -c "/bin/bash/*" /etc/passwd
0

Not sure what I'm doing wrong. Maybe I'm not using the right command. Hmm, lol

How is /bin/bash/* going to match any other shells? If you want to count all entries without bash, use grep's -v option. Otherwise, just change /bin/bash to a different shell like tcsh.

Code:

$ grep -vc /bin/bash /etc/passwd
$ grep -c /bin/tcsh /etc/passwd

shorte85 · 03-14-2009, 10:55 PM

I don't know. I'm getting kind of frustrated because I've been at this all day now, and I just can't figure it out. I guess all I wanted to do was see what the second commonly used shell is that users use to login too. But I'm not exactly sure. lol I figured the grep command that I used would tell me but apparently not.

I did try:

Code:

$ grep -vc /bin/bash /etc/passwd
38

and got 38, but that doesn't tell me what shell. I'm about to pull my hair, does anyone ever do that when they are unable to figure something out in linux? LOL

nilleso · 03-14-2009, 11:09 PM

The following command will list the shells. The first column is the count.
When you don't know how to do something.. try harder.

cheers

Code:

awk -F":" '{print $7}' /etc/passwd|sort|uniq -c|sort -rn

Code:

812 /bin/bash
446 /bin/ksh
217 /bin/sh
 16 /bin/false
  1 /usr/sbin/nologin
  1 /bin/sync

syg00 · 03-14-2009, 11:22 PM

And note the use of several commands to achieve a result. In general this is an attribute if *nix systems - use small programs to build the answer.

shorte85 · 03-15-2009, 02:34 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by nilleso

The following command will list the shells. The first column is the count.
When you don't know how to do something.. try harder.

cheers

Code:

awk -F":" '{print $7}' /etc/passwd|sort|uniq -c|sort -rn

Code:

812 /bin/bash
446 /bin/ksh
217 /bin/sh
 16 /bin/false
  1 /usr/sbin/nologin
  1 /bin/sync

This ended up working, and I also used:

Code:

$ cat /etc/shells

which listed off the shells that we were able to use, which was very helpful. I then went on to checking each one with the

Code:

$ grep -c "/bin/bash" /etc/passwd

which gave me the numbers, then I just changed the "/bin/bash" to the other shell names and got the answer. The shell that is the second commonly used shell is /sbin/nologin which was 34.

Thanks again, I appreciate you helping me with this one. I believe I got what I was looking for. HE HE!