[K12OSN] batch adding users

[Jim Kronebusch]

> I've just finished a fresh install of 4.2.1 and I want to add 
> a new list of users which I took from our SISystem....it's a 
> plain text list in a 'lastname, firstname' format....what I 
> would like to do is add them with either a random or generic 
> password, make them change it at the first login attempt, and 
> require at least 6 characters that don't contain their name 
> or username....can someone tell me or point me to a 'how to' 
> or script to do this...this is new for me so I'll definately 
> need some good documentation ;-( TIA, John.....

If you're not using SAMBA/LDAP I really like the batch upload feature
included in the user module of Webmin.  Check it out, there are quick
easy instructions explaining the layout of the file to be imported.  In
Open Office Calc you should be able to write some quick formulas and
fill down to complete the required fields.  If you don't have a value
just leave it blank between colons and it should generate with the
default value.
 
 
create:username:passwd:uid:gid:realname:homedir:shell:min:max:warn:inact
ive:expire
 create:username:::realname:homefolder:shell:::::

Here is the description from Webmin:
In create lines, if the uid field is left empty, Webmin will assign a
UID automatically. If the gid field is empty, Webmin will create a new
group with the same name as the user. The username, homedir and shell
fields must be supplied for every user - all other fields are allowed to
be empty. If the passwd field is blank, no password will be assigned for
the user. If it contains just the letter x, the account will be locked.
Otherwise, the text in the field will be taken as the cleartext password
and encrypted.
In modify lines, an empty field will be taken to mean that the
corresponding user attribute is not to be modified.


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