NetNews Usenet Archive 1992 #31/NN_1992_31.iso/spool/comp/os/vms/19891

Internet Message Format | 1992-12-26 | 2.9 KB

Path: sparky!uunet!elroy.jpl.nasa.gov!news.claremont.edu!nntp-server.caltech.edu!SOL1.GPS.CALTECH.EDU!CARL
From: [e-mail] (Carl J Lydick)
Newsgroups: comp.os.vms
Subject: Re: AUTHORIZE oddity
Date: 26 Dec 1992 07:06:04 GMT
Organization: HST Wide Field/Planetary Camera
Lines: 46
Distribution: world
Message-ID: <[e-mail]>
References: <[e-mail]>
Reply-To: [e-mail]
NNTP-Posting-Host: sol1.gps.caltech.edu

In article <[e-mail]>, [e-mail] (Sal Kabalani) writes:
=I have observed as oddity in AUTHORIZE.  My feeling this is a known "bug" or
="feature" in AUTHORIZE, but I thought I would share my experince with the rest
=of you for its educational value.

I suspect it's a feature.  I also suspect you've misled us slightly in your
description of your actions.

=Here is what happened:
=
=1- Most of our files on the system (14 1.2 Gig, and 14 660 Meg disks) are owned
=   by UIC [200,1], which is names DATABASE.
=
=2- I needed to create an account for one of our subscribers, Arcadia Telephone
=   Company, so I went into AUTHORIZE, copied the account of Manilla Telephone
=   Company (MANILLA) into Arcadia Telephone (ARCADIA) for the purpose of
=   creating the new account.
=
=3- I reset the Device/Directory and Pasword for ARCADIA.
=
=4- I then discovered that the acocunt name ARCADIA is not appropriate for this
=   purpose (due to internal policies and procedures), so I copied ARCADIA to
=   ARCADIATEL.
=
=5- I then reset the device/directory and password for the new account
=   ARCADIATEL. I then delted the old account ARCADIA.

=6- When done, I listed a diretory on my files, and discovered that they are all
=   owned by UIC [ARCADIATEL] instead of [DATABASE]. a Quick check revealed that
=   ALL files that were previously owned by [DATABASE] are now owned by
=   [ARCADIATEL]. Needless to say this was a source of alarm to me.

I can't reproduce this on my system.  However, if one were to RENAME an
account, that would account for what you describe.  You see, if you COPY an
account, AUTHORIZE will give you a warning that there's already an identifier
associated with the UIC, and won't (at least under VMS v5.4-2) change the
identifier.  However, if you use the RENAME command, then both the USERNAME for
that account AND any identifier associated with that UIC will be renamed.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Carl J Lydick | INTERnet: [e-mail] | NSI/HEPnet: SOL1::CARL

Disclaimer:  Hey, I understand VAXen and VMS.  That's what I get paid for.  My
understanding of astronomy is purely at the amateur level (or below).  So
unless what I'm saying is directly related to VAX/VMS, don't hold me or my
organization responsible for it.  If it IS related to VAX/VMS, you can try to
hold me responsible for it, but my organization had nothing to do with it.